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State guide

Start and run a trucking company in Rhode Island

Rhode Island licenses for-hire trucking inside the state. A carrier hauling property for pay between Rhode Island points needs a certificate from the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, won at a public hearing, plus the state's own insurance minimums. Interstate fleets add IRP plates from the DMV and a free IFTA license from the Division of Taxation.

By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Oct 4, 2026

The short answer

State authority
Required
State filing fee
From $250

Issued by Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (DPUC), Motor Carriers Section, 89 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI 02888, phone 401-941-4500

Credential Certificate of operating authority as a common carrier of property (R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 39-12), or a contract carrier permit

What these terms cover

State filing fee: $250 application filing fee for a common carrier certificate, set by § 39-12-6 and stated on the application packet (check or money order only). A contract carrier permit application is $100 (§ 39-12-9). After approval the Division's order generally gives 90 days to register each vehicle ($20 per vehicle) and file proof of insurance ($10 per insurance filing). Certificates and permits renew by December 31 each year at $100. A transfer application is $250 and each tariff filing is $50; see the fee schedule.

Every figure above is a sourced agency fact, checked Oct 4, 2026.How we verify

Everything Rhode Island requires, in order

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

First, the federal side

Identical in every state, and not part of the Rhode Island 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

How Rhode Island organizes trucking compliance

Four agencies split the work. The Division of Public Utilities and Carriers in Warwick grants intrastate operating authority, registers each certificated truck, takes the insurance filings and approves household goods and non-consent towing tariffs. The Division of Motor Vehicles runs apportioned plates from a dedicated IRP Office in Cranston and licenses commercial drivers.

The Division of Taxation's Excise Tax Section handles IFTA licenses, decals and quarterly fuel tax returns. Oversize and overweight permits come from the Department of Transportation's online permit system, and two big bridges need their own permit from the Rhode Island Bridge Authority.

What you will find here

The intrastate authority page walks through the certificate: who needs it, the hearing, the conditions to meet after approval and the yearly renewal. The insurance page lays out the state's split liability limits and cargo minimum. The permits pages cover legal limits, the weight-tiered oversize fees, escorts and the rush-hour and holiday bans.

The IFTA and IRP pages cover the free fuel tax license, the taxpayer portal and the Cranston IRP Office. Every figure on those pages is a data field tied to the statute, regulation or agency page it came from, and anything an agency leaves unpublished is marked that way.

Rhode Island filing walkthroughs

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

Free calculators that cover Rhode Island

Frequently asked questions

Does Rhode Island require its own trucking authority?

Yes, for for-hire carriage of property between Rhode Island points. A common carrier needs a certificate and a contract carrier needs a permit from the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers. A private carrier hauling its own goods is exempt, and so are a few listed operations such as farm and trash hauling.

Which agencies handle trucking compliance in Rhode Island?

The Division of Public Utilities and Carriers handles intrastate authority and insurance filings. The DMV handles IRP plates and commercial driver licenses, the Division of Taxation handles IFTA, and RIDOT issues oversize and overweight permits.

Do I need a USDOT number if I never leave Rhode Island?

Rhode Island does not require one for intrastate work. It is not on FMCSA's list of states that do, and the state application asks for the DPUC certificate number instead. You need a USDOT number once you run interstate, and the DMV asks for one before it opens an IRP account.

Where do the numbers on these Rhode Island pages come from?

Every fee, limit and deadline is a data field tied to the Rhode Island statute, regulation or agency page it was read from, with a source marker you can open. Where an agency publishes nothing, such as the IRP renewal calendar, the page says so instead of guessing.

Sources

The official sources used on this page. Check the current instructions before you file or pay.

  1. Responsibilities and Jurisdiction of the Motor Carriers Division · Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (ripuc.ri.gov)
  2. Request for Authority to Operate as Common Carrier of Property (application packet) · Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, Motor Carriers Division

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.