What Trucking Insurance Requirements Apply in Texas?

Texas requires intrastate operating authority and an insurer-filed Form E for vehicles that meet TxDMV registration triggers, including trucks over 26,000 pounds, placarded hazardous-material vehicles, and household-goods carriers at any weight. Texas’s published insurance schedule sets $500,000 for commercial freight vehicles over 26,000 pounds and $1 million or $5 million for specified hazardous freight.

What Is Trucking Insurance?

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.

Texas Trucking Insurance Requirements

Requirement	Details
Commercial motor vehicle over 26,000 lb	$500,000 combined single limit ³
Hazardous materials	$1,000,000 or $5,000,000, depending on material and shipment category ³
Household-goods cargo	$5,000 per shipper / $10,000 aggregate for multiple shippers on one vehicle ³

What Should You Watch for With Trucking Insurance in Texas?

Check TxDMV’s Registration Triggers
TxDMV requires intrastate registration for commercial vehicles above 26,000 pounds, placarded hazardous-material loads, commercial school buses, vehicles for more than 15 passengers, and household-goods moves regardless of weight. Confirm the registration category before asking the insurer to submit Form E. ^2,¹
Make Sure TxDMV Receives The Electronic Form E
TxDMV must receive the insurer’s Form E electronically before it grants authority, and the carrier is responsible for keeping its filing active around the clock. Track the insurer’s submission in TxMCCS, including when a carrier changes insurance companies, because a policy by itself does not satisfy the filing. ^1,²
Compare Texas’s $500,000 Freight Tier With Federal Rules
Texas lists $500,000 for a commercial freight vehicle above 26,000 pounds; FMCSA lists $750,000 for standard nonhazardous for-hire property carriers at 10,001 pounds or more in interstate commerce. Ask your broker to separate Texas-only units and foreign commercial vehicles because Texas specifically directs the latter to Part 387. ^3,⁴
File Household-Goods Cargo Separately
Texas requires household-goods carriers to file cargo proof at $5,000 for one shipper and $10,000 aggregate for multiple shippers carried on one vehicle. Confirm Forms H and I are on file and ask whether those minimums cover the full value of the loads you transport. ^3,¹

Which Trucking Insurance Providers Have Texas License Records?

No provider in our research has both a state license record and a listing for 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.

Who Regulates Insurance in Texas?

Texas Department of Insurance

TDI licenses agents and insurers, reviews company rate filings, and investigates complaints against insurance companies and people it regulates. Its complaint page states limits on what it can resolve, including disputes outside its regulatory authority. ^5,^6,⁷

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Texas

Reported tax rate. 4.85% of gross premium plus 0.04% SLTX stamping fee ^8,^9,¹⁰

When Texas is the insured’s home state, the state tax is 4.85% of gross premium; absent a compact allocation agreement, a multistate policy can be taxed on its entire premium. Policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2024 also carry a 0.04% stamping fee; SLTX invoices the broker and says the insured pays it, and the surplus-lines insurer is not covered by the Texas guaranty association.

Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas

What Should You Ask Before Buying Trucking Insurance in Texas?

Do our vehicle weight, placarded cargo, passenger use, or household-goods service require TxDMV intrastate registration?
Has our insurer filed Form E electronically and does TxMCCS show the filing as active?
Does each route require Texas’s $500,000 schedule or the higher federal Part 387 limit?
Are Forms H and I on file for household goods, and what protects cargo above Texas’s $5,000/$10,000 minimum?

Trucking Insurance in Texas: Frequently Asked Questions

What insurance does Texas require for an intrastate truck?

The limit depends on the vehicle and operation: Texas lists $500,000 for commercial freight vehicles over 26,000 pounds, with higher limits for specified hazardous materials. TxDMV must receive an insurer-filed Form E before it grants authority. ^3,¹

What cargo insurance do Texas household-goods carriers need?

Texas lists $5,000 for one shipper’s cargo and $10,000 aggregate for multiple shippers on one vehicle, filed separately from liability coverage. ³

Sources for Trucking Insurance in Texas

1
Becoming a Texas Motor Carrier (Intrastate). Texas Department of Motor Vehicles; Intrastate authority and insurance sections: Form E, cargo Forms H/I, continuous TxMCCS filing responsibility. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2
TxDMV Number. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles; Who must register, registration triggers, insurance schedule, cargo requirements and continuous filing. Accessed 2026-09-29.
3
A Texas Motor Carrier’s Guide to Highway Safety, Form MCS-9. Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol Division; 43 TAC § 218.16(a) insurance schedule and Form 1899 intrastate insurance requirements. Accessed 2026-09-29.
4
Insurance Filing Requirements. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; Nonhazardous and hazardous Motor Carrier of Property requirements; foreign commercial vehicles. Accessed 2026-09-29.
5
texas insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; TDI regulator page outlines licensing, financial oversight, compliance/enforcement, and rate review. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
How to Find a Licensed Insurance Agent or Adjuster. State insurance regulator; TDI says search by agent name or license number and links to the state license search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Get Help with an Insurance Complaint. State insurance regulator; Direct complaint page explains covered entities, exclusions and online filing; Help Line 800-252-3439. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Texas Insurance Code §§225.002–225.004. Texas Legislature; §225.002 limits chapter to Texas-home-state insured; §225.004(a) 4.85%; (a-1) NRRA home-state limitation; (c) entire premium where Texas is home state and no compact agreement. Accessed 2026-09-28.
9
Stamping Fees & Taxes. Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas; Current policy-date table lists 0.04% for inception 1/1/2024 and after; stamping fee invoices go to brokers; site says fee is paid by insured. Accessed 2026-09-28.
10
Texas Surplus Lines Companies. Texas Department of Insurance; TDI says surplus-lines insurers are not licensed in Texas and its guaranty association member; eligibility/disclaimer and broker financial-responsibility details. Accessed 2026-09-28.
11
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
12
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.
13
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.
14
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.
15
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.
16
About Risklytics. Risklytics; What we do; Who we insure; Licensing; Agency licenses table dated 2026-09-10. Accessed 2026-09-16.
17
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.
18
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.

What Trucking Insurance Requirements Apply in Texas?

What Is Trucking Insurance?

Texas Trucking Insurance Requirements

What Should You Watch for With Trucking Insurance in Texas?

Check TxDMV’s Registration Triggers

Make Sure TxDMV Receives The Electronic Form E

Compare Texas’s $500,000 Freight Tier With Federal Rules

File Household-Goods Cargo Separately