By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 18, 2026
The Florida requirements table
- Application
- None (no state authority application). Intrastate carriers register for a USDOT number through FMCSA at fmcsa.dot.gov/registration.
- Filing fee
- $0 (No state authority program means no state authority fee. FLHSMV states registration fees are not applied for companies solely engaged in intrastate operations; interstate companies may incur FMCSA fees.)
Who the requirement covers
Florida insurance minimums
State minimums can differ from the federal filing levels; the federal side is covered in our insurance filings guide.
Minimum liability by gross vehicle weight
Florida sets tiered combined bodily injury and property damage liability minimums by gross vehicle weight under s. 627.7415, F.S. (see liability_by_weight). A single statewide number does not exist, so liability_usd is null by design.
| Gross vehicle weight (lb) | Minimum liability |
|---|---|
| 26,000 to 34,999 | $50,000 |
| 35,000 to 43,999 | $100,000 |
| 44,000 and over | $300,000 |
Vehicles subject to 49 C.F.R. Part 387 subparts A and B must instead carry insurance meeting the federal minimum financial responsibility levels (s. 627.7415, F.S.).
Why the answer is no
Most large states run a state authority or carrier number program. Florida does not. FLHSMV's commercial vehicle pages describe registration and safety duties for intrastate carriers and name no authority credential at all, so we record the answer as a sourced negative rather than an assumption. The statutes in the table are the enforcement hooks.
What Florida requires instead
An intrastate carrier over the statutory weight line registers for a USDOT number and displays it on the power unit. FLHSMV waives the registration fee for companies that never leave the state. Enforcement runs through the Florida Highway Patrol's commercial vehicle unit, so the number, not a state certificate, is what an officer checks.
Insurance lives in state law
Florida sets combined bodily injury and property damage minimums for heavier commercial vehicles in three weight tiers, and the sourced table on this page renders each tier. Vehicles that fall under the federal financial responsibility rules carry the federal minimums instead. The tier table is the fact to buy coverage against.
The exemptions worth checking
Two stand out. Property vehicles under the statutory weight line that need no hazmat placards sit outside the USDOT number requirement, and FLHSMV notes a seasonal exemption for agricultural operations during declared harvest periods. Read the sourced notes before relying on either one.
Where this fits in the Florida launch
A cell reading "Not confirmed" means the agency did not publish a figure we could verify, so we left it open rather than guessed. For the full launch order, work through start a trucking company in Florida, then line up IRP registration and IFTA if you run beyond state lines. To compare every state at once, see the national intrastate authority table.
Frequently asked questions
Does Florida require intrastate operating authority?
- No. There is no program, no application, and no fee. The requirement that does exist is the federal USDOT number, which state law extends to intrastate carriers over the sourced weight threshold.
Does Florida assign a state carrier number?
- No. Florida has no analog to the state carrier numbers other large states assign. The USDOT number is the identifier FLHSMV uses for intrastate enforcement, displayed on the vehicle itself.
What insurance minimums apply to Florida intrastate carriers?
- State insurance law tiers combined liability minimums by gross vehicle weight, rendered in the sourced table on this page. Vehicles under the federal financial responsibility rules follow the federal levels. No state cargo minimum appears on any official source we checked, so that cell stays open rather than guessed.
Who enforces trucking rules for in-state Florida carriers?
- The Florida Highway Patrol's commercial vehicle enforcement unit, under FLHSMV. Officers check the USDOT number, insurance, and safety items rather than a state authority certificate, because no certificate exists.
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.