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2026 Q3 Official Rates

Tennessee IFTA Tax Rates for 2026 Q3

Official Tennessee diesel and gasoline fuel tax rates for Q3 2026 — TNTAP online filing requirements, national logistics crossroads, and temporary fuel permit rules.

Data lookup page: this page lists official Tennessee IFTA fuel tax rates, filing deadlines and penalty rules. It does not calculate your return — run your numbers in the IFTA calculator.

Tennessee IFTA Rates for Q3 2026 (Jul - Sep 2026): What Carriers Need to Know

Tennessee posts $0.2700 per gallon on special diesel and $0.2600 per gallon on gasoline for Q3 2026, maintaining stable rates across the last four quarters in the official IFTA Inc. Tax Matrix effective July 1, 2026. For interstate commercial fleets, Tennessee represents a low-tax logistics corridor traversing the central United States.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue oversees the International Fuel Tax Agreement for Tennessee-based motor carriers. Account registration, decal requests, quarterly tax filings, and electronic payments are managed through the Tennessee Taxpayer Access Point (TNTAP) portal.

Anchored by Memphis as a premier international distribution hub and Nashville as a central transit gateway, Tennessee carries enormous interstate freight volume. Heavy commercial traffic traveling along major arteries including I-40, I-65, I-75, and I-24 makes precise quarterly mileage attribution essential.

Under IFTA rules, tax liability follows fuel consumption across jurisdictional borders rather than point-of-sale pump purchases. Keeping complete trip manifests and fuel receipts ensures seamless quarterly reconciliations and audit compliance with Tennessee Department of Revenue auditors.

Tennessee Quarterly Fuel Tax Rates — Last 4 Quarters

Tennessee Fuel Tax Rates by Quarter
Q3 2026 (Jul - Sep 2026)
Last four quarters, U.S. dollars per gallon, exactly as printed in the IFTA Inc. Tax Matrix.
QuarterDiesel (USD/gal)Gasoline (USD/gal)Separate Surcharge
Q3 2026Current0.27000.2600—
Q2 20260.27000.2600—
Q1 20260.27000.2600—
Q4 20250.27000.2600—

Tennessee maintains a steady rate of $0.2700 for special diesel and $0.2600 for gasoline across the last four quarters. No separate surcharge is flagged in the Tax Matrix.

Source: IFTA Inc. Tax Matrix (Q3 2026 (Jul - Sep 2026)) plus the Tennessee Department of Revenue - IFTA. Rates verified 2026-09-03; they change quarterly.

Quarterly Deadlines

File quarterly returns promptly: Q1 due April 30, Q2 due July 31, Q3 due October 31, and Q4 due January 31. When a due date lands on a weekend or holiday it rolls to the next business day.

Q1 (Jan - Mar)April 30
Q2 (Apr - Jun)July 31
Q3 (Jul - Sep)October 31
Q4 (Oct - Dec)January 31

1. Filing TN IFTA Returns: Essentials & Deadlines

How Tennessee filing works
From the official Tennessee source — see the link in the rate table above.

Quarterly filing schedule and holiday roll

Quarterly IFTA tax returns are due on or before the final day of the month following each calendar quarter: April 30 for Q1, July 31 for Q2, October 31 for Q3, and January 31 for Q4. When a filing deadline falls on a weekend or state holiday, the deadline advances to the next business day.

Mandatory TNTAP electronic filing

The Tennessee Department of Revenue requires carriers to submit quarterly returns and remit payments online via the Tennessee Taxpayer Access Point (TNTAP). Electronic filing accelerates processing, minimizes calculation errors, and generates an official submission confirmation.

Annual decal renewals and credentials

Tennessee-based carriers must renew IFTA licenses annually and display two decals on each qualified motor vehicle. Decal renewals should be finalized through TNTAP before December 31 to maintain continuous operating authority for the coming year.

7-Day temporary fuel use permits

Operators of qualified motor vehicles traveling through Tennessee without an active IFTA license must purchase a 7-Day Temporary Fuel Use Permit prior to entering state borders.

Late penalties & interest

Statutory late filing and delinquency penalty

Failing to file a quarterly return on time or failing to remit fuel tax obligations triggers a mandatory statutory penalty of $50 or 10 percent of the delinquent tax liability, whichever is greater.

Monthly statutory interest accrual

Interest is charged on all delinquent fuel taxes from the original statutory due date until the liability is completely paid. Statutory interest continues to accrue across quarterly audit cycles.

Four-year audit recordkeeping duty

Tennessee Department of Revenue rules require carriers to preserve all trip sheets, GPS and ELD mileage records, and itemized fuel receipts for at least four years from the return filing date.

2. Logistics Crossroads & Fuel Planning Along I-40 and I-65

Tennessee features steady fuel tax rates of $0.2700 on diesel and $0.2600 on gasoline across the last four quarters. Stable rates simplify carrier budgeting.

Running cross-country freight along I-40 through Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville exposes carriers to extensive mileage in Tennessee. At $0.2700 per gallon for special diesel, Tennessee maintains relatively competitive rates compared to northern and eastern neighbors.

Auditors inspect individual vehicle trip records showing date, route of travel, odometer readings, unit numbers, and jurisdictional miles. Fuel purchase records must document the date, vendor name, equipment number, fuel grade, and gallons pumped. Complete records prevent auditor adjustments using fleet averages.

Use the free IftaDesk calculator to analyze your cross-state routes and reconcile fuel taxes across Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Georgia before submitting your return.

TN IFTA Tax Rates — Frequently Asked Questions

Done looking up rates? Run the numbers.

The rate table tells you what Tennessee charges per gallon. The calculator turns that into your actual quarterly return, and the mileage tracker splits your miles state by state.

Browse the full 48-state rates table

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