By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 18, 2026
Who issues what in Texas
The permit pages
Texas-specific requirements
TxDMV Number sold in four terms
Texas motor carrier registration comes in 7-day, 90-day, annual, and biennial certificates. The short terms exist for temporary operations and cannot be renewed; renewal notices for the longer terms go out about 30 days before expiration.
14 foot legal height
Texas allows 14 feet of legal vehicle height without a permit, taller than the 13 feet 6 inches common in many eastern states. Legal width is 8 feet 6 inches and legal gross weight is 80,000 pounds.
USDOT Number required before a TxDMV Number
TxDMV requires a valid USDOT Number before a carrier can apply for motor carrier registration through eLINC, even for intrastate-only carriers.
Household goods movers regulated at any weight
Transporting household goods for compensation triggers TxDMV registration regardless of vehicle weight, plus cargo insurance filings on Forms H and I at a $100 filing fee each.
Farm vehicle registration threshold of 48,000 pounds
Farm vehicles get a higher registration trigger than other commercial vehicles: a gross weight, registered weight, or gross weight rating of 48,000 pounds or more, versus over 26,000 pounds generally.
Superheavy regime starts at 254,300 pounds
Loads exceeding 254,300 pounds gross weight, or between 200,001 and 254,300 pounds with less than 95 feet of total axle spacing, need a superheavy single-trip permit with route approval and bridge or pavement analysis, applied for three to four weeks ahead through TxPROS.
Four separate online portals
Texas carriers juggle eLINC for the initial TxDMV Number application, MCCS for managing motor carrier registration, TxPROS for oversize and overweight permits and routing, and TxFLEET for apportioned (IRP) registration.
Curfew list maintained per TxDOT district
Oversize and overweight movement curfews are set locally and published by TxDOT district, with a consolidated Time Permit Curfews document (effective September 30, 2025) that overrides restrictions printed on older permits. Permit holders are responsible for checking current restrictions before traveling.
The permit office and TxPROS
The Permits Office sits inside the TxDMV Motor Carrier Division and works through TxPROS, the state's permitting and routing system. TxPROS handles applications, routes the move, and carries the operating conditions for each permit. The office's phone line and business hours are on this page as sourced fields.
The permit types Texas issues
Single-trip permits cover one non-divisible load over the legal limits, priced from a base fee plus a weight-tiered highway maintenance fee. The company-specific envelope permit is the annual option: one yearly fee covers repeated moves inside a published size and weight envelope, usable by any properly registered truck the company owns or leases, one vehicle at a time.
Past those two, Texas keeps a bench of commodity permits: hay, timber, implements of husbandry, fracking trailers, water well drilling machinery, well servicing units, ready-mixed concrete trucks, and utility poles. If your work fits one of these, the commodity permit usually beats permitting each trip.
Our Texas oversize and overweight page carries the full fee tables, escort thresholds, and the superheavy process.
Curfews and local restrictions
Movement curfews are set locally and published per TxDOT district, with a consolidated Time Permit Curfews document that overrides restrictions printed on older permits. Big metro areas restrict oversize movement during weekday rush windows, and holiday moratoria stop the largest loads on major holidays.
The responsibility sits with the permit holder: check the current district restrictions before each move, not the copy printed on a permit you pulled last season.
Compare beyond Texas
Running multi-state loads? The oversize permit costs by state table compares limits and fees across all 51 jurisdictions, and the permit cost estimator prices a specific load per state.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for Texas truck permits?
- Through TxPROS, the TxDMV permitting and routing system. It handles the application, the route, and the permit conditions for oversize and overweight moves.
Does Texas offer an annual oversize permit?
- Yes, the company-specific envelope permit. One yearly fee covers moves inside a published size and weight envelope, and any properly registered truck the company owns or leases can use it, one vehicle at a time. Details and the sourced figures are on our Texas oversize and overweight page.
Are there commodity-specific permits in Texas?
- Yes. Texas issues permits for hay, timber, implements of husbandry, fracking trailers, water well drilling machinery, well servicing units, ready-mixed concrete trucks, and utility poles. Each is listed on the TxDMV permits page.
When can permitted loads not move in Texas?
- The largest loads sit out major holidays, and manufactured housing has added holiday restrictions. City and county curfews, published per TxDOT district, block movement during weekday rush windows in several metro areas. The current curfew list controls, not what an older permit says.
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.