MC number insurance requirements
Buy a commercial auto liability policy that names the motor carrier, has the MCS-90 attached, and carries at least FMCSA's limit for your truck and load: $750,000 if you haul non-hazardous freight for hire across state lines in a vehicle rated at 10,001 pounds GVWR or more, $5,000,000 for bulk explosives, poison gas and radioactive loads, and $1,000,000 for oil and other listed hazardous materials. Bind it before you need the authority active; FMCSA grants none until your insurer's proof is on file. FMCSA requires no cargo except for household goods, so add what your brokers' carrier agreements ask for.
Updated . Written by Andre Beukers, principal at Redoubt, a commercial insurance agency in Salt Lake City, not a government office.
Which liability limit should you buy for an MC number?
At least the 49 CFR 387.9 amount for what you haul, as public liability: bodily injury and property damage to others. The general freight row reads "For-hire (In interstate or foreign commerce, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds) Property (nonhazardous) $750,000." All four conditions have to be true: 387.3(a) limits the subpart to for-hire carriers of property "in interstate or foreign commerce," and 387.3(c)(1) says it does "not apply to a motor vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 10,001 pounds," unless the vehicle carries the explosives, Hazard Zone A poisons or highway route controlled radioactive loads that paragraph lists.
387.7(a) sets the timing: "No motor carrier shall operate a motor vehicle until the motor carrier has obtained and has in effect the minimum levels of financial responsibility as set forth in § 387.9." On the policy, the limit has to be bound, not quoted, before the first load. It is a floor, and a liability figure: 387.5 defines financial responsibility as reserves "sufficient to satisfy liability amounts set forth in this subpart covering public liability."
For a for-hire fleet of only vehicles under 10,001 pounds hauling non-hazardous property, 387.303T sets $300,000 for the authority, and 387.301T issues no authority until security is filed "in the amounts prescribed in § 387.303T"; eCFR marks the older 387.303 "again suspended indefinitely," and FMCSA's chart still lists the $300,000 row.
| Operation | Federal minimum | Where it says so |
|---|---|---|
| For-hire, interstate, non-hazardous property, 10,001 lb GVWR and up | $750,000 | 49 CFR 387.9, row 1 |
| For-hire, non-hazardous property, fleet of only vehicles under 10,001 lb GVWR | $300,000, filed for the authority | 49 CFR 387.303T(b)(1)(i); eCFR marks 387.303 suspended |
| Oil and hazardous materials not in the $5,000,000 rows, 10,001 lb and up | $1,000,000 | 49 CFR 387.9, row 3 |
| Bulk hazardous substances, bulk explosives, poison gas, highway route controlled radioactive loads | $5,000,000 | 49 CFR 387.9, rows 2 and 4 |
| For-hire interstate household goods, 10,001 lb and up | $750,000 liability plus $5,000 cargo per vehicle | FMCSA filing chart; 387.303T(c) |
| Private carrier of its own non-hazardous goods | No Part 387 minimum | 49 CFR 387.3(a) |
What kind of insurance do you need for a trucking company?
For the MC number, one policy does the federal work: commercial auto liability that names the motor carrier, at the 387.9 row for what you haul, with the MCS-90 attached. 387.5 defines the insured as "the motor carrier named in the policy of insurance, surety bond, endorsement, or notice of cancellation," and evidence of security as "a policy of insurance with the appropriate endorsement attached"; FMCSA says the MCS-90 "is attached to the motor carrier’s liability insurance policy." Under 387.7(b)(1) the policy and endorsement "shall remain in effect continuously until terminated."
The rest of the policy is built from other requirements and your own choices, and the endorsements your carrier issues decide what it covers.
- Named insured: the motor carrier that holds the authority
- Liability: the 387.9 row for your loads, or $300,000 for a fleet entirely under 10,001 lb
- Endorsement: the MCS-90, attached to the liability policy
- State: an intrastate filing where you need one, such as a Texas Form E or a California permit certificate
- Cargo and other terms: what each broker's carrier agreement states
Do you need insurance to get a USDOT number?
Not as a federal filing. FMCSA's filing page sets its insurance requirements for "entities who apply and obtain operating authority registration," and FMCSA lists private carriers, "carriers that transport their own cargo," among those that need no authority. The USDOT number has its own test, for interstate carriers whose vehicle meets one of several conditions, including that it "Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more." FMCSA's USDOT page does not mention insurance.
That does not let a USDOT-only carrier run uninsured: 387.3 covers a for-hire interstate carrier of property at 10,001 pounds GVWR and up whether or not it holds authority, and the 387.9 hazmat rows name "For-hire and Private" carriers. A private carrier of its own non-hazardous goods has no Part 387 minimum, but its state may set one. In Utah, UDOT's rule R909-1-4 says "Each intrastate private motor carrier must have a minimum amount of $750,000 liability"; the same rule states no figure for intrastate for-hire general freight.
What insurance do you need for hotshot trucking?
Hauling general freight for hire across state lines, the same $750,000 as a semi once the truck is rated at 10,001 pounds GVWR or more. The rating is the manufacturer's, printed on the certification label that 49 CFR 567.4 puts on "the hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post, next to the driver's seating position." In the Federal Highway Administration classes, as the Department of Energy prints them, Class 3 starts at 10,001 pounds GVWR. 387.9 and FMCSA's chart sort by the vehicle's GVWR and say nothing about the trailer.
A pickup rated under 10,001 pounds sits outside 387.9, and its authority needs a $300,000 filing under 387.303T if every vehicle in the fleet is under the line; eCFR marks the older 387.303 suspended, and FMCSA's chart still applies the figure. Hotshotting without insurance is not an option at either weight: the heavier truck cannot operate before the 387.9 minimum is in effect, and neither gets authority without a filing.
On two hotshot submissions in September 2026, the market raised titles and licenses. Underwriters passed on one because, as we told the owner, "the truck and trailer aren't in the LLC's name." On the other, the wholesaler wrote that "The main thing to look for is that the DL matches up with the state that the entity is set up." Before you ask for quotes, title the truck and trailer to the company that holds the authority and check that drivers' licenses match the company's state.
Does a non-CDL hotshot under 26,001 pounds need less insurance?
Not under federal rules, because the CDL line and the insurance line are different numbers. 49 CFR 383.5 puts a combination in CDL Group A at "a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more)" with a towed unit over 10,000 pounds. The insurance line in 387.9 is 10,001 pounds GVWR on the vehicle. A Class 3 pickup towing under 26,001 pounds combined, with no placarded hazmat, needs no CDL and still falls in the $750,000 row for interstate for-hire freight.
Texas draws its line where the CDL does. TxDMV says intrastate carriers must register when they "Operate a commercial motor vehicle (or a combination of vehicles) with a gross weight, registered weight or gross-weight rating exceeding 26,000 pounds," or haul placarded hazmat or household goods for pay, among other listed cases. A non-CDL hotshot that stays inside Texas and fits none of those is below TxDMV's trigger; hauling general freight for hire across a state line in a truck rated 10,001 pounds or more, it needs the federal $750,000.
What do Texas, California and Florida require of hotshot carriers?
Each sets its own figure, apart from the federal one. Texas sets $500,000 for intrastate carriers above 26,000 pounds and wants a Form E; TxDMV says it "has to receive your insurance filing electronically from your insurer before your application can be granted." California's Vehicle Code 34631.5(a)(1) requires every motor carrier of property not covered by paragraphs (2) to (4) to carry "a combined single limit of not less than seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000)"; paragraph (2) sets $300,000 for a carrier running only vehicles under 10,000 pounds GVWR, and 34630 withholds the motor carrier permit until a certificate of insurance is on file with DMV. 34601 counts "any other motor vehicle used to transport property for compensation," which reaches a for-hire pickup.
Florida's 627.7415 sets liability tiers by gross vehicle weight from 26,000 pounds: $50,000 per occurrence for "26,000 pounds or more, but less than 35,000 pounds," then $100,000 and $300,000 for heavier trucks, and it holds vehicles subject to 49 CFR 387 to the federal amounts. A Florida hotshot under 26,000 pounds falls outside those tiers. In Texas and California the state's proof is a filing of its own, separate from the federal one.
What insurance do brokers like GlobalTranz require of carriers?
Whatever each broker's carrier agreement says; GlobalTranz has no published figure (its carrier page, read October 3, 2026, gives no insurance amount, and its sign-up link goes to a login), so ask for its agreement before you bind.
Progressive's FMCSA page says the agency "mandates that companies cover their vehicles, drivers, and goods with commercial auto insurance that has public liability and cargo coverage," but FMCSA's chart lists $0 cargo for for-hire non-hazardous property carriers.
Is $1,000,000 required for an MC number?
Not by FMCSA for general freight. 49 CFR 387.9 sets $750,000 for a for-hire carrier hauling non-hazardous property across state lines in a vehicle rated at 10,001 pounds GVWR or more; $1,000,000 is its row for oil and hazardous materials not listed in the $5,000,000 rows.
Does a box truck under 26,000 pounds need $750,000?
If it hauls general freight for hire across state lines and is rated at 10,001 pounds GVWR or more, yes. The 26,001-pound figure is the CDL line in 49 CFR 383.5, not an insurance line.
Where these answers come from
Each entry carries the exact words of the source so you can check it yourself. Forms, rules and carrier pages change; read the current version before acting.
- 1. 49 CFR 387.9, schedule of limits, row 1, eCFR
“For-hire (In interstate or foreign commerce, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds) Property (nonhazardous) $750,000”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Text of table 1 to § 387.9 as eCFR renders it, current through 2026-10-01. Last amended 91 FR 45660, July 21, 2026, which changed no dollar figure. - 2. 49 CFR 387.9, schedule of limits, row 3, eCFR
“For-hire and Private (In interstate or foreign commerce, in any quantity; or in intrastate commerce, in bulk only; with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds)”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Row 3 carries $1,000,000 for oil and hazardous materials not in rows 2 or 4; rows 2 and 4, also "For-hire and Private", carry $5,000,000. - 3. 49 CFR 387.3(a), applicability, eCFR
“This subpart applies to for-hire motor carriers operating motor vehicles transporting property in interstate or foreign commerce.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Paragraph (b) extends the subpart to hazardous materials carriers in interstate, foreign or intrastate commerce. - 4. 49 CFR 387.3(c)(1), exception for vehicles under 10,001 pounds, eCFR
“The rules in this subpart do not apply to a motor vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 10,001 pounds.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. The exception does not apply to the Division 1.1 to 1.3, 2.3 Hazard Zone A, 6.1 Packing Group I Hazard Zone A and highway route controlled Class 7 loads the paragraph lists. - 5. 49 CFR 387.7(a), financial responsibility required, eCFR
“No motor carrier shall operate a motor vehicle until the motor carrier has obtained and has in effect the minimum levels of financial responsibility as set forth in § 387.9 of this subpart.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 6. 49 CFR 387.5, definition of financial responsibility, eCFR
“Financial responsibility means the financial reserves (e.g., insurance policies or surety bonds) sufficient to satisfy liability amounts set forth in this subpart covering public liability.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 7. 49 CFR 387.5, definition of insured and principal, eCFR
“Insured and principal means the motor carrier named in the policy of insurance, surety bond, endorsement, or notice of cancellation, and also the fiduciary of such motor carrier.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 8. 49 CFR 387.5, definition of evidence of security, eCFR
“Evidence of security means a surety bond or a policy of insurance with the appropriate endorsement attached.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 9. 49 CFR 387.7(b)(1), continuous coverage, eCFR
“Policies of insurance, surety bonds, and endorsements required under this section shall remain in effect continuously until terminated.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 10. 49 CFR 387.301T(a)(1), surety bond, certificate of insurance, or other securities, eCFR
“no certificate or permit shall be issued to such a carrier or remain in force unless and until there shall have been filed with and accepted by the FMCSA surety bonds, certificates of insurance, proof of qualifications as self-insurer, or other securities or agreements, in the amounts prescribed in § 387.303T”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 11. 49 CFR 567.4(c), vehicle manufacturer certification label location, eCFR
“Except for trailers and motorcycles, the label shall be affixed to either the hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post, next to the driver's seating position”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Paragraph (g)(3) requires the label to show "“Gross Vehicle Weight Rating” or “GVWR” followed by the appropriate value in pounds". - 12. 49 CFR 387.303, effective date note, eCFR
“At 84 FR 51433, Sept. 30, 2019, the suspension was lifted and amendments were made to § 387.303. In that same document, § 387.303 was again suspended indefinitely.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 13. 49 CFR 387.303T(b)(1)(i), small freight vehicles, eCFR
“Fleet including only vehicles under 10,001 pounds (4,536 kilograms) GVWR Property (non-hazardous) $300,000”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Table text as eCFR renders it. 387.303T carries no suspension note; paragraph (b)(2)(i) of the same section sets $750,000 for freight vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more. - 14. 49 CFR 387.303T(c), household goods cargo liability, eCFR
“For loss of or damage to household goods carried on any one motor vehicle—$5,000; and (2) For loss of or damage to or aggregate of losses or damages of or to household goods occurring at any one time and place—$10,000.”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 15. FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements, chart, Motor Carrier of Property (49 CFR 387.303), row for GVWR of 10,001 pounds and up
“For-Hire Property Carriers (Non-Hazardous) GVWR ≥ 10,001 pounds $750,000 $0 $0 BMC-91, or BMC-91X, or BMC-82”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Cells of one table row: entity type, vehicle type, BIPD, cargo, surety bond, forms. The row above reads GVWR < 10,001 pounds, $300,000; household goods carriers show $5,000 cargo. fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl; read in a browser on 2026-10-03 and re-checked word for word on 2026-10-03 against the Internet Archive copy of 2026-06-17 (web.archive.org/web/20260617122628), page last updated March 26, 2026. - 16. FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements, chart, Endorsement Forms (49 CFR 387.15)
“All For-Hire and Interstate Motor Carriers MCS-90 Endorsement for Policies of Insurance; or MCS-82 Endorsement for Surety Bonds”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Two cells of a table. fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl; read in a browser on 2026-10-03 and re-checked word for word on 2026-10-03 against the Internet Archive copy of 2026-06-17 (web.archive.org/web/20260617122628), page last updated March 26, 2026. - 17. FMCSA, Form MCS-90 page, about this form
“The MCS 90 endorsement is not issued for individual vehicles. Instead, it is attached to the motor carrier’s liability insurance policy”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl; read in a browser on 2026-10-03 and re-checked on 2026-10-03 against the Internet Archive copy of 2026-09-26 (web.archive.org/web/20260926091845), page last updated November 25, 2025. - 18. FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements, overview
“The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets specific insurance requirements in accordance with 49 CFR Part 387 for entities who apply and obtain operating authority registration”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. The sentence continues "in accordance with 49 U.S.C. §§ 13906, 31138, and 31139." fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl; read in a browser on 2026-10-03 and re-checked word for word on 2026-10-03 against the Internet Archive copy of 2026-06-17 (web.archive.org/web/20260617122628), page last updated March 26, 2026. - 19. FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements, overview
“FMCSA will not grant operating authority registration until the registrant has in effect the minimum levels of financial responsibility on file with FMCSA.”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl; read in a browser on 2026-10-03 and re-checked word for word on 2026-10-03 against the Internet Archive copy of 2026-06-17 (web.archive.org/web/20260617122628), page last updated March 26, 2026. - 20. FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements, who should file proof of insurance and when
“Once an entity applies for Operating Authority (MC/FF/MX), a financial responsibility provider must file the appropriate insurance form(s) on behalf of the applicant.”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl; read in a browser on 2026-10-03 and re-checked word for word on 2026-10-03 against the Internet Archive copy of 2026-06-17 (web.archive.org/web/20260617122628), page last updated March 26, 2026. - 22. FMCSA, Do I Need a USDOT Number?, vehicle tests
“Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. One of the page's listed tests, joined by "AND is involved in Interstate commerce"; the others are intrastate hazmat needing a safety permit and passenger vehicles. The page does not mention insurance. fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl; read in a browser on 2026-10-03 and re-checked on 2026-10-03 against the Internet Archive copy of 2026-09-22 (web.archive.org/web/20260922004023), page last updated September 3, 2025. - 23. Utah Admin. Code R909-1-4(2), UDOT, insurance for private intrastate carriers
“Each intrastate private motor carrier must have a minimum amount of $750,000 liability.”
adminrules.utah.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Paragraph (3) of the same rule sets $1,000,000 and an MCS-90 for oil and hazmat carriers. The rule states no figure for intrastate for-hire carriers of non-hazardous freight. - 24. U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Vehicle Weight Classes and Categories (Federal Highway Administration column)
“Class 3: 10,001 – 14,000 lbs Medium Duty 10,001 – 26,000 lbs Medium Duty 10,001 – 19,500 lbs”
afdc.energy.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. One table row: the FHWA class, then the FHWA and Census categories. The next rows read Class 4: 14,001 – 16,000 lbs and Class 5: 16,001 – 19,500 lbs. The page adds that the classes "are based on gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), the maximum weight of the vehicle, as specified by the manufacturer." - 25. 49 CFR 383.5, definition of commercial motor vehicle, Group A, eCFR
“Combination Vehicle (Group A)—having a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds), whichever is greater”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Part 383 sets commercial driver's license standards; it is not an insurance rule. - 26. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, TxDMV Number, who must register
“Operate a commercial motor vehicle (or a combination of vehicles) with a gross weight, registered weight or gross-weight rating exceeding 26,000 pounds”
txdmv.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. First item of the page's list; the others are placarded hazmat, farm vehicles of 48,000 pounds or more, vehicles designed for more than 15 passengers, commercial school buses and household goods for compensation. The page is for carriers "operating INTRAstate commercial motor vehicles". - 27. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, TxDMV Number, insurance requirements, All Others
“Private or for-hire motor carriers with a gross weight, registered weight or gross weight rating in excess of 26,000 pounds $500,000”
txdmv.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Two cells of the page's insurance table. - 28. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Becoming a Texas Motor Carrier (Intrastate), insurance
“TxDMV has to receive your insurance filing electronically from your insurer before your application can be granted.”
txdmv.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. The next lines name "Commercial auto filing: Form E". - 29. California Vehicle Code 34631.5(a)(1), motor carrier of property liability
“shall provide and thereafter continue in effect adequate protection against liability imposed by law upon those carriers for the payment of damages in the amount of a combined single limit of not less than seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000)”
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Paragraph (a)(1) excepts carriers under paragraphs (2) to (4): (a)(2) sets $300,000 for a carrier "who operates only vehicles under 10,000 pounds GVWR" and hauls none of the (3) or (4) commodities; (a)(3) sets $1,200,000 combined single limit for intrastate bulk petroleum; (a)(4) applies the federal hazmat amounts. - 30. California Vehicle Code 34630(a), proof of financial responsibility for the motor carrier permit
“A motor carrier permit shall not be granted to any motor carrier of property until there is filed with the department proof of financial responsibility in the form of a currently effective certificate of insurance”
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, accessed October 3, 2026 - 31. California Vehicle Code 34601(c)(1), commercial motor vehicle
“any motortruck of two or more axles that is more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, and any other motor vehicle used to transport property for compensation”
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Paragraph (c)(2) lists exclusions, chiefly vehicles not operated in commercial use. - 32. Florida Statutes 627.7415(1), commercial motor vehicles, additional liability coverage
“Fifty thousand dollars per occurrence for a commercial motor vehicle or qualified motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or more, but less than 35,000 pounds.”
leg.state.fl.us, accessed October 3, 2026. Subsections (2) and (3) set $100,000 from 35,000 pounds and $300,000 from 44,000 pounds; (4) requires vehicles subject to 49 CFR 387 subparts A and B to carry the federal amounts. - 33. GlobalTranz, Carrier Setup page
“Connect with GlobalTranz to become a contract carrier from across our fast-growing customer network.”
globaltranz.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Cited for the page itself, not for a figure: the page contains no insurance figure, and its Become a Carrier links go to highway.com/go/wwex-group, which redirects to a login. No published GlobalTranz insurance figure was found. - 34. Progressive Commercial, FMCSA Insurance Requirements, the sentence this page disputes
“In general, the FMCSA mandates that companies cover their vehicles, drivers, and goods with commercial auto insurance that has public liability and cargo coverage.”
progressivecommercial.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Quoted as what Progressive says. FMCSA's filing chart shows no cargo requirement for for-hire carriers of non-hazardous property. Read in a browser. - 35. Redoubt text to a Texas hotshot owner after underwriters declined, September 2026
“The underwriters passed because the truck and trailer aren't in the LLC's name.”
Redoubt agency records, accessed September 29, 2026. The record prints the line with an "R: " prefix, dropped here. - 36. Wholesaler email to Redoubt on a Pennsylvania hotshot submission, September 2026
“The main thing to look for is that the DL matches up with the state that the entity is set up.”
Redoubt agency records, accessed September 29, 2026
FMCSA will not activate the MC number until the insurer's filing is on file
New authority, hotshot and intrastate carriers: the MC number, the BMC-91 filing, the limits, and how long activation takes.
Elsewhere on the site
Not sure which limit your MC number needs?
Text Redoubt your USDOT or docket number, the GVWR from the truck's certification label, what you haul and the states you run. We will talk through which federal and state minimums apply, what your brokers' packets add, and what the insurer has to file.
This is general insurance information, not legal advice or a coverage determination. The policy forms, the endorsements the carrier issues, and the requirement in writing from whoever is asking control.