How to Start a Trucking Company in Texas: USDOT, TxDMV and Intrastate Authority

Starting a Texas trucking company is mostly a question of order. You form the business first, get a federal USDOT number, then register with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) if your trucks meet certain weight, cargo or passenger thresholds. Most carriers that run only inside Texas end up with an intrastate registration. This guide walks through how to start a trucking business in Texas in the order the agencies expect to see the paperwork.

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Trucking rules depend on what you haul, where you haul it and how each vehicle is configured. Talk with a qualified attorney and a CPA before you sign leases, insurance contracts or equipment financing.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. Most delays come from missing vehicle details, not from the agencies.

• A business name that is not already in use in Texas records and includes an organizational designation such as LLC
• A Texas registered agent with a physical street address in Texas
• A federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS
• A vehicle list for every truck and trailer you plan to run, with gross vehicle weight, registered or rated weight, seating capacity, and whether you will haul placarded hazmat or household goods
• Commercial auto insurance from an insurer or agent who will file your coverage with TxDMV
• An SOSDirect account for online filings with the Texas Secretary of State
• A business bank account in the company name
• A written budget that covers every fee in the table near the end of this article, plus equipment, insurance deposits and your first months of fuel and payroll

Step 1: Confirm Whether TxDMV Registration Applies

TxDMV registration is required for Texas for-hire intrastate carriers when a vehicle or combination meets at least one of these conditions:

• Gross, registered or rated weight exceeds 26,000 lb
• The vehicle hauls placarded hazmat
• It is a farm vehicle of 48,000 lb or more
• It seats more than 15 people, including the driver
• It is a commercial school bus
• It moves household goods for pay at any weight

"For-hire" means you carry freight or passengers for someone else in exchange for payment. If none of these conditions describe your fleet, confirm that with TxDMV before you assume registration does not apply, and write down the answer you received. A single heavy truck in your fleet is enough to change the analysis.

Step 2: Form the Texas Entity

Most new carriers form a limited liability company (LLC). File the Certificate of Formation (Form 205) with the Texas Secretary of State at sos.state.tx.us/corp. The filing fee is $300. A corporation files Form 201 at the same $300 fee.

Name rules matter here. The name must be distinguishable from existing Texas filings and must include an organizational designation such as "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC" or "L.C." It cannot imply a purpose the company is not authorized to pursue, and it cannot falsely suggest an affiliation with a government entity. Call (512) 463-5555 to check preliminary availability. If you need to hold a name while you finish the paperwork, a name reservation costs $40 and lasts 120 days.

The registered agent must be a Texas resident individual, a Texas domestic entity, or a qualified foreign entity. The company cannot serve as its own registered agent. The agent needs a physical Texas street address where papers can be delivered during business hours. A post office box, a mail forwarding service or an answering service alone does not meet that requirement. Changing the agent or the registered office costs $15.

Texas does not require a newspaper publication, and there is no state general business license for a trucking company. Filing speed depends on how you file:

• Standard processing has no guaranteed turnaround. Electronic filings through SOSDirect or SOSUpload process fastest. Mailed or hand-delivered documents generally take at least one business day just to show as Received.
• Standard Expedite is $50 per document and is typically processed within two to three business days.
• Next Day Expedite is $500 per document, processed by close of business the next business day for filings received by 12:00 p.m.
• Same Day Expedite is $750 per document, processed by close of business the same day for filings received by 12:00 p.m.

Expedite fees are in addition to the filing fee. Preclearance of a draft document is $50.

Step 3: Get Your Federal USDOT Number

Many people searching for a Texas DOT number are really looking for the USDOT number. Texas does not issue its own DOT number. The number comes from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and you apply through the FMCSA registration system at fmcsa.dot.gov/registration. You will file the Motor Carrier Identification Report (Form MCS-150) and describe your operation.

The key choice is operating scope. If your trucks will operate only within Texas, register as INTRAstate. If you will cross state lines, your operation falls under FMCSA interstate rules, and you need to plan for federal authority requirements that go beyond this guide. This article does not list a USDOT fee, so confirm the current cost and any authority filings on the FMCSA site before you budget for them.

Get the USDOT number before you file with TxDMV. The TxDMV process depends on it.

Step 4: Bind Insurance So the Insurer Can File Coverage

Insurance comes before the TxDMV payment. Your insurer files your coverage with TxDMV, and the insurance filing (Form E) carries a $100 fee. Ask your agent which minimum liability limits apply to your cargo and vehicle type, and get TxDMV's answer in writing. This guide does not list liability minimums because they depend on your operation.

Do not assume the shipper's or broker's insurance requirement equals the state requirement. Shippers and brokers often ask for higher limits than the state does, and their contracts will be what you actually have to meet day to day. Read those contracts before you commit to a rate.

Step 5: Apply With TxDMV Through TxMCCS

Apply through the TxDMV Motor Carrier Division's online portal, TxMCCS. Start from txdmv.gov and follow the motor carrier links. Choose a registration term of 7 days, 90 days, 1 year or 2 years.

The fees TxDMV lists for the 1-year and 2-year terms are:

• Application: $100 for a 1-year or 2-year term
• Per vehicle: $10 per vehicle per year, or $20 per vehicle for a 2-year term
• Insurance filing (Form E): $100

As a worked example, a three-truck fleet on a one-year term would pay $100 for the application, $30 in per-vehicle fees and $100 for the insurance filing, for a total of $230. Confirm with TxDMV whether the insurance filing repeats at renewal. This guide does not list the fees for the 7-day and 90-day terms, so check those on the TxDMV fee schedule before you choose a short term.

The insurer files your coverage first. After you pay, TxDMV issues your certificate number. Keep a cab card in each vehicle, and set a calendar reminder for your term end date so the registration does not lapse while you are on the road.

Step 6: Register With the Texas Comptroller

Texas has no corporate income tax and no personal income tax. Your main state tax obligation is the franchise tax, a privilege tax administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts at comptroller.texas.gov/taxes.

For the 2026 and 2027 report years, the no tax due threshold is $2,650,000 in total revenue. Entities at or below that amount owe no franchise tax, but they still must file the Public Information Report (or the Ownership Information Report, depending on the entity). Reports are due May 15 each year, and the Public Information Report goes to the Comptroller, not the Secretary of State. Above the threshold, the rates are 0.375 percent for retail and wholesale entities and 0.75 percent for all other entities. Most trucking companies fall into the all other category, but confirm your classification with the Comptroller. The 0.331 percent EZ Computation rate applies to entities under $20 million in total revenue, so ask the Comptroller whether it fits your situation.

Most businesses selling taxable goods or services also need a Texas sales and use tax permit. The permit is issued at no charge and typically takes two to three weeks to process. Whether your hauling service is taxable depends on the specific service, so confirm it with the Comptroller before you send your first invoice. The permit application is at comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit.

Step 7: Check Local and Operating Requirements

Texas does not issue a general state business license, and it has no statewide general contractor or roofing license. Counties license nothing for a trucking company, with one exception: a sole proprietor who operates under a trade name files an assumed name certificate with the county clerk. If your LLC uses a name other than its legal name, file the assumed name certificate (Form 503) with the Secretary of State instead. That filing costs $25, and county clerk fees for sole proprietors vary by county.

Use the Texas Business Licenses and Permits Guide, published by the Business Permit Office within the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, to identify other licenses that may apply to your operation. Check your city's requirements too, because cities can have their own rules. This guide does not list them.

On the safety side, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) enforces motor carrier safety regulations, so DPS officers are the people you will meet at roadside inspections. Build driver qualification files and vehicle maintenance records from the first day you operate. Inspectors ask for them, and missing records are one of the easiest ways to start with a bad inspection history.

Permian Basin and Border Freight Considerations

Two freight markets in Texas shape how new carriers set up their authority. The first is the Permian Basin, where operators in Midland and nearby areas move equipment, water, sand and pipe. Oilfield loads frequently exceed 26,000 lb, which means TxDMV registration is likely to apply. Oversize and overweight loads may need separate permits, so confirm those requirements with TxDMV before you quote a job.

The second is border freight through Laredo, El Paso, McAllen and Brownsville. Freight that crosses the Mexican border is not intrastate freight. It changes your authority picture and brings federal FMCSA rules into play. If border lanes are part of your plan, get guidance from FMCSA before you sign a contract or buy equipment for those lanes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating the LLC filing as operating authority. A Certificate of Formation makes you a legal entity. It does not let you haul for hire. The USDOT number and TxDMV registration are separate steps.
• Registering as intrastate when you cross state lines. INTRAstate fits only if every trip stays inside Texas. A single interstate load changes the analysis.
• Buying trucks before you check the weight thresholds. A used tractor with a higher rated weight can pull you into TxDMV registration before you have a single load booked.
• Listing inaccurate vehicle weights or seating counts. Your forms should match the registration plates, the cab cards and the vehicle documents exactly.
• Letting insurance lapse or skipping the filing check. Confirm with your insurer that the filing was made, and confirm with TxDMV that your certificate number is active.
• Using a post office box as your registered office. The registered office must be a physical street address in Texas where the agent can be served in person.
• Forgetting the Public Information Report because you owe no tax. Entities at or below the $2,650,000 threshold still file the report by May 15.
• Operating under a trade name without filing. If your trucks display a name other than your legal name, file the assumed name certificate before you start.
• Expecting mailed filings to move quickly. If timing matters, file electronically or pay for an expedite tier.

What to Expect After You File

If your Secretary of State filing is accepted, your insurance is on file and TxDMV processes your application, you may be able to begin operating as a registered for-hire carrier. Timelines vary. Electronic Secretary of State filings process fastest, and expedite options can shorten that step, but this guide does not promise a turnaround for TxDMV or FMCSA. Check their current processing information before you schedule a first load.

The first few months usually bring recurring paperwork: a renewal calendar for your TxDMV term, franchise tax planning ahead of the May 15 report, insurance renewals and driver and vehicle records. Revenue depends on your freight, your rates and how often your trucks are loaded, so treat this guide as a checklist for compliance, not a forecast of income.

Fees at a Glance

Item	Amount	Where to confirm
Certificate of Formation, LLC (Form 205)	$300	Texas Secretary of State
Standard Expedite (per document)	$50	Texas Secretary of State
Next Day Expedite (per document)	$500	Texas Secretary of State
Same Day Expedite (per document)	$750	Texas Secretary of State
Preclearance of a draft document	$50	Texas Secretary of State
Name reservation (120 days)	$40	Texas Secretary of State
Change of registered agent or office	$15	Texas Secretary of State
Assumed name certificate (Form 503)	$25	Texas Secretary of State
TxDMV application (1-year or 2-year term)	$100	TxDMV
TxDMV per vehicle	$10 per year, or $20 for 2 years	TxDMV
TxDMV insurance filing (Form E)	$100	TxDMV
USDOT number	Not listed in this guide	FMCSA
Franchise tax	No tax due at or below $2,650,000 in revenue; Public Information Report still required	Texas Comptroller
Sales and use tax permit	No charge	Texas Comptroller
State personal or corporate income tax	None	Not applicable

Official Resources

• Texas Secretary of State: sos.state.tx.us/corp
• SOSDirect online filing: direct.sos.state.tx.us
• Texas business name search: sos.state.tx.us/corp/searches
• Assumed name filing questions: sos.state.tx.us/corp/namefilingsfaqs
• Texas Department of Motor Vehicles: txdmv.gov
• FMCSA registration: fmcsa.dot.gov/registration
• Texas Comptroller: comptroller.texas.gov/taxes
• Texas sales and use tax permit: comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit
• Texas Small Business Development Center Network: sbdctexas.org

For a complex fleet, a cross-border lane or a plan that mixes employees and owner-operators, a qualified transportation attorney and a CPA can review the structure before you commit. This article is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Confirm every fee, threshold and deadline on the agency page before you rely on it, because agency rules and fees change.