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State guide

Start and run a trucking company in Kentucky

Kentucky stacks two of its own mileage-and-fuel programs on top of the federal paperwork: the KYU weight distance tax for heavy trucks and the KIT fuel tax for in-state-only carriers. The Division of Motor Carriers runs both, plus intrastate authority, permits, IFTA, and IRP. Every fee and rate here comes from an official page.

By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 25, 2026

The short answer

State authority
Required
State filing fee
Not confirmed

The application/certificate fee is not published on the Division of Motor Carriers Inter/Intrastate Carriers page; left blank rather than invented.

Issued by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers

Credential Kentucky Intrastate Authority Certificate (Intrastate For-Hire)

Every figure above is a sourced agency fact, checked Jul 25, 2026.How we verify

Everything Kentucky requires, in order

Each step is its own page, with the Kentucky figures read from the agency that publishes them.

First, the federal side

Identical in every state, and not part of the Kentucky sequence below: get your own authority, USDOT number, Form 2290, and what it all costs.

Before you file

  1. Start a trucking companyFederal steps plus this state, in order
  2. DOT numberState USDOT triggers and carrier numbers
  3. CDLLicense fees, testing, endorsements

State credentials

  1. Intrastate authorityState operating authority: rule, agency, fee
  2. Insurance requirementsState liability minimums and insurer filings

Plates, fuel tax and trip permits

  1. IRP registrationApportioned plates and cab cards
  2. IFTAFuel tax license, decals, filing
  3. Trip and fuel permitsTemporary IRP and IFTA permits

Permits and state taxes

  1. Trucking permitsEvery state permit a carrier may need
  2. Oversize permitsLegal limits, permit fees, escorts
  3. Weight-distance taxMileage tax rates and filing

How Kentucky organizes trucking compliance

One agency carries most of the load. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, issues intrastate authority, oversize and overweight permits, apportioned plates, the IFTA license, and the two Kentucky-only mileage programs. You handle almost everything through one place, the Motor Carrier Portal.

What makes Kentucky different is the weight distance layer. If your combined license weight reaches the state's heavy-truck line, you owe the KYU weight distance tax on every Kentucky mile, and you file a return every quarter even in a quarter with no travel. The pages here walk each piece with its source.

What you will find here

The intrastate authority page owns the for-hire certificate answer: who needs it, the agency, and the insurance filing. The permits pages cover legal size and weight, single-trip and annual permits, escorts, and travel rules. The IFTA and IRP pages cover fuel tax licensing and apportioned plates. The weight distance tax page owns KYU: who owes it, the flat per-mile rate, and the quarterly return.

Every figure on those pages is a data field tied to the Division of Motor Carriers or the statute it came from. Where the state does not publish an amount, we say so plainly instead of guessing.

Kentucky filing walkthroughs

Step-by-step articles for the recurring Kentucky filings, written against the same sourced records as the pages above.

Free calculators that cover Kentucky

Frequently asked questions

Does Kentucky have its own trucking taxes?

Yes. Kentucky is one of only four states that charge a weight distance tax, the KYU, on heavy trucks, and it also runs the KIT fuel tax for carriers that operate only inside the state. Both sit on top of the federal filings, and both demand a quarterly return.

Which agency handles trucking compliance in Kentucky?

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, handles intrastate authority, permits, apportioned plates, IFTA, and the KYU and KIT mileage programs. Most transactions run through its online Motor Carrier Portal.

Do I need federal registration before the Kentucky steps?

Yes. A USDOT number is required for vehicles over the federal weight line, and interstate for-hire carriers also need federal operating authority. Get the federal side in place first, then layer the Kentucky credentials on top.

Where do the numbers on these Kentucky pages come from?

Every rate, fee, and threshold is a data field tied to the Division of Motor Carriers page or the Kentucky statute it was read from, with a source badge you can open. Anything the state leaves unpublished is marked unconfirmed rather than guessed at.

Sources for this page

The official pages behind the figures above. Fees and rules change, so check the source before you file.

  1. Inter/Intrastate Carriers (operating authority) · Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers

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.