Does Virginia set its own trucking insurance minimums?

The stored record does not mark a difference from the federal minimums. Review the applicable operation and source notes before using a coverage amount.

Do federal insurance minimums still apply to a Virginia carrier?

Federal insurance requirements depend on the vehicle, commodity and operation. Review the federal table and its cited regulation alongside the applicable state requirements; state location alone does not settle coverage or filing scope.

What insurance does a new Virginia carrier line up first?

Review the liability, cargo and filing requirements for your operation before comparing coverage. The source notes identify the stored state and federal scope; insurer and contractual requirements need their own check.

Where do these figures come from?

The tables show stored amounts with their recorded sources. A field marked "Not confirmed" is a verification gap. Review its note; that label does not establish that the agency publishes no amount or that no requirement applies.

Virginia Trucking Insurance Requirements (2026)

By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Oct 6, 2026

What Virginia requires

These are the state-level rules attached to Virginia intrastate operating authority. A field reading "Not confirmed" means this guide has not confirmed that value. The note explains the gap; unknown is not evidence of absence.

Liability minimum: $750,000 liability for property carriers with vehicles of 10,001 lb or more; the operation-type table below lists each class
Cargo minimum: $50,000 ($50,000 cargo coverage when transporting household goods, unless doing so only in passenger cars, motorcycles, autocycles, mopeds and vehicles of 10,000 lbs GVWR or less.)
Differs from federal: No

Minimum liability by operation type

Review the operation-specific scope and source notes before relying on a coverage amount.

Virginia minimum liability coverage by operation type
Operation type	Minimum liability	Notes
Property carrier, vehicles of 10,001 lbs GVWR or more	$750,000
Property carrier, vehicles of 7,501 to 10,000 lbs GVWR	$300,000
Property carrier, vehicles of 7,500 lbs GVWR or less	See note	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per incident and $20,000 property damage while available for hire; $100,000 / $300,000 / $50,000 from acceptance of a load until it is unloaded.

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Who files the proof of insurance

The rows identify stored proof-of-coverage filings. Confirm which filing applies to your authority and who submits it before requesting a form.

Liability proof: The insurer provides DMV proof of liability insurance (and cargo insurance for household goods) before the permit or certificate issues. Only vehicles of 10,001 lbs or more require a filing.
Household goods cargo: Filed with DMV by the insurer for household goods carriers.

Certificate and license applicants also file a surety bond (Form OA 435 or OA 436) or letter of credit.

The federal minimums, for contrast

Federal financial-responsibility requirements depend on the operation, vehicle and commodity. Review the rows and exclusions in 49 CFR Part 387 (property carriers 387.303, brokers and freight forwarders 387.307, endorsements 387.15), as displayed on FMCSA's insurance filing requirements page; the filing mechanics live in our BMC-91 and BMC-34 insurance filings guide.

Federal minimum public liability levels by operation (49 CFR Part 387)
Operation	Vehicle	Liability minimum
For-hire property carrier, non-hazardous	GVWR under 10,001 lb	$300,000
For-hire property carrier, non-hazardous (general freight)	GVWR 10,001 lb or more	$750,000
For-hire carrier of certain hazardous materials	Any	$1,000,000
For-hire and private carriers of explosives, poison gas, or radioactive materials	Any	$5,000,000
For-hire carrier of household goods	GVWR 10,001 lb or more	$750,000
For-hire carrier of passengers	15 or fewer passengers	$1,500,000
For-hire carrier of passengers	16 or more passengers	$5,000,000
Broker of property or household goods	None	None
Freight forwarder of property	None	None
Freight forwarder of household goods	None	None

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Where insurance fits in the Virginia launch

Coverage sits early in the sequence: the federal filing sequence needs your insurer's proof of coverage on file before authority activates, and the state rules above attach to the credential covered on the Virginia intrastate authority page. For the full order of operations, work through start a trucking company in Virginia.