What Are Farm Plates? Farm Truck Registration Explained

Farm plates, sometimes called farm tags, are a special kind of vehicle registration that most states offer to farmers and ranchers. They usually cost less than standard commercial plates, and in return they come with limits on how the truck can be used. Here is how they work, and the one part that surprises a lot of farm truck owners: the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax.

What are farm plates?

Farm plates are issued by your state motor vehicle agency for vehicles used mainly in agriculture. Think of a grain truck hauling a farm's own harvest, a livestock trailer moving the owner's cattle, or a flatbed carrying the farm's own equipment. Because the state recognizes farming as a special use, it charges a reduced registration fee compared with a for hire commercial truck.

What can and cannot a farm plated truck do?

The exact rules are set by each state, so they differ, but the theme is the same everywhere. A farm plated truck is generally meant to carry the owner's own farm products and supplies. It usually cannot be used to haul someone else's goods for pay, to move products bought for resale, or to run general commercial freight. Many states also limit how far from the farm you can travel on farm plates.

Because the rules and mileage limits vary so much from state to state, always confirm the specifics with your own state agency before you rely on a farm plate for a given trip.

Do farm trucks need a CDL or a USDOT number?

It depends on the state and on how the truck is used. Many states offer covered farm vehicle exemptions that can ease commercial driver license and some federal requirements for farm vehicles operating within a set distance of the farm. Those exemptions have conditions and limits, and they do not apply to every situation, so check your state and the federal covered farm vehicle rules for your case.

Do farm trucks have to file Form 2290?

Yes, if the truck is heavy enough. The Heavy Vehicle Use Tax applies to highway motor vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more, and it does not exempt farm trucks. If your farm truck hits that weight and runs on public highways, you have to file Form 2290 even if you expect to owe no tax. A low mileage farm truck is reported as a suspended vehicle rather than left off the return.

What is the 7,500 mile agricultural limit?

Here is the part unique to farming. A vehicle that runs 5,000 miles or less in the tax period is normally suspended, meaning you file but owe no tax. For a vehicle used primarily for farming, the IRS raises that limit to 7,500 miles. So an agricultural truck can be driven more than a standard truck and still stay suspended. If it goes over 7,500 miles, the tax becomes due and you report the change.