USDOT number for in-state trucks: not required by the state · State operating authority: yes, see below · UCR participant: yes · State trucking taxes or permits: Special (oversize/overweight) permits, IFTA and UCR through the Road Toll Bureau.
What New Hampshire requires of trucking companies
- USDOT number for trucks that stay in New HampshireNew Hampshire is not on FMCSA's list of states that require a USDOT number for carriers operating only within the state. Carriers that cross state lines, or haul placardable hazardous materials, still need one under federal rules. Source
- New Hampshire operating authorityNew Hampshire repealed RSA chapter 375-B, its law on motor vehicles carrying property for hire, effective August 23, 2013 (Laws 2013, 100:6), so the state no longer issues operating authority to intrastate property carriers. Source
Once a New Hampshire truck crosses a state line
Federal rules add a USDOT number, MC authority and a $750,000 minimum for general freight (details). New Hampshire is a UCR participating state.
New Hampshire trucking taxes and permits
- Special (oversize/overweight) permitsMoving loads over New Hampshire's legal weight, width, height or length limits requires a permit from the commissioner of transportation (RSA 266:24). Source
- IFTA and UCR through the Road Toll BureauNew Hampshire-based carriers license for IFTA through the Department of Safety's Road Toll Bureau in Concord, which requires an active USDOT number, current IRP registration and UCR, and lets NH-based carriers pay UCR fees at its office. Source
Workers’ comp for New Hampshire trucking companies
Under RSA 281-A, a private employer is any business that employs one or more persons, and it must secure workers' comp through a licensed insurer or approved self-insurance. New Hampshire is not a monopolistic state-fund state. Source
Where New Hampshire trucks run
The main corridors are I-93, I-95 (the short tolled Seacoast stretch), I-89 and the F.E. Everett Turnpike. Freight hubs are the Manchester–Nashua area and the Port of Portsmouth. The busiest freight markets include Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Portsmouth and Dover.
New Hampshire repealed its for-hire property carrier statute (RSA 375-B) in 2013 and its passenger carrier statute (RSA 376) in 2024. As a result, there is no state economic operating authority for intrastate trucking.
New Hampshire trucking by the numbers
| Measure | New Hampshire | Rank among the states | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| New for-hire carriers (October 2025 to September 2026) | 290 | #45 of 51 | +19.3% from the year before; 54% started with a single power unit. |
| Deaths in truck crashes, 2024 | 8 | #46 of 51 | 8 fatal crashes among 394 reportable truck crashes; 114 deaths 2016–2025 (2025 preliminary). |
| Vehicles placed out of service at roadside inspections, 2025 | 19.0% | #37 of 49 | 8,539 inspections; drivers out of service 8.0% (US: vehicles 22.3%, drivers 6.1%). |
| Trucking companies that lost operating authority, 2025 | 126 | #46 of 51 | 9 more suspended for cancelled insurance under Motus since June 2026. |
| Federal major disaster declarations since 2000 | 32 | #21 (tied) 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 New Hampshire?
New Hampshire is not on FMCSA's list of states that require a USDOT number for carriers operating only within the state. Carriers that cross state lines, or haul placardable hazardous materials, still need one under federal rules.
Does New Hampshire issue its own trucking authority?
New Hampshire repealed RSA chapter 375-B, its law on motor vehicles carrying property for hire, effective August 23, 2013 (Laws 2013, 100:6), so the state no longer issues operating authority to intrastate property carriers.
Is workers’ comp required for a trucking company in New Hampshire?
Under RSA 281-A, a private employer is any business that employs one or more persons, and it must secure workers' comp through a licensed insurer or approved self-insurance. New Hampshire is not a monopolistic state-fund state.
Sources
- New Hampshire: USDOT number for intrastate carriers
- New Hampshire: State operating authority
- New Hampshire: Workers’ compensation
- New Hampshire: Special (oversize/overweight) permits
- New Hampshire: IFTA and UCR through the Road Toll Bureau
- 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.