TX DOT number for commercial vehicles:  When you haul items, products, loads or commodities within the state of Texas without crossing state lines with a van, van and trailer, a pickup truck, pickup truck and trailer, a straight truck, straight truck and trailer, or semi-tractor and trailer, you may be required to register with the state for a TX DOT number.  If you are a Private Carrier transporting your own items, products or loads, or For-Hire Carrier, Motor Coach Operator, or use a tow truck, check the listings below to see if you are required to register for a TX DOT number.  There are requirements for transporting goods within the state of Texas, and additional requirements for crossing state lines both empty and loaded. Check the requirements below to see if you fall into any of the categories requiring a TX DOT number and also for crossing state lines.

•  For-Hire Carriers hauling items, products, loads within the state of Texas, and crossing state lines with loads and weighing 10,000-lbs or less: TX DOT not required. If you are For-Hire and haul items, products, loads within the state of Texas, and across state lines with a van, pickup truck, or pickup truck and trailer with a GVWR of 10,000-lbs or less with a power unit, or with a power unit and trailer with CGWR of 10,000-lbs or less, you will need to register for a USDOT number and Federal MC Authority, but not for the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) process as you will be 10,000-lbs or under. You will also not need to register with the state of Texas for a Texas DOT certificate, commonly known as TX DOT.
• For-Hire Carriers hauling products, loads within the state of Texas, and crossing state lines with loads and weighing between 10,001-lbs and 26,000-lbs: TX DOT not required. If you are a For-Hire carrier with a pickup truck, pickup truck and trailer, straight truck, straight truck and trailer where the power unit has a gross Vehicle Weith Rating of 10,000-lbs or under, but the Combined Gross Vehicle Weitht Ratings of both the power vehicle and trailer are between 10,001-lbs and 26,000-lbs, you are required to register for a USDOT number and Federal MC Authority, but not for the Unified Carrier Registration as the power unit has a GVWR of 10,000-lbs or under. You will not be required to register with the state of Texas for a Texas DOT Certificate, commonly refered to as TX DOT.
• For-Hire Carriers hauling products, loads within the state of Texas, and crossing state lines with loads and weighing between 10,001-lbs and 26,000-lbs: TX DOT not required. If you are a For-Hire Carrier with a pickup truck, pickup truck and trailer, straight truck, straight truck and trailer with a GVWR of 10,001-lbs or more for a single unit, or with the Combined Gross Vehicle Weith Ratings (CGWR) of 10,001-lbs or more for the power unit and trailer and you will be hauling loads within the state of Texas, and crossing state lines with loads, you are required to register for a USDOT number and for Federal MC Authority and for the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) process. You will not be required to register with the state of Texas for a Texas DOT certificate, commonly referred to as TX DOT.
• For-Hire Carrier hauling products, loads within the state of Texas, and crossing state lines with loads and weighing 26,001-lbs or more: TX DOT required. If you are a For-Hire Carrier with a straight truck, straight truck and trailer, or semi-tractor and trailer and haul loads within the state of Texas, and haul loads across state lines, and have a GVWR of 26,001-lbs or more with a power unit, or CGWR of 26,001-lbs or greater with a power unit and trailer, you will need to register for a USDOT number, Federal MC Authority, the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) process, and with the state of Texas for a Texas DOT certificate, commonly known as State of TX DOT.

Insurance Requirements / For-Hire Carrier / Non Hazardous / Remaining in Texas - Application for TX DOT: If you are going to haul loads within the state of Texas without crossing state lines, you will be required to carry a minimum of $500,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance when applying for a Texas DOT Certificate / TX DOT.

Insurance Requirements / For-Hire Carrier / Hazardous / Remaining in Texas - Application for TX DOT: If you are going to haul hazardous loads within the state of Texas without crossing state lines, you will be required to carry between $1 million and $5 million in liability insurance when applying for TX DOT, depending on the type of hazardous product being transported.  

Insurance Requirements / For-Hire Carrier / Non Hazardous / Crossing State Lines / 10,000-lbs or under: TX DOT not required, but you will need Federal MC Authority to cross state lines as a For-Hire Carrier.  You will be required to carry a minimum of $300,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage, and a minimum of $5,000 in cargo insurance for Common Authority. Again, TX DOT not required.

Hauling Loads For-Hire Across State Lines / 10,000-lbs or under: TX DOT is not required. If you are going to haul loads inside the state of Texas and transport loads across state lines, you will need to register for a USDOT number and Federal Motor Carrier Authority. If the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the van or pickup truck transporting loads across state lines is 10,000-lbs or under, or the Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (CGVWR) of both the power unit and the trailer it is pulling do not exceed 10,000-lbs, you will need a minimum of $300,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance.  You will need a USDOT number but you will not need to register for the Unified Carrier Registration. You will not need an IRP license plate nor register for IFTA fuel tax. TX DOT is not required.

Hauling Loads For-Hire Across State Lines / 10,001 - 26,000-lbs / Power Unit 10,000-lbs or under: TX DOT is not required. If the GVWR of the power unit is 10,000-lbs or under, but the CGVWR of both the power unit and the trailer are between 10,001-lbs and 26,000-lbs, and you will need to register for Federal Motor Carrier Authority. You will need a minimum of $750,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance. You will need a USDOT number, but you will not need to register for the Unified Carrier Registration as the power unit is 10,000-lbs or under.  You will not need an IRP license plate nor register for IFTA fuel tax. TX DOT is not required.

Hauling Loads For-Hire Out of State / 10,001 - 26,000-lbs / Power Unit 10,001-lbs or above:  In addition to the TX DOT requirements, you will need to register for Federal Motor Carrier Authority. You will need a minimum of $750,000 in Personla Injury / Property Damage liability insurance. You will need a USDOT number and register for the Unified Carrier Registration as the power unit has a GVWR of 10,001-lbs or more. You will not need an IRP license plate nor register for IFTA fuel tax. Check on the TX DOT requirements, above.

Hauling Loads Out of State / 3-axle Trucks 26,000-lbs or under: TX DOT is not required. But you will need to register for Federal Motor Carrier Authority and will need a minimum of $750,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance. You will need a USDOT number and register for the Unified Carrier Registration. Crossing state lines with a 3-axle truck by itself or pulling a trailer, you will need an IRP license plate and register for IFTA fuel tax. TX DOT is not required for hauling loads in-state.

Hauling Loads Out of State / 26,001-lbs and above:  TX DOT is required to haul loads in-state.  You will need  to register for a USDOT number and Federal Motor Carrier Authority. You will need a minimum of $750,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance. You will also need to register for the Unified Carrier Registration. You will need to have an IRP license plate on the power unit and register for IFTA fuel tax. TX DOT is required. Call us at (765) 742-2610 to do the registration processes for you.

Tow Trucks / Gross Vehcle Weight Rating of 26,000-lbs or under:  TX DOT required. If you are going to operate a tow truck within the state of Texas, you will need to register for TX DOT regardless of the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. You will be required to carry $300,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance, and $50,000 in Cargo Insurance if you are going to conduct non-consent tows.

Tow Trucks / Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 26,001-lbs or more:  TX DOT is required. If you are going to operate a tow truck within the state of Texas with a Gross Vehicle weight Rating of 26,001-lbs or heavier, you will need to register for TX DOT. You will be required to carry a minimum $500,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liablity insurance, and $50,000 in Cargo Insurance if you are going to conduct non-consent tows.

Passenger Vehicles / Motor Coaches / Seating Capacity 16 - 26 Including Driver: TX DOT required. If you are going to operate a passenger vehicle designed or used to transport 15 or more passengers plus the driver, (Seating 15 passengers + driver = 16) within the state of Texas, you are required to register for TX DOT and carry a minimum of $500,000 in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance.

Passenger Vehicles / Motor Coaches / Seating Capacity 27+ Including Driver:  TX DOT required. If you are going to operate a passenger vehicle designed to transport 26 or more passengers plus a driver within the state of Texas, you are required to register for TX DOT and carry a minimum of $5 million in Personal Injury / Property Damage liability insurance.

Fuel Permits: If you will be operating a vehicle plated at 26,001-lbs or more within the state of Texas, in addition to registering for TX DOT, you will need to register for a Texas fuel permit.

IFTA Fuel Tax Registration: If you will be operating within the state of Texas with TX DOT and hauling loads across state lines with a vehicle plated at 26,001-lbs or more, you will not need a Texas fuel permit, but will need to register for IFTA fuel tax.

Exemptions:  TX DOT not required. Certain carriers are not required to register with the Texas Department of Transportation for the TX DOT:

• Farm vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of under 48,000-lbs
• Cotton vehicle registered under the Texas Transportation Code (TRC) 502.277
• Vehicle registered with the Texas Railroad Commission under the Texas Natural Resources Code 113.131 and 116.072
• Vehicle used to transport liquor under a Private Carrier Permit issued under Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 42
• Vehicle used to transport passengers and operated by an entity whose primary function is not to transport passengers, such as a vehicle operated by a hotel, day care center, nursing home, etc.
• Vehicle operated by a governmental entity