At a glance
- Intrastate regulator
- Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC); the State Patrol enforces truck safety.
- Credential
- Common carrier permit for hauling property for compensation; not needed by private carriers.
- Liability minimum
- $750,000 for vehicles of 10,000 lbs GVWR or more; $300,000 below; $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for hazmat.
- Filing
- Your insurer files Form E within 60 days, or the permit is cancelled.
- Basic auto minimum
- 25/50/10.
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 pay inside Washington: the UTC permit
Washington law says a common, contract or temporary carrier may not haul property for compensation in the state without a permit from the UTC. The law’s definition of a motor vehicle expressly includes dump trucks. Private carriers — hauling their own goods, goods they are buying or selling, or goods moved as part of their own main business — do not need a permit.
- A new general-commodities permit costs $275 (movers use a separate application).
- The name on the insurance must match your company’s legal name exactly.
- Your insurance company must file the Form E within 60 days, or the permit is cancelled.
- The UTC may require an annual report of your gross intrastate revenue, filed by May 1, with a regulatory fee of 0.25% of that revenue.
Washington insurance minimums for UTC carriers
- Vehicles 10,000 lbs GVWR or more
- $750,000 (non-hazardous property)
- Vehicles under 10,000 lbs GVWR
- $300,000 (non-hazardous property)
- Hazardous materials
- $1,000,000 for oil and most hazmat; $5,000,000 for the highest-hazard loads
- Movers’ cargo
- $10,000 in trucks under 10,000 lbs GVWR; $20,000 at 10,000 lbs or more
Proof is a Form E, a Form G surety bond, or a written binder — and a binder can’t last longer than 60 days, during which the Form E or G has to be filed. There is no cargo insurance requirement for general freight carriers in the UTC’s insurance rule.
USDOT numbers and safety rules
Washington law requires intrastate commercial vehicles of 16,001 lbs GVWR or more to have a USDOT number, and the UTC notes Washington requires it even if FMCSA’s website says you don’t need one. Common carriers hauling hazardous materials need one at any weight. The Washington State Patrol, which enforces truck safety, adopts the federal rules — including the Part 387 insurance minimums — for intrastate as well as interstate carriers.
Getting truck insurance quotes in Washington
- USDOT number, MC number if you haul interstate, and your UTC permit number or application.
- For-hire or private — it decides whether you need the UTC permit and its filing.
- Your company’s exact legal name — the insurance filing has to match it.
- For each truck: VIN, year, make, model and GVWR.
- Drivers’ license details and experience; loads, radius and loss runs.
Running south too? See the Oregon guide for the weight-mile tax.
Questions truckers ask
Do I need a UTC permit to haul in Washington?
Yes, if you haul property for compensation inside Washington as a common, contract or temporary carrier. Private carriers hauling their own goods, or goods moved as part of their own main business, do not need one.
What is the minimum truck insurance for a Washington UTC permit?
$750,000 for vehicles of 10,000 lbs GVWR or more and $300,000 for lighter vehicles, when the load is not hazardous. Hazardous materials require $1,000,000 or $5,000,000.
How long do I have to file the Form E?
The UTC says your insurance company must file the Form E within 60 days, or your permit will be cancelled. A written binder is accepted for no more than 60 days while the Form E or Form G is filed.
At what weight do Washington intrastate trucks need a USDOT number?
At 16,001 lbs GVWR or more, under state law — even if FMCSA’s site says you don’t need one. Common carriers hauling hazardous materials need a USDOT number at any weight.
Do Washington movers need cargo insurance?
Yes. Household goods carriers need $10,000 of cargo coverage for trucks under 10,000 lbs GVWR and $20,000 for trucks of 10,000 lbs or more.
What are Washington’s basic auto insurance minimums?
$25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for all people in one accident, and $10,000 for property damage.
Sources
- RCW 81.80.070 — UTC permit required to haul property for compensation
- RCW 81.80.010 — Definitions (private carrier)
- WA UTC — Common carrier permit application (April 2025)
- WAC 480-14-250 — Insurance requirements for common carriers
- WAC 480-14-150 — Periodic reports and regulatory fees
- RCW 46.32.080 — USDOT number for intrastate trucks (16,001 lbs)
- WA UTC — USDOT number requirement
- WAC 446-65-010 — Federal rules adopted by the Washington State Patrol
- WAC 480-15-550 — Household goods cargo insurance
- RCW 46.29.090 — 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.