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Trucking Insurance in Arkansas

If you transport property for hire wholly within Arkansas, ARDOT generally requires state intrastate authority; the exemption list and local commercial-zone rules can change that answer. Arkansas's carrier endorsement sets property-vehicle liability at $50,000/$100,000/$30,000, while a common property carrier separately files at least $5,000 cargo coverage. 1,3

What Is Trucking?

Trucking coverage can address liability, damage to your trucks and cargo losses, but one quote may not include all three. If you haul goods for customers or yourself, compare those protections and check whether the quote needs motor-carrier or other commercial auto coverage. Read the national Trucking guide.

Arkansas Requirements

RequirementDetails
For-hire intrastate authorityARDOT authority for property or passenger carriage wholly within Arkansas, subject to listed exemptions 1,2
Property-carrier liability endorsement$50,000 one person / $100,000 all persons / $30,000 property damage 3
Common-carrier cargo filingAt least $5,000 with the cargo endorsement 3

What to Watch for in Arkansas

  • Check Whether You Carry Your Own Freight

    ARDOT limits its intrastate authority requirement to for-hire carriers; its FAQ says a private carrier hauling its own freight does not need that authority. If you are leased to another carrier, the answer depends on who holds the contract and receives payment directly. 1,2

  • Treat Arkansas Authority As A Separate Filing

    ARDOT says interstate operating authority does not remove the need to apply for Arkansas intrastate authority when you also serve wholly in-state routes. Ask which state authority and proof of liability insurance must appear on your application before taking local loads. 1,2

  • Match Liability Proof To The Endorsement

    The current Arkansas rule requires carriers by motor vehicle to file liability and property-damage insurance or an approved certificate with the state endorsement attached. For property vehicles it lists $50,000 for one person, $100,000 for all persons, and $30,000 for others' property; these are carrier filing limits, not cargo coverage. 3

  • Check Whether Your Authority Is Common Carrier

    The rule's $5,000 cargo minimum applies to common carriers of property by motor vehicle and requires a cargo endorsement. Do not assume that this narrow filing minimum covers the freight's full value or applies to every private or contract carrier. 3

Who Regulates Insurance in Arkansas

Arkansas Insurance Department

The Arkansas Insurance Department licenses resident and nonresident producers and business entities, accepts insurance complaints, and provides links to company and producer license searches. It operates as a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. 4,5,9,6

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 4% when Arkansas is the insured's home state Arkansas's broker filing instructions set a 4% surplus-lines tax. Federal law assigns nonadmitted-insurance regulation and tax to the insured’s home state; for a multistate policy, ask your broker to show the home state and the premium allocation used for the Arkansas filing. Arkansas law requires the contract to disclose that the state's property-and-casualty guaranty protection does not apply. 7,8,10

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Arkansas

  1. Does our payment and lease arrangement make us a for-hire carrier that needs Arkansas intrastate authority, or a private carrier/exempt operation?
  2. Does our route remain in a commercial zone or fall within another ARDOT authority exemption?
  3. Will the insurer file the required Arkansas public-liability endorsement for each covered property vehicle?
  4. Are we classed as a common carrier for the separate $5,000 cargo filing, and what limits protect the actual freight value?

Trucking in Arkansas: FAQ

Does Arkansas require intrastate authority for a for-hire trucking company? 1,2

Yes, if you carry property for compensation wholly within Arkansas and no exemption applies. ARDOT says private carriers hauling their own freight do not need this authority, and interstate authority alone does not replace the Arkansas intrastate application. 1,2

What is Arkansas's minimum cargo filing for property carriers? 3

$5,000 with a cargo endorsement for common carriers of property by motor vehicle. The rule states that separately from its liability schedule. 3

Trucking in Other States

Other Coverage in Arkansas

Sources

  1. Arkansas Intrastate Authority. Arkansas Department of Transportation; Who Needs Intrastate Operating Authority?; exemptions. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. Arkansas Intrastate Operating Authority FAQ. Arkansas Department of Transportation; Questions on minimum insurance, private carriers, commercial zone, leases, interstate authority; hosted current agency FAQ downloaded in 2026. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. 27 CAR §110-1301, Public Liability and Property Damage Endorsement. Arkansas Code of Rules; Subsections (a), (b)(1), and (c), property-liability and cargo schedules. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Arkansas Insurance Department. Arkansas Insurance Department; Official agency homepage. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Licensing. Arkansas Insurance Department; Licensing Division guidance and state-based systems lookup for Arkansas agent and agency licensees. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. File A Complaint. Arkansas Insurance Department; Online complaint filing for insurance providers, including agents and companies. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Surplus Lines Brokers Filing. Arkansas Insurance Department; Current broker filing instructions state that 4% broker tax must be remitted. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. 23 CAR § 201-104: Endorsement of contract. Arkansas Code of Rules; Required surplus-lines contract disclosure: no Arkansas P&C Guaranty Act protection and 4% tax collected from insured. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. 15 U.S.C. § 8202: Regulation of nonadmitted insurance by insured's home State. U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Law Revision Counsel; § 8202(a): nonadmitted placement is subject solely to insured's home-State requirements, except as otherwise provided; § 8201 addresses exclusive home-State tax authority. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  10. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  11. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  12. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  15. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  16. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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