By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Oct 5, 2026
The launch sequence
Federal first, then Delaware. 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 Delaware data.
- Form the business and get an EIN. Register with the Delaware Division of Corporations if you are not a sole proprietor, get an Employer Identification Number, and get a Delaware business license. The EIN becomes your IFTA account number.
- Secure a real Delaware office. Lease or own a physical place of business in Delaware and collect mail there from two different sources. The DMV refuses virtual offices and agent addresses, and one owner or officer needs a Delaware driver license.
- Register with FMCSA. Get a USDOT number marked interstate, add operating authority if you haul for hire across state lines, and pay UCR for the current year. The DMV Motor Carrier account will not open without them.
- Insure, title and inspect each truck. Buy a policy that comes with an original Delaware insurance card naming the truck and the account; the DMV refuses risk retention group, surplus lines, bobtail and non-trucking policies. Title the truck in Delaware and pass the DMV safety inspection that records unladen weight.
- Open the Motor Carrier account for IRP and IFTA. Email every checklist document together to Motor Carrier Services. Once the office accepts the file it books an appointment where you bring the originals, and a billing notice follows, so send no payment with the application.
- Get CDLs for your drivers. Drivers of trucks over the CDL weight line need a Delaware CDL. It starts with walk-in knowledge tests and a learner permit at a DMV facility, then entry-level training and a skills test by appointment.
- Check oversize needs before you book a load. Loads over legal size or weight need a DelDOT hauling permit bought online before the move, and most freight moves on single-trip permits because Delaware has no general annual permit.
The order that works in Delaware
Business first. The DMV wants an IRS EIN letter, good standing with the Division of Corporations for anything other than a sole proprietor, a Delaware business license, and proof of a physical Delaware office by mail from two sources. Settle all of that before any credential.
Then federal. Get a USDOT number marked interstate, add operating authority if you haul for hire across state lines, and pay UCR for the current year, because the DMV checklist asks for both.
Then insurance, title and plates. Buy a policy whose insurer issues an original Delaware insurance card, title each truck in Delaware, pass the Delaware DMV inspection, then email the full checklist to Motor Carrier Services. Oversize permits come last, only if your loads need them.
Where Delaware differs from other states
Four things catch new Delaware carriers. The DMV refuses virtual offices, shared offices and registered agents' addresses for an IRP or IFTA base, so a company with only a registered agent in Delaware cannot base its fleet here. Every apportioned truck needs a Delaware title and a Delaware DMV safety inspection; a federal DOT inspection does not count.
Intrastate drivers can start younger than interstate drivers. And the state runs two weight regimes, one on the interstate and a higher one on other roads, with a single-trip interstate permit that bridges them for three- and four-axle trucks.
The Delaware facts you will need
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 Delaware
Assuming no authority means no rules
Delaware sells no authority to property carriers, but it adopts the federal safety regulations as state law and applies them to intrastate trucks over the heavy-vehicle line. Driver files, hours of service and inspections all apply inside the state.
Using a registered agent address as your base
A Delaware incorporation is not a Delaware base. IRP and IFTA need a real office here with mail to prove it; agent, virtual and shared offices are refused.
Buying the wrong insurance policy
Risk retention group, surplus lines, bobtail and non-trucking policies do not satisfy the DMV for apportioned plates. Get a policy whose insurer issues the original Delaware insurance card.
Relying on a federal DOT inspection
Every apportioned truck needs a Delaware DMV safety inspection showing unladen weight. A federal DOT inspection is not accepted.
Running the interstate at off-interstate weights
Delaware's off-interstate limits are higher than its interstate limits. A three- or four-axle truck loaded to its state-legal weight needs the single-trip interstate permit before it uses the interstate.
Booking an oversize move into a holiday blackout
Oversize and overweight loads stop at noon the day before the listed holidays and stay parked until the morning after. Check the DelDOT holiday table before you commit to a delivery date.
Skipping a quarterly IFTA return with no miles
A Delaware IFTA return is due every quarter even when the fleet ran no miles, and a late return draws a penalty plus monthly interest.