Fast Trucking ComplianceTexas Trucking Compliance
Every federal filing Texas motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders need - with Texas-specific context, deadlines, and DOT office info.
Registered carriers
55,000+
DOT office
Texas Department of Transportation
Phone
(512) 463-8588
FMCSA region
FMCSA Southern Service Center
Texas is home to 55,000+ registered motor carriers running freight through major corridors like I-10 and I-20. Freight hubs in the state - Port of Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth Intermodal, plus Laredo Border Crossing - drive a compliance burden that touches every carrier operating in or through Texas: federal filings through FMCSA and IRS, plus Texas-specific surcharges. Texas has the second-largest carrier registration base in the US (after California). The Laredo border crossing is the busiest US-Mexico land port by trade value, and Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio drive enormous interstate freight volumes. Texas DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement runs a massive program along I-10, I-20, I-35, and the Laredo corridor - the I-35 corridor sees the heaviest DOT-level inspection density in the state. Overweight on the Houston and DFW toll roads triggers automatic fines via electronic weigh-in-motion.
Filings Texas carriers need
BOC-3 Filing
$75 flat (lifetime)
A BOC-3 designates a process agent in every US state so the FMCSA has a local point for service of legal process on your operating authority.
USDOT & MC Authority
From $299 (plus FMCSA $300 filing fee)
A USDOT number is the FMCSA safety identifier every commercial motor vehicle operator needs; MC operating authority is the for-hire interstate license that lets you legally haul freight for compensation.
UCR Registration
From $46 (Bracket A, 0–2 power units, 2026 schedule)
UCR is the annual federal fee that every interstate motor carrier, broker, and freight forwarder pays through their base state to fund safety and economic enforcement programs.
MCS-150 Update
$100 service fee ($200 once for lifetime updates)
The MCS-150 is FMCSA's biennial check-in form for every USDOT holder - fleet size, driver count, operational mileage, and safety contact information.
Form 2290 (HVUT)
From $149
Form 2290 is the federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) return for trucks 55,000 lbs taxable gross weight or higher. Filing produces the stamped Schedule 1 - proof of payment that state DMVs require for truck registration renewal.
State Trucking Permits
Varies by program (NY HUT $19+, KY KYU quarterly, NM WDT, OR weight-mile, CT HUF)
State trucking permits cover any state-specific authorization, weight-distance tax, or commercial surcharge that stacks on top of federal UCR, MCS-150, and Form 2290 - required when operating commercial vehicles on a particular state's highways.
Driver Screening
From $39 (MVR-only); full pre-hire pack from $89
Driver screening combines the Motor Vehicle Record (MVR), CDLIS query, Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report, and FMCSA Clearinghouse query - the four federally-required pre-hire checks for any commercial driver position.
Authority Reinstatement
$275 flat
Authority reinstatement reactivates a previously-revoked or inactive MC operating authority - required when FMCSA has revoked authority due to lapsed insurance, missed MCS-150, unpaid civil penalty, or out-of-service safety violations.
Texas state-level surcharge
On top of federal UCR, MCS-150, and Form 2290.
TxDMV Motor Carrier Number - required for commercial vehicles 26,001+ lbs or transporting hazmat on Texas roads, including pass-through; oversize/overweight permits via TxDOT MCD
Texas-specific programs to know
- 1TxDMV Motor Carrier Number - required for commercial vehicles 26,001+ lbs or transporting hazmat on Texas roads
- 2DPS commercial driver license + medical card verification at every weigh station
- 3Oversize/overweight permits issued through TxDOT MCD - corridor-specific, not blanket
Intrastate-only requirement
Texas DMV Number (TxDMV Motor Carrier Registration)
Applies to: Motor carriers with vehicles 26,001+ lbs or carrying hazmat on Texas roads, whether interstate or intrastate.
How: File your MCR application through TxDMV and coordinate insurance filings. Annual renewal, pricing scales with fleet size. Required even if you only pass through Texas - not just for intrastate operations.
Texas enforcement profile
What inspectors flag, where, and how often.
Texas DPS runs a massive commercial enforcement program along I-10, I-20, I-35, and the Laredo corridor. The I-35 corridor through Austin and Dallas sees the heaviest DOT-level inspections in the state, and the Laredo border crossing runs full Level I inspections on every commercial vehicle. Texas is particularly strict on hours-of-service violations (ELD tampering cases get escalated to federal) and trailer light/brake defects. Overweight on the toll roads around Houston and DFW triggers automatic fines via electronic weigh-in-motion systems.
Texas freight hubs
- Port of Houston
- Dallas-Fort Worth Intermodal
- Laredo Border Crossing
- San Antonio Logistics
Major Texas corridors
Nearby states
Free tools
Check any Texas carrier in one click
Look up FMCSA status, MC docket, fleet size, and out-of-service flags for any USDOT - free, no signup.
Skip the calculator. File now.
The same compliance team that built this tool can file every requirement on your behalf - same-day or next-business-day depending on the form.
All services by Fast Trucking Compliance — Cryp Solutions LLC