By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 18, 2026
The launch sequence
Federal first, then Texas. The federal side is identical in every state and is covered in depth by how to get your own authority; the state facts below come from our sourced Texas data.
- Finish the federal spine. Get your USDOT Number, and federal operating authority plus insurance filings if you will haul for hire across state lines. Texas will not take a motor carrier application without a valid USDOT Number.
- Apply for the TxDMV Number in eLINC. Pick a registration term that fits how long you will operate; the short-term certificates cannot be renewed. Manage the registration afterward in MCCS.
- Have your insurer make the state filings. Liability proof goes in on Form E, filed by the insurance company. Household goods movers add cargo coverage on Forms H and I. Check the Texas minimum for your operation type, since it can differ from the federal figure.
- Open a TxFLEET account if you run interstate. Apportioned plates come through TxFLEET, with fees based on the distance share you run in each jurisdiction. All new motor carrier accounts start online.
- License for IFTA with the Comptroller. If your qualified vehicles run in two or more member jurisdictions, file Form AP-178 through Webfile or on paper. Decals issue per vehicle, and returns run quarterly.
- Set up TxPROS if your loads run oversize. Oversize and overweight permits, routing, and the annual envelope permit all live in TxPROS. Superheavy moves need the application in weeks ahead of the move date.
- Calendar the recurring deadlines. Quarterly IFTA returns are due the last day of the month after each quarter, renewal notices for the TxDMV Number go out about a month before expiration, and the whole apportioned fleet renews on one date.
The order that works in Texas
Federal first. Get the USDOT Number, and if you will haul for hire across state lines, the federal operating authority and insurance filings that go with it. Texas checks for the USDOT Number before it will take your motor carrier application, so nothing at the state level moves until that exists.
Then the state layer. Apply for the TxDMV Number in eLINC and pick a registration term. Your insurer files proof of liability coverage with the state as part of the application. If you cross state lines, open a TxFLEET account for apportioned plates and license for IFTA with the Comptroller so one quarterly return covers your fuel tax everywhere you run.
Permits come last, and only if your loads need them. Oversize or overweight work means a TxPROS account, and route-level rules like curfews attach to each move rather than to your company.
Where Texas differs from other states
Texas splits fuel tax away from the rest: IFTA belongs to the Comptroller, not TxDMV, so you will hold accounts with two agencies and juggle four portals in total. The state also regulates household goods movers at any vehicle weight when the move is for pay, and farm vehicles get a higher registration trigger than general freight.
The registration itself is unusual too. Texas sells the TxDMV Number in four terms, from short-term certificates up to a two-year option, and the short terms cannot be renewed. The term and fee table on our Texas intrastate authority page carries the current amounts, each from the TxDMV page.
The Texas facts you will need
- State filing fee
- $100 (Annual term: $100 application fee plus $10 per vehicle plus a $100 insurance filing fee (Form E). Other terms: 7-day ($5 application), 90-day ($25 application), biennial ($100 application with $20 per vehicle). The $10 per-vehicle fee applies to the 7-day, 90-day, and annual terms; the $100 insurance filing fee applies to all terms. Household goods movers pay an additional $100 filing fee for each of Forms H and I.)
The complete tables live on the dedicated pages: intrastate authority, IRP registration, IFTA, and trucking permits.
Budget the launch before you file
The trucking startup cost calculator builds a line-item estimate from the sourced fee data, and the cost pillar explains every line. Neither replaces a quote for your truck and insurance, which are the two biggest variables.
Common mistakes when launching in Texas
Applying for a TxDMV Number before the USDOT Number exists
eLINC checks for a valid USDOT Number first, including for intrastate-only carriers. Do the federal registration before the state one.
Assuming federal insurance minimums settle Texas
Texas sets its own liability minimums by operation type, and for heavier general freight the state figure differs from the federal one. Match your coverage to the sourced Texas table before your insurer files Form E.
Expecting a short-term certificate to renew
The short-term TxDMV Number certificates cannot be renewed. If the job runs long, you are filing a fresh application, so price the annual term against that risk up front.
Hauling household goods for pay in a light vehicle without registering
Household goods moves for compensation trigger TxDMV registration at any vehicle weight, plus cargo insurance filings on Forms H and I. The general weight trigger does not exempt small movers.
Booking a superheavy move without the TxPROS lead time
Superheavy permits need route approval and possible bridge or pavement analysis, so applications go in three to four weeks ahead unless an approved route is on file. A move booked for next week cannot wait on that review.
Trusting the restrictions printed on an older permit
The consolidated Time Permit Curfews document overrides restrictions printed on older permits, and curfews shift by TxDOT district. Check the current list before each oversize move.
Missing the quarterly IFTA deadline
Returns are due the last day of the month after each quarter, and a late or missing return draws a penalty of a flat amount or a share of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater, plus interest.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip the USDOT Number if I only run inside Texas?
- No. TxDMV requires a valid USDOT Number before it will accept a TxDMV Number application, including from intrastate-only carriers. Register with FMCSA first, then come back to eLINC.
What does it cost to start a trucking company in Texas?
- The state-side costs are the TxDMV Number application fee for the term you pick, a per-vehicle fee, an insurance filing fee, and permit fees if your loads need them. Each amount is on our Texas pages as a sourced field, and the federal costs sit on our startup cost guide.
Who handles fuel tax for Texas carriers?
- The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas-based carriers running in two or more member jurisdictions license under IFTA with the Comptroller and file one return each quarter. TxDMV is not involved in fuel tax.
How fast does the TxDMV Number come through?
- TxDMV publishes a standard processing window measured in business hours, with extra days when an extended review of linked authorities applies. The sourced field on our Texas intrastate authority page carries the current figures.
Haul Handbook publishes educational information about trucking registration and compliance requirements. This is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Rules, fees, and deadlines change; confirm with the agency before you file or pay.