Short answer
A Texas intrastate motor carrier running a truck over 26,000 pounds must register with TxDMV and keep at least $500,000 of combined single limit auto liability on file through a Form E. Placardable hazmat carriers need $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 depending on the material.
- Household goods movers have their own limits, including cargo insurance of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 aggregate.
- Carriers whose main business is for-hire hauling between Texas cities must also provide workers compensation or accidental insurance for their employees at levels set in 43 TAC 218.16.
- Brokers and shippers often ask for more than the state minimum.
Who has to register with TxDMV
TxDMV says motor carriers operating intrastate commercial motor vehicles on Texas roads must register with its Motor Carrier Division when they:
- Operate a vehicle or combination over 26,000 pounds (gross weight, registered weight, or gross weight rating)
- Transport hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placarding
- Operate a farm vehicle of 48,000 pounds or more
- Operate a vehicle designed to carry more than 15 passengers, including the driver
- Operate a commercial school bus
- Transport household goods for compensation, regardless of vehicle weight
A valid USDOT number is required before you apply. See do Texas intrastate carriers need a USDOT number.
Minimum liability limits in Texas
TxDMV publishes these minimums, which come from 43 TAC 218.16. Liability must be combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage (excluding cargo), and it is proven by a Form E your insurer files.
| Carrier type | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Private or for-hire carriers over 26,000 lb | $500,000 |
| Household goods carriers under 26,000 lb | $300,000 |
| Oil, hazardous waste, and hazardous materials not in the $5M class, plus petroleum lubricants or fuels | $1,000,000 |
| Bulk hazardous substances over 3,500 water gallons, Division 1.1-1.3 explosives, certain poison gas and radioactive loads | $5,000,000 |
Cargo, workers comp, and the parts people miss
Cargo. Texas only requires cargo insurance for household goods carriers: $5,000 for loss to a single shipper's cargo on one vehicle and $10,000 aggregate for multiple shippers on one vehicle, filed on Forms H and I. Everyone else carries motor truck cargo because brokers and shippers require it, not because the state does.
Workers comp or accidental insurance. 43 TAC 218.16(c) says a registered carrier "whose primary business is transportation for compensation or hire between two or more municipalities" must provide workers compensation for all employees or accidental insurance of at least $300,000 in medical expenses for at least 104 weeks, $100,000 accidental death and dismemberment, 70 percent of pre-injury income for at least 104 weeks, and a $500 maximum weekly benefit. This is a narrower rule than many owners assume. See occupational accident vs workers comp and Texas trucking workers comp.
Interstate loads. The Texas minimum does not cover interstate for-hire work. Once you haul across state lines (or haul freight that is part of an interstate move), federal minimums and FMCSA filings apply. See FMCSA truck insurance minimums.
The state minimum is rarely the real requirement
$500,000 is what TxDMV needs to issue a certificate. Many brokers, shippers, aggregate plants, and general contractors write $1,000,000 or more into their agreements. Before you buy limits, pull the insurance section of each contract you work under. Our broker-carrier agreement page shows how to read those requirements, and why brokers require $1 million explains the gap.
Quick check
Log in to TxMCCS and confirm your insurance shows "Active," your email is current (that is where the 30-day cancellation notice goes), and every truck has a current cab card.
Common questions
Is the $500,000 minimum per truck?
It is a combined single limit per occurrence on the policy. It is not multiplied by the number of trucks.
Do I need cargo insurance to register in Texas?
Only household goods carriers have a Texas cargo requirement. Other carriers buy cargo coverage because their contracts require it.
Does a dump truck hauling aggregate in one county need to register?
If it is over 26,000 pounds and operates on Texas roads, the TxDMV registration rule applies. See our dump truck insurance page for the coverage side.
How long is a TxDMV certificate good for?
TxDMV offers registration for 7 days, 90 days, one year, or two years.
Sources
- TxDMV, TxDMV Number (requirements and insurance). Who must register, minimum insurance table, household goods cargo amounts, filing forms, USDOT prerequisite, certificate terms.
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code § 218.16, Insurance Requirements (Cornell LII). Combined single limit requirement, household goods cargo, workers comp or accidental insurance minimums.
This page explains insurance, not law. Have your attorney review indemnity and contract language; our job is making the insurance match it.
Keep reading
Questions
What is a Texas Form E?
Contracts and deadlines
Which insurance filings does a Texas trucking company need, and who files them?
Questions
Do Texas intrastate carriers need a USDOT number?
Coverage
Primary truck liability: what it covers, what the law requires, and where it breaks
By operation
What insurance does a Texas dump truck operation need?