USDOT number for in-state trucks: required · State operating authority: yes, see below · State insurance minimums: yes, see below · UCR participant: yes · State trucking taxes or permits: Kentucky Weight Distance tax (KYU), Kentucky Intrastate Tax (KIT).
What Kentucky requires of trucking companies
- USDOT number for trucks that stay in KentuckyKentucky requires a USDOT number, displayed on the vehicle, for intrastate vehicles from 10,001 lbs GVWR up, whether for-hire or private. Farm-plated vehicles licensed at 26,001 lbs or less that stay within 150 air miles are exempt. Source
- Kentucky operating authorityThe Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Division of Motor Carriers issues a Kentucky Intrastate For-Hire certificate/license to carriers hauling Kentucky-only cargo for hire, at any weight, once the insurer files a Form E. Household goods and passenger carriers apply for separate intrastate authority. Source
- Insurance minimums for intrastate carriersKentucky law sets per-vehicle minimums for certificated property carriers of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $50,000 property damage for trucks of 18,000 lbs or less, and $100,000/$600,000/$50,000 for heavier trucks. Hazmat haulers need $1,000,000 single limit, and the Cabinet may instead adopt the federal Part 387 levels. Source
Once a Kentucky truck crosses a state line
Federal rules add a USDOT number, MC authority and a $750,000 minimum for general freight (details). Kentucky is a UCR participating state.
Kentucky trucking taxes and permits
- Kentucky Weight Distance tax (KYU)Carriers running vehicles with a combined license weight over 59,999 lbs on Kentucky roads need a KYU license and file quarterly mileage-based tax returns online. Source
- Kentucky Intrastate Tax (KIT)A KIT license is required for intrastate vehicles over 26,000 lbs and for 10,001 to 26,000 lb vehicles with three or more axles. Source
Workers’ comp for Kentucky trucking companies
Kentucky requires employers with one or more employees, including part-time and family workers, to carry workers' comp or be approved to self-insure, with exemptions for agriculture and some domestic employment. Kentucky is not a monopolistic state. Source
Where Kentucky trucks run
I-65, I-64, I-71, I-75, I-24 and I-69 converge on Louisville, home of UPS Worldport, and on Northern Kentucky around the CVG airport's Amazon and DHL air hubs, with Lexington, Bowling Green's auto plants and the Ohio River port at Paducah as other freight centers. The busiest freight markets include Louisville, Lexington, Northern Kentucky (Florence/Hebron), Bowling Green, Elizabethtown and Paducah.
Kentucky is one of the few states with its own weight-distance tax (KYU), on top of a separate intrastate tax license (KIT). Its intrastate for-hire license applies even to vehicles under 10,001 lbs.
Kentucky trucking by the numbers
| Measure | Kentucky | Rank among the states | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| New for-hire carriers (October 2025 to September 2026) | 1,490 | #26 of 51 | +4.2% from the year before; 63% started with a single power unit. |
| Deaths in truck crashes, 2024 | 79 | #20 of 51 | 72 fatal crashes among 2,725 reportable truck crashes; 962 deaths 2016–2025 (2025 preliminary). |
| Vehicles placed out of service at roadside inspections, 2025 | 27.0% | #16 of 49 | 56,682 inspections; drivers out of service 4.7% (US: vehicles 22.3%, drivers 6.1%). |
| Trucking companies that lost operating authority, 2025 | 772 | #27 of 51 | 12.0 for every 10 companies granted authority that year; 53 more suspended for cancelled insurance under Motus since June 2026. |
| Federal major disaster declarations since 2000 | 49 | #4 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky requires a USDOT number, displayed on the vehicle, for intrastate vehicles from 10,001 lbs GVWR up, whether for-hire or private. Farm-plated vehicles licensed at 26,001 lbs or less that stay within 150 air miles are exempt.
What insurance does Kentucky require for intrastate trucking?
Kentucky law sets per-vehicle minimums for certificated property carriers of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $50,000 property damage for trucks of 18,000 lbs or less, and $100,000/$600,000/$50,000 for heavier trucks. Hazmat haulers need $1,000,000 single limit, and the Cabinet may instead adopt the federal Part 387 levels.
Is workers’ comp required for a trucking company in Kentucky?
Kentucky requires employers with one or more employees, including part-time and family workers, to carry workers' comp or be approved to self-insure, with exemptions for agriculture and some domestic employment. Kentucky is not a monopolistic state.
Sources
- Kentucky: USDOT number for intrastate carriers
- Kentucky: Intrastate insurance minimums
- Kentucky: Workers’ compensation
- Kentucky: Kentucky Weight Distance tax (KYU)
- FMCSA: States that require intrastate carriers to obtain a USDOT number
- 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.