Trucking compliance in Illinois: USDOT, UCR, IFTA, permits
494 carriers got a new USDOT number in Illinois in August 2026. Here is what each of them needs in the first year: the federal stack, the Illinois layer on top, and the government fees kept apart from ours.
What a new carrier in Illinois 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.
Illinois layer
- Intrastate authority: None for general freight. The Illinois Commerce Commission still licenses household goods movers. IRP is handled by the Illinois Secretary of State.
- IFTA licence and decals: Illinois Department of Revenue. 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 Illinois registration agency.
- UCR: Illinois participates in UCR. An Illinois-based carrier registers UCR with Illinois as the base state.
- USDOT for intrastate: Illinois requires a USDOT number for intrastate commercial motor vehicles, following the federal 10,001 lb GVWR definition.
- Weight-distance taxes elsewhere: Illinois has none, but runs through New York (HUT), Kentucky (KYU), New Mexico or Oregon need those permits before entry.
Illinois at a glance
New USDOT numbers, August 2026: 494
Intrastate authority: None for property carriers
IFTA: Illinois Department of Revenue
Weight-distance tax: No
Metros: Chicago, Joliet, Rockford, Peoria, Springfield
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Border and ports
Chicago and Joliet form the largest rail intermodal hub in North America, with heavy container drayage between the rail ramps and warehouses. No land border or seaport.
Illinois quirks
IRP plates come from the Secretary of State while IFTA comes from the Department of Revenue, so a new carrier deals with two agencies.
The Illinois Tollway around Chicago bills by transponder; a new carrier should set up I-PASS before the first load.
Chicago intermodal drayage requires interchange agreements with the railroads (UIIA) on top of federal registration.
Federal fee stack for a one-truck Illinois 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.
Illinois intrastate authority, IRP plates and state permits are quoted separately because their fees depend on the vehicle and the jurisdictions you run.
Illinois metros we serve
- Chicago
- Joliet
- Rockford
- Peoria
- Springfield
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 Illinois operation runs into Canada, or a Canadian partner runs into Illinois, the same desk handles both sides.
Get your Illinois checklist in writing
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Illinois questions
Do I need operating authority to run intrastate in Illinois?
None for general freight. The Illinois Commerce Commission still licenses household goods movers. IRP is handled by the Illinois Secretary of State. For interstate loads you need FMCSA operating authority ($300 government fee per type), a BOC-3 and UCR.
Who issues the IFTA licence in Illinois?
Illinois Department of Revenue. 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 Illinois carrier?
Illinois participates in UCR. An Illinois-based carrier registers UCR with Illinois 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.
Does Illinois require intrastate operating authority?
Not for general freight. Household goods movers still need Illinois Commerce Commission authority. Everyone else runs on the USDOT number plus IRP from the Secretary of State and IFTA from the Department of Revenue.
I do intermodal drayage in Chicago. What else do I need?
Federal registration and the consortium first. Then a UIIA interchange agreement to pull containers from the rail ramps, insurance that meets the railroads' requirements, and I-PASS for the Tollway. Rail drayage is interstate commerce even when the drive is ten miles.
Starting a trucking company in Illinois?
Tell us what you haul and where. We list every filing, the government fee and our fee, the same business day. No fake deadlines.