Texas intrastate trucking insurance requirements

Who needs Texas intrastate insurance

Texas law says a motor carrier may not operate a commercial motor vehicle on a Texas road unless it registers with TxDMV, and registration requires proof of insurance. TxDMV says you must register and get a TxDMV number when you:

• Operate a vehicle or combination with a gross weight, registered weight or gross weight rating over 26,000 pounds
• Haul hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placards
• Operate a farm vehicle rated or registered at 48,000 pounds or more
• Operate a vehicle designed to carry more than 15 passengers, including the driver, or a commercial school bus
• Move household goods for pay, regardless of vehicle weight

Minimum liability limits for Texas intrastate carriers

The limits come from 43 Texas Administrative Code §218.16 and are combined single limits for bodily injury and property damage per occurrence. TxDMV proposed amendments to the rule in August 2026, but the proposal leaves the minimum insurance table unchanged.

The $500,000 tier covers private carriers as well as for-hire ones. For example, a contractor hauling its own equipment in a 33,000-pound truck needs the same filing as a trucking company.

Intrastate or interstate: which rules apply

Crossing a state line is not the only test. Under 49 CFR 390.5, a trip between two places in Texas is still interstate commerce if it is part of a shipment that started or will end outside the state. Pulling an import container from the Port of Houston to a Dallas warehouse can therefore be interstate work even though the truck never leaves Texas.

Interstate for-hire carriers with vehicles rated 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 under 49 CFR 387.9, and the federal $1 million and $5 million hazmat tiers also reach some intrastate bulk loads. TxDMV says that if you do both kinds of work, you need both kinds of authority, because one does not cover the other. Either way, you need a USDOT number first, registered as intrastate if you never haul interstate.

Cargo and employee coverage rules many carriers miss

Household goods movers must also file proof of cargo coverage on Forms H and I. TxDMV sets the minimum at $5,000 for loss or damage to the cargo on any one vehicle and $10,000 in aggregate when several shippers’ goods are on the same vehicle.

Texas Transportation Code §643.106 adds a rule for registered carriers whose primary business is hauling for hire between two or more cities. They must protect their employees with either workers’ compensation or an approved accident policy. The accident policy must provide at least:

• $300,000 for medical expenses for at least 104 weeks
• $100,000 for accidental death and dismemberment
• 70% of pre-injury income for at least 104 weeks
• A maximum weekly benefit of at least $500

How to get your insurance filed with TxDMV

Buying a policy is not enough. TxDMV has to receive the filing electronically from your insurer before it grants your application, and only the insurer can file proof of coverage or a cancellation. The process runs through the Texas Motor Carrier Credentialing System (TxMCCS):

• Get a USDOT number from FMCSA.
• Apply in TxMCCS. TxDMV reviews new applications in 24 to 48 business hours, plus 7 business days if you are linked to a previous authority.
• When approved, ask your insurer to file a Form E, plus Forms H and I if you move household goods.
• Pay the fees in TxMCCS and receive your TxDMV certificate number.
• Keep the insurance cab card in the truck at all times.

What happens if your insurance lapses or is cancelled

Your insurer cancels a filing with a Form K. If your email address in TxMCCS is current, TxDMV sends you an electronic notice 30 days before the cancellation takes effect. Without continuous proof of insurance, TxDMV can impose administrative penalties and sanctions or revoke your certificate.

Under Texas Transportation Code §643.253, failing to register, maintain insurance or keep a cab card in the vehicle is also a Class C misdemeanor. TxDMV warns that you can be fined for holding an active certificate without insurance even if the truck is parked, and that the responsibility is yours, not your insurer’s.

How to stay compliant without overpaying

A few habits keep your authority active and your premium in check:

• Register only the authority you need. If all of your freight is intrastate commerce, a TxDMV certificate alone avoids federal insurance filings.
• Buy the limits your contracts require. $500,000 is the legal floor, and shippers and general contractors often ask for more.
• When switching insurers, make sure the new Form E is filed before the old one expires.
• If you stop running or lease on to another carrier, cancel your certificate in TxMCCS before you cancel the policy.
• Use an email address you check, so you see TxDMV filing and cancellation warnings in time.
• Compare quotes. A broker such as Florin can compare options from several insurers for the same limits and filings.