Changes Impacting Motor Carriers Are Coming
On November 7, 2025, Governor Tina Kotek signed
House Bill (HB) 3991 into law, which was intended to provide emergency funding for Oregon’s roads, bridges and transit operations at the state and local level.
The law sought to increase transportation funding in Oregon and to strengthen the health of ODOT. Several of the fee and tax increases in the bill were repealed in May 2026. However, changes impacting motor carriers, including WMT Simplification and other rate changes, were not repealed and are moving forward on schedule.
The first set of tax policy changes goes into effect July 1, 2027, with others following in July 2029. Additionally, CCD has two system modernizations planned alongside these policy changes. Information on implementation of HB 3991 along with these system modernization projects can be found below.
HB 3991 Project Information
Weight-Mile Tax Simplification
Due to changes in law from the 2025 legislative special session (House Bill 3991), the WMT structure is simplified starting July 1, 2027. This will make compliance, record keeping and administration much easier for both carriers and ODOT.
- Tax weight will be the same as registration weight.
- Instead of declaring and reporting multiple weights for different configurations, each vehicle pays WMT based only on the registered weight/rate.
- Weight-Mile Tax (WMT) simplification reduces the number of tax rates from 85 rates to 10 rates.
- Elimination of $5 suspension fee.
Rate and Fee Changes
Several transportation fees including Flat Fees, WMT and Road Use Assessment Fee (RUAF) rates will see rate changes. These changes align rates to ensure a fair and equitable fee structure for all users of the system in conjunction with the
Highway Cost Allocation Study (HCAS) findings.
Benefits:- Tax reporting requirements are easier to understand.
- Simplified record keeping and reporting means less paperwork for carriers.
- Increased compliance.
- Streamlined processes and procedures.
- More efficient audits and administration.
- Removes outdated or unclear language from the law.
- Aligns rates to ensure a fair and equitable fee structure for all users.
What is Changing- Oregon Trucking Online will be updated to match new requirements.
- Carriers will no longer need to report or keep records for multiple weights for different configurations.
- The vehicle’s registered weight, as defined in Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 825.005, will be the only weight used for reporting.
- Procedures, forms and Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) will be updated to reflect the new system.
Timeline- October 2025 – December 2026: Project Planning and Documentation.
- January 2026 – March 2027: System Modifications and Testing, OAR Updates, Procedural Changes, Ongoing Communications.
- Spring 2027: Mandatory One Time Amendment (MOTA) period for carriers.
- Carriers will be asked to amend their enrolled vehicle weights in spring 2027. More details will be shared when they are available.
- July 1, 2027: New WMT structure takes effect. Flat fee rate changes and removal of outdated chip and agricultural flat fees.
Project Resources
Motor carriers transporting one or more of the flat fee commodity groups may elect annual flat fee reporting, payable monthly, instead of mileage tax. More information about changes to flat rates can be found below.
More Information
Diesel Administration
ODOT will implement a hybrid tax system in accordance with House Bill 3991. Heavy trucks will start paying fuels tax along with reduced WMT. Oregon will become a full participant in the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) program and begin collecting and distributing IFTA monies from all carriers, as opposed to only collecting IFTA taxes and fees for Oregon-based carriers.
Rate and Fee Changes
Several transportation fees including Flat Fees, WMT and Road Use Assessment Fee (RUAF) rates will see rate changes. These changes align rates to ensure a fair and equitable fee structure for all users of the system in conjunction with the
Highway Cost Allocation Study (HCAS) findings.
Other Changes
Some other important changes that will occur at the same time include:
- Oregon Registration Commercial Authority Application (ORCAA) Implementation Project will create a more versatile and modern commercial vehicle registration and IFTA system.
- Diesel becomes a motor vehicle fuel taxed at first sale in Oregon.
- WMT Electric Rates Table will be deployed for heavy electric commercial vehicles (EVs).
- WMT rates for non-EVs will be reduced to accommodate for hybrid taxation model with the added diesel tax.
- Dyed diesel and IFTA enforcement will begin.
Benefits:
- Modernized systems are easier to maintain and modify, offering greater access to online services.
- Faster processing times, improved access to information, less paperwork and fewer delays for motor carriers.
- Improved compliance and data integrity.
- Additional transparency and accountability provisions.
- Operational efficiencies for ODOT.
- Removes outdated or unclear language from the law.
- Aligns rates to ensure a fair and equitable fee structure for all users.
Timeline
- July 1, 2029: RUAF, WMT rates and flat fee rate change in alignment with diesel tax implementation.