Trucking compliance in Georgia: USDOT, UCR, IFTA, permits
666 carriers got a new USDOT number in Georgia in August 2026. Here is what each of them needs in the first year: the federal stack, the Georgia layer on top, and the government fees kept apart from ours.
What a new carrier in Georgia 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.
Georgia layer
- Intrastate authority: Georgia issues an intrastate motor carrier certificate for for-hire carriers. The program moved from GDOT to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, Motor Carrier Compliance Division.
- IFTA licence and decals: Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division. 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 Georgia registration agency.
- UCR: Georgia participates in UCR. A Georgia-based carrier registers UCR with Georgia as the base state.
- USDOT for intrastate: Georgia requires a USDOT number for intrastate commercial motor vehicles, following the federal 10,001 lb GVWR definition.
- Weight-distance taxes elsewhere: Georgia has none, but runs through New York (HUT), Kentucky (KYU), New Mexico or Oregon need those permits before entry.
Georgia at a glance
New USDOT numbers, August 2026: 666
Intrastate authority: Yes
IFTA: Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division
Weight-distance tax: No
Metros: Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Columbus
Border and ports
The Port of Savannah is the largest single-terminal container port in North America and drives a large drayage market. Brunswick is a major vehicle port.
Georgia quirks
For-hire intrastate carriers need a Georgia intrastate certificate and a state insurance filing in addition to the federal USDOT number.
IRP and IFTA are filed through the Georgia Department of Revenue, not through the Department of Public Safety that runs enforcement.
Atlanta is the crossroads of I-75, I-85 and I-20, so most Georgia carriers run interstate and need full federal registration.
Federal fee stack for a one-truck Georgia 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.
Georgia intrastate authority, IRP plates and state permits are quoted separately because their fees depend on the vehicle and the jurisdictions you run.
Georgia metros we serve
- Atlanta
- Savannah
- Augusta
- Macon
- Columbus
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 Georgia operation runs into Canada, or a Canadian partner runs into Georgia, the same desk handles both sides.
Get your Georgia checklist in writing
Online requests open soon. Call or email us and we answer the same business day.
Georgia questions
Do I need operating authority to run intrastate in Georgia?
Georgia issues an intrastate motor carrier certificate for for-hire carriers. The program moved from GDOT to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, Motor Carrier Compliance Division. 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 Georgia?
Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division. 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 Georgia carrier?
Georgia participates in UCR. A Georgia-based carrier registers UCR with Georgia 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.
Do I need a Georgia intrastate certificate?
If you haul for hire inside Georgia, yes. The certificate is issued by the state and requires a state insurance filing. It is separate from FMCSA operating authority, which covers interstate loads. A Georgia carrier that runs into the Carolinas, Florida or Tennessee needs the federal authority and usually keeps the state certificate too.
I do drayage out of the Port of Savannah. Anything specific?
Port drayage is interstate commerce when the container is moving in foreign trade, so federal registration applies. You also need a TWIC card for terminal access and, for rail containers, an interchange agreement. The consortium and Clearinghouse rules apply to every CDL driver you put on a port run.
Starting a trucking company in Georgia?
Tell us what you haul and where. We list every filing, the government fee and our fee, the same business day. No fake deadlines.