Trucking compliance by state
The federal stack is the same everywhere. The state layer is not. These guides cover the ten states where 8,142 carriers got a new USDOT number in August 2026, with the intrastate authority, IFTA agency and quirks of each.
Federal first
USDOT number, operating authority (300 USD per type on Pay.gov), BOC-3, UCR, consortium and Clearinghouse. Filed once in Motus, valid in all 50 states.
Then the state layer
Intrastate authority where the state has one, IRP plates, the IFTA licence from the base state, and a weight-distance tax in New York, Kentucky, New Mexico and Oregon.
Then the audit
Within 12 months of the USDOT number, FMCSA runs the new-entrant safety audit. The checklist is federal, so a Texas carrier and a New York carrier face the same questions.
Ten states, 8,142 new USDOT numbers in one month
FMCSA data for August 2026. About 2.1 million carriers are active in the country and 91 percent run ten trucks or fewer. Pick your state for the full checklist.
| State | New USDOT numbers | Intrastate authority | IFTA issued by | Weight-distance tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,712 | Texas DMV, Motor Carrier Division | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | No |
| California | 1,528 | California DMV issues the Motor Carrier Permit (MCP) | California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) | No |
| Florida | 1,204 | None for property | Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) | No |
| Georgia | 666 | Georgia issues an intrastate motor carrier certificate for for-hire carriers | Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division | No |
| New York | 583 | New York State DOT handles intrastate carrier registration and the state safety program | New York State Department of Taxation and Finance (OSCAR) | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | 566 | Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) issues intrastate authority for for-hire carriers of property | Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Bureau of Motor and Alternative Fuel Taxes | No |
| New Jersey | 508 | None for property | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Motor Carrier Services | No |
| Illinois | 494 | None for property | Illinois Department of Revenue | No |
| North Carolina | 448 | None for property | North Carolina Department of Revenue | No |
| Ohio | 433 | Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) issues intrastate authority for for-hire carriers of property | Ohio Department of Taxation | No |
New-entrant counts from FMCSA registrations, August 2026. State program names change; each state page has the detail.
The federal fee stack for a one-truck carrier
Every state guide shows this stack with the government fee and our fee side by side. A USDOT number costs nothing from FMCSA. Operating authority is $300 per type on Pay.gov. UCR for 0 to 2 vehicles is 46 USD in 2026. Consortium membership and BOC-3 have no government fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is the USDOT number different from state to state?
No. The USDOT number, operating authority, BOC-3, UCR, the drug and alcohol consortium and the Clearinghouse are federal. They are filed once, in Motus, and are valid in every state. What changes by state is the layer on top: intrastate authority, IRP plates, the IFTA licence, and any weight-distance tax.
Which states in this list have their own intrastate authority?
Texas (TxDMV number), California (CA number and Motor Carrier Permit), Georgia (intrastate certificate), Pennsylvania (PUC) and Ohio (PUCO) register or license for-hire intrastate carriers. Florida, New Jersey, Illinois and North Carolina do not issue intrastate authority for general property carriers. New York registers intrastate carriers through NYS DOT and runs the HUT.
Which state has a weight-distance tax?
Of these ten, only New York, through the Highway Use Tax on vehicles over 18,000 lb. Kentucky, New Mexico and Oregon also have one, and any carrier from these states that runs through them needs the permit. See the NY HUT page.
Where do I register UCR?
In your base state, the state where your principal place of business is. All ten states here participate in UCR. The 2026 fee for 0 to 2 vehicles is 46 USD; 2027 registration opens October 1, 2026 at 55 USD.
Does Profirm work with carriers in every state?
Yes. The consortium, Clearinghouse, registration and IFTA services are federal or base-state filings we handle from one desk. These ten pages cover the states with the most new carriers; if yours is not listed, call us and we walk you through it.
Not sure what your state adds to the federal list?
Tell us your base state and what you haul. We list the filings, the government fees and our fees, in writing, the same business day.