USDOT Number + Legal / Trade Name
Required rules WA-INTRASTATE-MARKING, WA-INTRASTATE-NAME
| Who | Washington trucks that never leave the state |
|---|---|
| When (any one of these) | 10,001 lbs or more · 9+ passengers · placard-level hazmat |
| 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 |
The name on the truck has to match the MCS-150 exactly — a DBA only works if it is the single trade name on file.
Legal sources
- WAC 446-65-030 (full text read 2026-07-28) — 'If a carrier is required to have a DOT number, they will be required to properly mark their vehicles as prescribed by the Washington state patrol.' Marking must display 'the legal name or a single trade name of the motor carrier as listed on the MCS150 form' and 'the motor carrier identification number issued by the FMCSA, preceded by the letter USDOT'; it must 'appear on both sides of the CMV', 'be in letters that contrast sharply in color with the background', 'be readily legible, during daylight hours, from a distance of fifty feet while the CMV is stationary', and 'be kept and maintained in a manner that retains the legibility.' (WSR 13-18-069, eff. 10/4/13.)
- WAC 446-65-010(1)(q) (full text read 2026-07-28) — Washington State Patrol adopts 49 C.F.R. Part 390 (General — includes the 390.5 CMV definition and 390.21 marking rule) as it exists on April 25, 2025, 'for motor carriers used in intrastate or interstate commerce in their entirety.' This is what puts intrastate WA carriers at the 10,001-lb / 9-passenger / placardable-hazmat CMV thresholds.
- WA Dept. of Licensing, 'Intrastate commercial vehicles' — operating a CMV with GVWR of 10,001 lbs or more within Washington requires a USDOT number displayed on the vehicle. Secondary confirmation of the threshold.
- WAC 446-65-030 (full text read 2026-07-28) — same section as the number rule: the marking must display 'the legal name or a single trade name of the motor carrier as listed on the MCS150 form.'
Verified 2026-07-28 · next review 2027-01-24