USDOT Number + Legal / Trade Name
Required rules TX-INTRASTATE-USDOT, TX-INTRASTATE-NAME
| Who | Texas trucks that never leave the state |
|---|---|
| When (any one of these) | 26,001 lbs or more · 16+ passengers · placard-level hazmat |
| Except | farm vehicles under 48,000 lbs |
| What goes on the truck | USDOT [your USDOT number] + [your company name] |
| Size and placement | Readable from 50 feet in daylight, no inch minimum (we cut 2-inch number, 3-inch name) · sharp contrast · both sides of the power unit |
Legal sources
- Texas Transp. Code 548.001(1) (full text read 2026-07-24) — CMV = vehicle/combination over 26,000 lbs (gross weight, registered weight, or gross weight rating), or designed/used for more than 15 passengers incl. driver, or placardable hazmat; farm vehicles under 48,000 lbs excluded
- Texas DPS CVE Markings page (full text read 2026-07-24) — required markings for CMVs = 'USDOT number and Legal Name of Carrier'; reproduces Transp. Code 642.002 (marking offense, Class C misdemeanor; alternative path = name in 2"+ letters + motor carrier registration number) and 49 CFR 390.21
- Texas Transp. Code ch. 643 (full text read 2026-07-24) — TxDMV registration; carrier must hold/maintain a USDOT number (643.052(7), 643.064(b))
- 43 TAC ch. 218 adopted text, 12/12/24 (full document read 2026-07-24) — active USDOT required (218.11(c)); single certificate number; insurance cab card kept in cab (document, not decal); no door-marking spec in ch. 218
- Texas DPS CVE Markings page (full text read 2026-07-24) — 'Legal Name of Carrier' required alongside USDOT number; 49 CFR 390.21 name rules apply (legal name or single trade name per MCS-150)
Verified 2026-07-24 · next review 2027-01-20