Florida HSMV Form 85017 IRP IFTA Recordkeeping Agreement

Florida HSMV Form 85017 IRP IFTA Recordkeeping Agreement – Florida-based motor carriers registered under the International Registration Plan (IRP) or licensed under the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) must complete and submit Florida HSMV Form 85017, the official Recordkeeping Agreement. This form, issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Bureau of Commercial Vehicle and Driver Services, confirms that the carrier understands and will maintain the detailed distance and fuel records required by both programs.

The current version is HSMV 85017 (Rev 1/2024). It is a mandatory document for original IRP applications and is often required as part of IFTA account setup. Agents authorized by Power of Attorney cannot sign this form—only the carrier or an authorized company officer may do so, and the signature must be notarized.

Official Download: Download Florida HSMV Form 85017 (PDF) from the FLHSMV website.

What Is Florida HSMV Form 85017?

Form 85017 is a formal acknowledgment that Florida-based registrants and licensees will keep accurate, auditable records of all vehicle operations. These records support the distance reported on IRP applications and renewals and the distance plus fuel purchases reported on IFTA quarterly tax returns.

According to the official form language, records may be kept in paper or electronic format. If the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles requests them during an audit, the carrier must produce the records promptly. Inadequate records can result in additional fees, penalties, interest, and potential suspension or cancellation of IRP credentials or the IFTA license.

The form also references the governing rules: Section P500 of the IFTA Procedures Manual and Sections 1000, 1005, and 1010 of the IRP Plan.

Who Must File Form 85017?

Any Florida-based carrier that:

Registers apportionable vehicles under the International Registration Plan (IRP), or
Obtains an International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) license

must submit a completed and notarized Form 85017. It is typically required with the original IRP application (HSMV 85900) and is listed on the official IRP applicant checklist. Existing account holders may also be asked to update or reaffirm the agreement.

Importantly, the form states: “(Not to be signed by Agents authorized by Power of Attorney).” Only the applicant or an authorized officer of the company may sign.

Distance Records Required Under IRP and IFTA

Both IRP and IFTA require detailed Individual Vehicle Distance Records (IVDRs), also called driver trip sheets. For each IFTA-qualified vehicle, the following information must be recorded unless an approved vehicle tracking system is used:

Date(s) of the trip (starting and ending)
Trip origin and destination
Route of travel (highway numbers)
Beginning and ending odometer or hub odometer readings
Total distance (miles or kilometers)
Distance traveled in each jurisdiction
Power unit number or vehicle identification number
Registrant/licensee name

Electronic records generated by a vehicle tracking system (GPS, ELD, or similar) are acceptable when they capture the required data elements, including date/time/location readings at sufficient intervals and calculated distances by jurisdiction.

Monthly, quarterly, and annual summaries must be prepared from the individual trip records. These summaries support the actual miles reported for IRP registration and IFTA tax returns.

Fuel Records Required for IFTA Only

IFTA licensees must maintain evidence of taxes paid on fuel placed in the propulsion tanks of qualified vehicles. Acceptable documentation for over-the-road purchases includes unaltered vendor-generated receipts, invoices, credit card receipts, or automated transaction listings. Each receipt must show:

Date of purchase
Name and address of the seller
Number of gallons or liters purchased
Type of fuel
Price per gallon/liter or total amount of sale
Unit number or vehicle identification number
Driver/purchaser’s name

Prepaid fuel receipts are not acceptable for tax-paid credit. Bulk fuel purchases require additional documentation, including delivery tickets, withdrawal records, and tank reconciliations.

How Long Must Records Be Kept?

The current Form 85017 (Rev 1/2024) states the following retention periods:

IRP: Records supporting a particular registration year must be kept for four (4) years after the end of that registration year.
IFTA: Records supporting each quarterly tax return must be kept for four (4) years from the tax return due date or the filing date, whichever is later.

Carriers should retain records for the longer of the applicable periods when both IRP and IFTA apply. Failure to produce adequate records during an audit can lead to assessment of additional fees, denial of tax-paid fuel credits, and other penalties.

How to Complete and Submit Form 85017?

Download the official PDF from the FLHSMV site: HSMV 85017 PDF.
Read the entire agreement carefully. It summarizes the exact distance and fuel record requirements.
Print the carrier’s legal name, IRP and/or IFTA account numbers (if already assigned), and other identifying information as requested.
Have an authorized officer or the applicant sign the form in the presence of a notary public.
Submit the original notarized form with the IRP application or as directed by the Bureau of Commercial Vehicle and Driver Services. Keep a copy for your records.

Notarized originals generally cannot be uploaded through the Interstate Carrier Filing System (ICFS); they must be mailed or delivered according to current FLHSMV instructions.

Suggested Supporting Forms from FLHSMV

While Form 85017 itself is the agreement, FLHSMV provides optional templates that help carriers meet the underlying recordkeeping standards:

HSMV 85201 – Individual Vehicle Distance and Fuel Report
HSMV 85202 – Monthly/Quarterly Mileage and Fuel Summary
HSMV 85203 – Annual Distance Summary

These forms are available on the FLHSMV IRP/IFTA Forms and Templates page. Carriers are not required to use the exact state templates, but the information they collect must be maintained in a format that can be tied back to original source documents.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Inadequate or missing records can result in:

Assessment of additional IRP fees and IFTA taxes
Denial of tax-paid fuel credits
Monetary penalties and interest
Suspension or cancellation of IRP registration or IFTA credentials
Refusal of requests for additional decals, renewals, or account closure until records are produced

The form explicitly warns that all information is subject to verification and that inadequate records “WILL result in additional fees and/or financial penalties.”

Additional Resources from Trusted Sources

For the most current guidance, contact the Bureau of Commercial Vehicle and Driver Services at (850) 617-3711 or visit the official FLHSMV commercial vehicle pages.

Conclusion

Florida HSMV Form 85017 is more than a signature page—it is the carrier’s formal commitment to maintain the detailed operational records required under the IRP and IFTA. Completing and retaining this notarized agreement, together with accurate trip sheets, fuel receipts, and summaries, is essential for smooth registration renewals, accurate tax filing, and successful audits.