How to Claim a Refund for a Low-Mileage Vehicle

Sometimes you pay the full Heavy Vehicle Use Tax expecting a truck to run, but it ends up traveling 5,000 miles or less during the period (7,500 miles or less for an agricultural vehicle). In that case you can claim the tax back.

Steps to claim a low-mileage refund

1. 1Wait until the tax period ends on June 30 — you can only confirm the vehicle stayed under the limit after the period closes.
2. 2Confirm the total miles for the period are within the limit for your vehicle type.
3. 3File a Form 8849, Schedule 6 claim in Consulics for the vehicle.
4. 4Keep your mileage records in case the IRS requests them.

Refund vs. filing as suspended

If you know in advance a truck will be driven very little, it is simpler to file it as a suspended vehicle from the start and owe no tax. The refund route is for when you already paid the full tax and the low mileage only became clear later.