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Do out-of-state semitrucks pay California licensing fees?

April 14, 2026

Q: Jeff Gavitt of Murrieta said he has been visiting his mom every week for several years at her senior community near the Riverside National Cemetery, which shares an entrance road with a large Amazon warehouse. Gavitt said he has seen hundreds of large Amazon trucks entering and leaving the warehouse and all are licensed in Indiana.

“I’m wondering why these huge trucks have been using our streets and highways for years and don’t pay any licensing fees to the state of California?” he asked. “Most of them are natural gas trucks but they still cause lots of wear and tear to our roads.”

A: Many people are unaware that California collects registration fees from interstate commercial vehicles through the International Registration Plan, an agreement among the states in the United States, Mexico and Canadian provinces. Under the program, commercial carriers register in their base state and they report the number of miles traveled in each jurisdiction, said Officer Ivan Sandoval of the California Highway Patrol Inland Division. Registration fees are then apportioned based on the percentage of miles driven in each state, he said.

“The base state collects the fees and distributes the appropriate share to each participating jurisdiction, including California, based on reported mileage,” he said.

Colton construction

If you live or work around the city of Colton, be aware construction work began this month on a new, wider bridge over the 10 Freeway and Mount Vernon Avenue. Leading the way for the new bridge and other improvements to the interchange is the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, in partnership with Colton and Caltrans.

The $97.4 million project will widen Mount Vernon Avenue over the freeway, improve traffic flow through the interchange and along East Valley Boulevard, according to SBCTA. Safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists will also be added, along with new sidewalks, Americans with Disabilities Act compliant curb ramps and crosswalk safety features. Construction is expected to be complete in fall 2028.

Crews began placing signs, and surveyors began preparing the area for the work, which is expected to start in May. Residents and businesses should expect to see traffic cones and concrete barriers, heavy equipment and construction workers in the area, SBCTA says. All drivers should be cautious, slow down and follow posted signs.

For this project, $92.5 million in funding is coming from SBCTA’s Measure I fund (San Bernardino County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements), and $4.9 million from the city of Colton.

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call 951-368-9995. Note that we may use material from letters or phone calls in future columns.

Orange County Register

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Do out-of-state semitrucks pay California licensing fees?

Colton construction

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