WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has announced that truckers and other owners of heavy highway vehicles must file federal highway use tax returns by Aug. 31.

The deadline generally applies to Form 2290 and the accompanying tax payment for the tax year that begins July 1, 2015, and ends June 30, 2016. Returns must be filed and tax payments made by Aug. 31 for vehicles used on the road during July. For vehicles first used after July, the deadline is the last day of the month following the month of first use.

Though some taxpayers have the option of filing Form 2290 on paper, the IRS has encouraged all taxpayers to file this form electronically and pay any tax due electronically. Taxpayers reporting 25 or more vehicles must e-file. A list of IRS-approved e-file providers can be found at IRS.gov.

The highway use tax applies to highway motor vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. This generally includes trucks, truck tractors and buses. Ordinarily, vans, pick-ups and panel trucks are not taxable because they fall below the 55,000-pound threshold. The tax of up to $550 per vehicle is based on weight, and a variety of special rules apply, which are explained in the instructions to Form 2290.

For information, visit http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Trucking-Tax-Center.