FMCSA Insurance Requirements for Motor Carriers
FMCSA requires interstate for-hire carriers to keep proof of financial responsibility on file — a liability filing (the BMC-91X) at $750,000 for general freight, $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for hazardous materials, and a cargo filing (BMC-34) for household-goods movers. Without these filings your authority will not activate or stay active.
The minimum limits
For general freight hauled interstate, FMCSA requires at least $750,000 in public liability, though $1,000,000 is the market standard. Hauling certain hazardous materials raises the minimum to $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 depending on the commodity and quantity.
These are federal minimums for financial responsibility — the limit that actually protects your business is often higher, and your contracts may require more.
The filings
Proof is filed electronically by your insurer. Liability is filed on the BMC-91X; household-goods carriers also file a cargo form (BMC-34). Intrastate Texas carriers file separately with TxDMV, typically on a Form E.
A filing stays active until it is canceled. If your insurer files a cancellation and no replacement is on file, FMCSA can revoke your authority — which is why continuous coverage matters as much as the limit.
Frequently asked
- What is a BMC-91X?
- The BMC-91X is the form your insurer files with FMCSA to prove you carry the required public liability coverage. It is how most interstate for-hire carriers satisfy the federal financial-responsibility requirement and activate their authority.
- What happens if my FMCSA insurance filing is canceled?
- If your liability filing is canceled and no replacement is on file, FMCSA can place your operating authority out of service. Keeping continuous coverage — and lining up replacement coverage before any lapse — is essential to staying legal to operate.