Trucking compliance in California: USDOT, UCR, IFTA, permits
1,528 carriers got a new USDOT number in California in August 2026. Here is what each of them needs in the first year: the federal stack, the California layer on top, and the government fees kept apart from ours.
What a new carrier in California needs
Federal, same in every state
- USDOT number, filed in Motus (motus.dot.gov, the only real site). No government fee. Company official verifies identity through Login.gov.
- Operating authority for for-hire interstate loads: $300 per authority type on Pay.gov, granted about 21 days after filing, insurance and BOC-3. 49 CFR 365.
- BOC-3 process agent designation, no government fee, required before authority is granted. 49 CFR 366.
- UCR in your base state: $46 for 0 to 2 vehicles in 2026.
- Drug and alcohol program with a C/TPA: random pool at 50 percent drugs and 10 percent alcohol. 49 CFR 382.305. Owner-operators must use a consortium.
- FMCSA Clearinghouse registration, C/TPA designation, pre-employment full query and annual limited query per driver.
- Driver qualification file per driver. 49 CFR 391.51.
- MCS-150 biennial update on the schedule set by your USDOT number. 49 CFR 390.19.
- New-entrant safety audit within 12 months of the USDOT number.
California layer
- Intrastate authority: California DMV issues the Motor Carrier Permit (MCP). The California Highway Patrol issues the CA number that the permit requires.
- IFTA licence and decals: California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). Qualified vehicle: 26,001 lb or more, three or more axles, or a combination over 26,000 lb.
- IRP apportioned plates for interstate vehicles over 26,000 lb, from the California registration agency.
- UCR: California participates in UCR. A California-based carrier registers UCR with California as the base state.
- USDOT for intrastate: California requires a CA number and a Motor Carrier Permit for commercial vehicles of 10,001 lb GVWR or more operating in the state, including intrastate-only carriers.
- Weight-distance taxes elsewhere: California has none, but runs through New York (HUT), Kentucky (KYU), New Mexico or Oregon need those permits before entry.
California at a glance
New USDOT numbers, August 2026: 1,528
Intrastate authority: Yes
IFTA: California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA)
Weight-distance tax: No
Metros: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno and the Central Valley
Servicio en español: profirmusa.com/es/
Border and ports
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach form the largest container complex in the country. Oakland serves Northern California. Otay Mesa and Calexico are the main commercial crossings with Mexico.
California quirks
CARB Clean Truck Check: heavy vehicles operating in California must be registered with CARB and pass periodic emissions compliance testing, including out-of-state trucks.
Intrastate carriers hold a CA number from CHP and a Motor Carrier Permit from DMV in addition to the USDOT number.
CHP runs its own terminal inspection program for California-based carriers, separate from the FMCSA new-entrant audit.
Port drayage at Los Angeles and Long Beach has its own truck registration and emissions rules.
Federal fee stack for a one-truck California carrier
Government fees on the left, ours on the right, never blended. FMCSA warns about vendors that blur the two and never charges for a USDOT number itself.
| Service | Our fee | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number filing (Motus) | $99 | one-time |
| Operating authority filing (for-hire) | $199 | one-time |
| BOC-3 process agent filing | $49 | one-time |
| UCR registration filing | $49 | per year |
| Consortium enrollment, owner-operator | $99 | per year |
| IFTA license and decals | $99 | one-time |
Government total for this stack: $346 (authority plus 2026 UCR, 0 to 2 vehicles; IFTA decal fee varies by state). Profirm total: $594. The new carrier start-up package bundles these filings for $649.
California intrastate authority, IRP plates and state permits are quoted separately because their fees depend on the vehicle and the jurisdictions you run.
California metros we serve
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Sacramento
- Fresno and the Central Valley
Collection sites for DOT tests are part of a network of more than 12,000 locations, so a driver in any of these metros goes to the closest one. Filings are federal or base-state, so nothing on this page requires a visit.
Cross-border: Profirm has filed US registrations for Quebec and Ontario carriers since 1988. If your California operation runs into Canada, or a Canadian partner runs into California, the same desk handles both sides.
Get your California checklist in writing
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California questions
Do I need operating authority to run intrastate in California?
California DMV issues the Motor Carrier Permit (MCP). The California Highway Patrol issues the CA number that the permit requires. This is separate from FMCSA operating authority, which applies to interstate loads. Most carriers that cross state lines need both.
Who issues the IFTA licence in California?
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). One licence and one set of decals from your base state cover every IFTA jurisdiction, including Quebec and Ontario. Returns are due April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. Profirm sets up the account for $99 and files each quarter for $75 for 1 to 3 trucks.
Where do I register UCR as a California carrier?
California participates in UCR. A California-based carrier registers UCR with California as the base state. The 2026 fee for 0 to 2 vehicles is $46; 2027 registration opens October 1, 2026 at $55 and enforcement starts after January 1, 2027.
What is CARB Clean Truck Check and does it apply to me?
It is California's heavy-duty inspection and maintenance program. Trucks operating in California must be registered with CARB and pass periodic emissions compliance tests. It applies to out-of-state trucks that run in California too. It is separate from the USDOT number and from the Motor Carrier Permit.
Do I need a CA number and a Motor Carrier Permit?
For commercial vehicles of 10,001 lb GVWR or more operating in California, yes. The CA number comes from CHP and is needed to get the Motor Carrier Permit from DMV. Both sit on top of the federal USDOT number, and the permit has its own insurance requirement.
Starting a trucking company in California?
Tell us what you haul and where. We list every filing, the government fee and our fee, the same business day. No fake deadlines.