USDOT number for in-state trucks: not required by the state · State operating authority: yes, see below · State insurance minimums: yes, see below · UCR participant: yes · State trucking taxes or permits: IDOT oversize/overweight permits (ITAP), Illinois Tollway truck tolls.
What Illinois requires of trucking companies
- USDOT number for trucks that stay in IllinoisIllinois is not on FMCSA's list of states that require intrastate carriers to obtain a USDOT number. Instead, intrastate for-hire carriers display their Illinois Commerce Commission license number, though intrastate hazmat carriers that need an FMCSA Safety Permit must still use a USDOT number. Source
- Illinois operating authorityFor-hire carriers of property (other than household goods) operating intrastate need a Public Carrier Certificate from the Illinois Commerce Commission, renewed annually, with proof of liability and cargo insurance. Household goods movers need a separate ICC Household Goods Carrier Certificate, which involves a formal hearing and a test. Source
- Insurance minimums for intrastate carriersICC rules set intrastate property carriers' liability minimums at the federal levels in 49 CFR 1043.2, generally $750,000 for non-hazardous freight. The rules also require cargo coverage, with a lower $5,000 per-vehicle level for unprocessed farm products, bulk milk, dump-truck commodities and livestock, and a waiver for carriers that never haul cargo worth more than $5,000. Source
Once a Illinois truck crosses a state line
Federal rules add a USDOT number, MC authority and a $750,000 minimum for general freight (details). Illinois is a UCR participating state.
Illinois trucking taxes and permits
- IDOT oversize/overweight permits (ITAP)Loads over legal size or weight on state highways need an IDOT permit, issued online through the Illinois Transportation Automated Permits system, which checks routes for bridge, clearance and work-zone limits. Source
- Illinois Tollway truck tollsThe Chicago-area tollways charge trucks by size class (small, medium, large), with lower overnight rates than daytime rates. Source
Workers’ comp for Illinois trucking companies
Illinois requires workers' comp for any employer with even one part-time employee. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission notes that calling a driver an independent contractor, even in a written lease, does not by itself free a trucking company from covering that driver. Source
Where Illinois trucks run
Chicago is the country's largest rail-truck interchange, with intermodal ramps around Joliet and Elwood, O'Hare air cargo and dense warehouse corridors along I-55, I-80, I-88, I-90, I-94 and I-294, while I-55, I-57, I-64, I-70 and I-74 carry freight downstate to Peoria, Bloomington and the Metro East near St. Louis. The busiest freight markets include Chicago, Joliet, Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal and Edwardsville/Metro East.
Chicago's role as the main rail interchange makes intermodal drayage a large share of Illinois trucking. ICC rules also require coverage for Illinois-licensed intrastate carriers to be written by an insurer admitted in Illinois.
Illinois trucking by the numbers
| Measure | Illinois | Rank among the states | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| New for-hire carriers (October 2025 to September 2026) | 5,073 | #7 of 51 | +11.5% from the year before; 68% started with a single power unit. |
| Deaths in truck crashes, 2024 | 165 | #5 of 51 | 147 fatal crashes among 6,677 reportable truck crashes; 1,663 deaths 2016–2025 (2025 preliminary). |
| Vehicles placed out of service at roadside inspections, 2025 | 15.4% | #44 of 49 | 62,971 inspections; drivers out of service 4.1% (US: vehicles 22.3%, drivers 6.1%). |
| Trucking companies that lost operating authority, 2025 | 3,169 | #7 of 51 | 11.1 for every 10 companies granted authority that year; 322 more suspended for cancelled insurance under Motus since June 2026. |
| Federal major disaster declarations since 2000 | 23 | #32 of 51 | Most often for severe storm, flood. |
From the public FEMA, NOAA, Storm Prediction Center, USGS and FMCSA records behind each linked report; ranks count all 50 states and Washington, DC unless noted.
Common questions
Do I need a USDOT number for intrastate trucking in Illinois?
Illinois is not on FMCSA's list of states that require intrastate carriers to obtain a USDOT number. Instead, intrastate for-hire carriers display their Illinois Commerce Commission license number, though intrastate hazmat carriers that need an FMCSA Safety Permit must still use a USDOT number.
What insurance does Illinois require for intrastate trucking?
ICC rules set intrastate property carriers' liability minimums at the federal levels in 49 CFR 1043.2, generally $750,000 for non-hazardous freight. The rules also require cargo coverage, with a lower $5,000 per-vehicle level for unprocessed farm products, bulk milk, dump-truck commodities and livestock, and a waiver for carriers that never haul cargo worth more than $5,000.
Is workers’ comp required for a trucking company in Illinois?
Illinois requires workers' comp for any employer with even one part-time employee. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission notes that calling a driver an independent contractor, even in a written lease, does not by itself free a trucking company from covering that driver.
Sources
- Illinois: USDOT number for intrastate carriers
- Illinois: State operating authority
- Illinois: Intrastate insurance minimums
- Illinois: Workers’ compensation
- Illinois: IDOT oversize/overweight permits (ITAP)
- Illinois: Illinois Tollway truck tolls
- FMCSA: Insurance filing requirements (49 CFR 387)
- Unified Carrier Registration
General information as of October 2026, not legal advice; confirm current rules with the agency.