At a glance
- Intrastate regulator
- MoDOT Motor Carrier Services.
- Credential
- Intrastate operating authority (property carrier registration) for for-hire carriers; private carriers hauling intrastate don’t need it.
- Intrastate minimum
- $100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident / $50,000 property damage for non-hazardous freight.
- Filing
- Your insurer files Form E (or a Form G bond) with MoDOT.
- Basic auto minimum
- 25/50/25, plus uninsured motorist coverage.
Hauling across state lines
Interstate for-hire freight needs the federal set: USDOT number, operating authority (MC), BMC-91 or BMC-91X filed with FMCSA by your insurer, a BOC-3 and at least $750,000 of liability for general freight in vehicles rated 10,001 lbs GVWR or more. See the new authority guide. MoDOT is explicit that interstate authority does not authorize intrastate commerce within Missouri.
Hauling for hire inside Missouri
Missouri law requires a property carrier registration from MoDOT for anyone hauling property (other than household goods) for hire in intrastate commerce. To get it, MoDOT says you:
- obtain a USDOT number;
- apply online through MoDOT Carrier Express;
- have your insurance company submit proof of insurance.
Carriers that are not required to take part in the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) program pay a $10 annual license fee per power unit. Private carriers hauling only their own goods inside Missouri don’t need intrastate operating authority; private carriers that also run interstate must register under UCR. Household goods movers need their own MoDOT authority.
Missouri insurance minimums for intrastate authority
- Property, non-hazardous
- $100,000 for injury or death of one person; $300,000 per accident; $50,000 property damage per accident
- Oil, hazardous waste and most hazmat
- $1,000,000 (vehicles of 10,000 lbs GVWR or more)
- Highest-hazard bulk, explosive, poison and radioactive loads
- $5,000,000 (vehicles of 10,000 lbs GVWR or more)
The proof is a Form E (or a Form G surety bond) that your insurance company files for you, and it must stay on file with Motor Carrier Services. Keep in mind the Missouri intrastate minimum is lower than the federal $750,000 — a truck that also runs interstate for hire needs the federal level, and contracts can ask for more.
Safety rules and the 26,000-lb line
Missouri applies the federal safety regulations (49 CFR Parts 390–397) to intrastate trucks, with one notable exception: they do not apply to intrastate property vehicles rated 26,000 lbs GVWR or GCWR or less, unless the vehicle hauls hazardous materials or carries 16 or more passengers. FMCSA lists Missouri among the states that require USDOT numbers for intrastate carriers, and MoDOT requires one before it issues intrastate authority.
Getting truck insurance quotes in Missouri
- USDOT number, MC number if you haul interstate for hire, and your MoDOT authority status.
- For-hire or private — it decides whether you need MoDOT authority and a Form E.
- For each truck: VIN, year, make, model and GVWR.
- Drivers’ license details and experience; loads, radius and states.
- Loss runs from recent insurers, and contract insurance requirements.
Questions truckers ask
Do I need Missouri intrastate authority if I have an MC number?
Yes, if you haul for hire between points in Missouri. MoDOT says interstate operating authority does not authorize intrastate commerce within Missouri.
What is the minimum truck insurance for Missouri intrastate authority?
For non-hazardous property: $100,000 for injury or death of one person, $300,000 per accident and $50,000 for property damage. Hazardous loads in vehicles of 10,000 lbs GVWR or more need $1,000,000 or $5,000,000.
Who files the insurance with MoDOT?
Your insurance company files the Form E (or a Form G surety bond) for you. Proof submitted by your insurer is one of the steps MoDOT lists for getting intrastate authority, and all authorized carriers must keep it on file.
Do private carriers need MoDOT authority?
No. Private carriers hauling only their own goods intrastate don’t need intrastate operating authority. If they also operate interstate, they must register under the Unified Carrier Registration program.
Is there a fee per truck in Missouri?
Carriers that are not required to participate in UCR pay a $10 annual license fee per power unit for their intrastate authority.
What are Missouri’s basic auto insurance minimums?
$25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more people and $25,000 for property damage in one accident, plus uninsured motorist coverage.
Sources
- MoDOT — Missouri Operating Authority (intrastate operations)
- MoDOT Motor Carrier Services — Frequently Asked Questions
- RSMo 390.270 — Property carrier registration
- RSMo 390.030 — Exemptions (private carriers)
- RSMo 307.400 — Federal safety rules and the 26,000-lb intrastate line
- RSMo 303.190 — Basic auto liability minimums
- FMCSA — Do I Need a USDOT Number?
- FMCSA — Insurance Filing Requirements (chart of minimums and forms)
Checked September 28, 2026. Rules and fees change — confirm with the agency that regulates you before you rely on a number. General information, not legal advice.