At a glance
- Intrastate regulator
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
- Credential
- Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for for-hire carriers; PUCO does not issue CPCNs to private carriers.
- Intrastate minimum
- $750,000 for for-hire property carriers; $300,000 if every vehicle is under 10,001 lbs.
- Filing
- Your insurer files Form E with PUCO (movers: Forms E and H).
- Basic auto minimum
- 25/50/25.
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.
Hauling for hire inside Ohio: the PUCO certificate
Ohio law says no for-hire motor carrier may operate in intrastate commerce without a current Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). PUCO issues it only to for-hire carriers — private carriers hauling their own goods do not get one. Some hauling is not “for-hire” under Ohio law at all, including farm supplies and products and work for contractors on public road projects.
PUCO says carriers operating vehicles of 10,001 lbs GVWR or GCWR or more must have a USDOT number, and FMCSA lists Ohio among states that require USDOT numbers for intrastate carriers.
Two recurring costs come with the certificate: a PUCO tax of $30 per commercial tractor and $20 per other truck hauling property, paid when the certificate is issued and, for carriers operating only inside Ohio, every year between May 1 and June 30. According to PUCO, carriers that take part in UCR don’t need the annual CPCN renewal — except household goods movers, and IFTA or IRP holders that also run intrastate still renew.
Ohio insurance minimums
- For-hire property carriers
- $750,000
- Only vehicles under 10,001 lbs GVWR/GCWR
- $300,000
- Oil and most hazardous materials
- $1,000,000 — for-hire and private carriers
- Highest-hazard bulk, explosive, poison-inhalation or radioactive loads
- $5,000,000 — for-hire and private carriers
- Household goods cargo
- $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence
The insurer — not you — files the proof with PUCO: a Form E for a motor carrier, Forms E and H for a household goods mover. If the coverage lapses, operations under the certificate must stop immediately until a replacement filing is made.
Dump trucks and construction hauling in Ohio
Hauling for contractors on public road work is outside Ohio’s for-hire definition, so it doesn’t need a CPCN. Ohio also has its own hours-of-service rule for intrastate hauling of construction materials and equipment instead of the federal one. Your liability limit still has to satisfy your contracts and, for hazardous loads, the $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 levels above. More in the dump truck guide.
Getting truck insurance quotes in Ohio
- USDOT number, and your PUCO number or MC number if you have them.
- For-hire, private or road-contractor work — it decides whether you need a CPCN and a PUCO filing.
- For each truck: VIN, year, make, model, GVWR, and whether it is a tractor (the PUCO tax differs).
- Drivers’ license details and experience; loads, radius and states.
- Loss runs from recent insurers.
Questions truckers ask
Do I need a PUCO number to haul in Ohio?
If you haul for hire between points in Ohio, yes: you need a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from PUCO. PUCO does not issue certificates to private carriers, and some hauling — like farm products or work for contractors on public road projects — is not for-hire under Ohio law.
What is the minimum truck insurance in Ohio?
For-hire intrastate carriers of property need $750,000, or $300,000 if they operate only vehicles under 10,001 lbs GVWR or GCWR. Carriers of hazardous materials, for-hire or private, need $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 depending on the load.
Who files the Form E with PUCO?
Your insurance company. Ohio’s rule requires the insurer to file the evidence of financial responsibility — a Form E for motor carriers, or Forms E and H for household goods movers.
What happens if my Ohio insurance lapses?
Ohio law says all operations under the certificate must cease immediately and may not resume until a replacement filing is made with PUCO.
How much is the PUCO tax per truck?
$30 for each commercial tractor and $20 for each other motor vehicle hauling property. It is paid when the certificate is issued and, for intrastate-only carriers, every year between May 1 and June 30.
What are Ohio’s basic auto insurance minimums?
$25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage in one accident.
Sources
- PUCO — Intrastate motor carriers and registration
- Ohio Revised Code 4921.03 — Certificate required for intrastate for-hire carriers
- Ohio Revised Code 4921.01 — Definitions (what is not for-hire)
- Ohio Adm. Code 4901:2-13-03 — Minimum levels of financial responsibility
- Ohio Adm. Code 4901:2-13-04 — Insurance filing requirements
- Ohio Revised Code 4921.19 — Per-vehicle PUCO tax
- Ohio Adm. Code 4901:2-5-03 — Federal safety rules adopted for intrastate carriers
- Ohio Revised Code 4509.51 — 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.