Skip to content
Haul Handbook logoHaul Handbook

State guide

Start and run a trucking company in Virginia

In Virginia the Department of Motor Vehicles handles nearly every carrier credential. DMV Motor Carrier Services issues for-hire intrastate operating authority, IFTA licenses and IRP plates, and the DMV Hauling Permits Section issues oversize and overweight permits, a job most states give their transportation department. Virginia also skips one common step: it does not require a USDOT number for carriers that stay inside the state, unless they haul placarded hazmat.

By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Oct 8, 2026

The short answer

State authority
Required for covered operations

Weight trigger 10,001 lb or more GVWR, among others

State filing fee
From $0
USDOT number
No prerequisite recorded

Authority application scope; check the DOT number page for registration criteria

Issued by Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Motor Carrier Services (804-249-5140)

Credential For-Hire Intrastate Operating Authority (property carriers receive a permit; household goods and common carriers a certificate)

What these terms cover

State filing fee: Property carrier permits carry no filing fee: DMV charges a $10 annual fee per vehicle and $3 for a duplicate permit. The $50 filing fee applies to each certificate or license application (Va. Code 46.2-2120 for certificates of fitness) and to employee hauler and taxicab permits.

USDOT number: Not for intrastate-only work, except placarded hazardous materials. Virginia DMV says that, other than for hazardous materials, Virginia does not require a USDOT number for carriers operating only inside the state, and anyone hauling hazardous materials that require placards must register even when the vehicle runs entirely in Virginia. The permit application, Form OA 142, has a box for a DOT number but does not call it mandatory.

Latest stored record/source date: Oct 8, 2026. Review each field's source, scope and unconfirmed notes.How we verify

Virginia compliance topics

Each topic has its own page with stored fields and source notes. Review the operation scope and unconfirmed fields before applying a requirement.

First, the federal side

Identical in every state, and not part of the Virginia 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 Virginia organizes trucking compliance

Motor Carrier Services handles authority, fuel tax and apportioned plates. Authority applications are moving online, and IFTA and IRP run through the VIIM System. The Hauling Permits Section sells oversize and overweight permits through EZ Haul. DMV also issues CDLs and tests drivers, alongside certified third-party testers.

Virginia issues no separate carrier number. Your authority appears on each truck's registration card when you get for-hire plates.

What you will find here

The authority page covers who needs a Virginia permit or certificate, the fees and the insurance tiers by vehicle weight. The permits pages cover legal limits, DMV permit fees and the escort and travel rules in the Virginia Administrative Code. The IFTA and IRP pages cover base-state licensing and filing.

Each figure ties to the DMV page, rule or statute it came from.

Free calculators that cover Virginia

Frequently asked questions

Does Virginia require its own operating authority?

Yes, for for-hire carriers moving property or passengers point to point inside Virginia, unless the operation is exempt or uses only vehicles of 10,000 lbs GVWR or less and similar light vehicles. Property carriers get a DMV permit.

Which agencies handle trucking compliance in Virginia?

The Department of Motor Vehicles: Motor Carrier Services for authority, IFTA and IRP, and the Hauling Permits Section for oversize and overweight permits.

Do I need a USDOT number to haul only inside Virginia?

No, unless you haul placarded hazardous materials. Interstate carriers follow the federal USDOT rules.

Who issues oversize permits in Virginia?

The DMV Hauling Permits Section, through EZ Haul. VDOT does not sell them.

Sources

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

  1. For-Hire Intrastate Operating Authority · Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
  2. Information for Interstate Motor Carriers (DMV 247), included with IRP 1A · Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
  3. For-Hire Intrastate Operating Authority Permit Application (Form OA 142, 09/10/2026) · Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
  4. How to Apply for a For-Hire Intrastate Operating Authority · Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

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.