What is a trip permit?

A trip permit is a short-term, single-crossing commercial vehicle credential that authorizes a carrier to operate in a state without enrolling in that state's full weight-distance or fuel-tax program. Most trip permits are valid for 72 hours, cover fuel and weight-distance use tax for the duration, and are issued digitally. Trip permits are the right choice for occasional out-of-state loads; carriers running a state regularly should register for the recurring account instead.

Who needs a state trucking permit?

Any commercial motor carrier operating in a state that imposes its own highway use, weight-distance, or intrastate operating authority above the federal USDOT/MC authority needs a state permit. This includes any truck over 18,000–60,000 lbs entering NY, KY, NM, CT, or Oregon (weight-distance states), any for-hire carrier operating intrastate in California, Texas, or Ohio, and any vehicle crossing a state for a single trip without an existing account (trip permit). Private carriers, owner-operators, and fleets are all covered.

How much does a trip permit cost?

A 72-hour state trip permit filed through Fast Permit Filing is $85 per permit, flat, with no hidden fees. That covers our preparation and filing work plus the state agency fee, and credentials are delivered digitally. Single-state weight-distance registrations (like NY HUT or KYU) start at $75. Multi-state bundles — such as the Big Four (NY + KY + NM + CT) at $149 — are cheaper per state than individual filings.

How long does a state permit take to process?

Most orders placed before 2:00 PM ET are filed the same business day. 72-hour trip permits are typically delivered within a few hours because the issuing states use digital portals. Weight-distance accounts (NY HUT, KYU, NM WDT, CT HUT) are usually active within one to three business days depending on state agency provisioning. Credentials are emailed as soon as the filing is processed — you can forward them straight to your driver.

What happens if I operate without a state permit?

Operating a commercial vehicle without the required state permit is enforceable at weigh stations and ports of entry. Penalties typically start at $500 and escalate to $25,000 per violation depending on the state and load. Enforcement can also place your vehicle out-of-service, which kills the revenue on your load, and the citation is reported to FMCSA where it weighs on your CSA safety score. Repeat offenses compound quickly.

What is the NY HUT and who needs it?

The New York Highway Use Tax (HUT) is required for motor vehicles with a gross weight over 18,000 lbs using New York public highways. All interstate and intrastate carriers operating in NY must register before their first New York trip.

What is a KYU permit?

The Kentucky Unified Carrier (KYU) permit is required for vehicles over 59,999 lbs operating on Kentucky roads. It is a weight-distance tax separate from IRP registration and must be obtained before any Kentucky operations.

What states have weight-distance taxes?

Five US states impose weight-distance or highway use taxes in addition to IFTA fuel tax: New York (HUT), Kentucky (KYU), New Mexico (W&D Tax), Connecticut (HUT), and Oregon (Weight-Mile Tax). All carriers operating in these states must register separately.

Do I need CA# and a Motor Carrier Permit in California?

Yes. California requires two separate permits: a CA Operating Authority number from the CHP (required for for-hire intrastate carriers) and a Motor Carrier Permit from the CA DMV (required for all carriers operating in California). Our California Gold package covers both in one filing.

What is the difference between a trip permit and a weight-distance registration?

A weight-distance registration is an ongoing account that allows unlimited travel in a state - you pay taxes based on mileage each quarter. A 72-hour trip permit is a one-time, short-term permit for a single crossing. Carriers operating regularly in NY, KY, NM, or CT should register; occasional crossings can use trip permits.

What trucking permits do I need as a new carrier?

New commercial carriers typically need several state trucking permits depending on their operating lanes. At minimum, you need highway use tax registrations for any weight-distance states you travel through (NY HUT, KYU, NM, CT, Oregon). If you operate intrastate in California, Texas, or Ohio, you also need state operating permits like CA#/MCP, TxDMV registration, or Ohio PUCO authority. Our Big Four Bundle covers the most common trucking permits for interstate carriers.

How much does commercial truck permit filing cost?

Commercial truck permit filing costs vary by state. Individual state trucking permits start at $75 for a single highway use tax registration. Our Big Four Bundle (NY HUT + KYU + NM + CT) is $149 - saving over 50% versus filing each state separately. Oregon Weight-Mile setup is $299, and California Compliance Gold (CA# + MCP) is $375. All prices are flat fees with no hidden costs.

Do I need an oversize overweight permit for my truck?

Oversize overweight permits are required when your vehicle or load exceeds standard legal dimensions or weight limits set by each state. This is separate from highway use tax and weight-distance permits. If your truck or load exceeds 80,000 lbs GVW, or exceeds standard width (8.5 ft), height (13.5 ft), or length limits, you need an oversize overweight permit for each state you travel through. Contact us for state-specific oversize overweight permit requirements.

What is a highway use tax and which states require it?

A highway use tax is a mileage-based tax imposed on heavy commercial vehicles using state highways. New York and Connecticut both call theirs HUT (Highway Use Tax), Kentucky calls theirs KYU, New Mexico has a Weight & Distance Tax, and Oregon has a Weight-Mile Tax. These are separate from IFTA fuel taxes and must be registered before your first trip in each state. Failure to register for highway use tax results in fines of $500 to $25,000.

What are state operating permits for trucking companies?

State operating permits grant legal authority to operate commercial vehicles within specific states. California requires a CA# (operating authority) and Motor Carrier Permit (MCP). Texas requires TxDMV registration for intrastate motor carriers. Ohio requires PUCO authority for intrastate operations. These state operating permits are separate from your federal USDOT number and MC authority, and must be obtained before operating commercially in those states.

FastPermit.Permits

Permits

For construction equipment haulers

Permits for construction-equipment hauling

Hauling excavators, dozers, cranes, and graders almost always triggers per-trip oversize and overweight permits in every state of travel under 23 CFR §658. We file same-day from $85per state per trip plus state DOT fees, with route engineering for non-standard pieces.

Why construction equipment is permit-heavy

Most heavy construction equipment crosses both the 80,000-lb federal weight limit (23 CFR §658.17) and the standard 8'6" width / 13'6" height limits when loaded on a lowboy. A CAT D8 dozer at ~83,000 lbs combined with a 25,000-lb lowboy puts the rig at 108,000+ lbs and 12+ feet wide — triggering both an overweight permit and an oversize permit in each state of travel. Larger equipment (cranes, earth-movers, paving equipment) routinely runs 130,000+ lbs and 14+ feet wide.

See our state-by-state oversize/overweight guide for the per-state fee detail and our superload explainer for loads that need engineered routes.

What's included

Per-trip oversize/overweight permits in every state of the route
Route engineering coordination for outsized pieces
Escort and pole-car requirement identification
Same-day permit issuance during state DOT business hours
Annual permit applications where states offer them

Pricing starts at

72-Hour Trip Permit$85

View all permits

Same-day state filing

Route engineering

Construction focus

Construction equipment permit questions

What permits do I need to haul a CAT D8 dozer or larger?

A D8 dozer plus lowboy typically grosses 90,000-110,000 lbs and runs 11-12 ft wide. That triggers per-trip overweight permits (over 80,000 lbs GVW) and per-trip oversize width permits (over 8'6") in every state of travel. Tracked equipment also typically needs a Class 7 Special Hauling Vehicle (SHV) designation in some states. Plan on a permit per state per trip plus state DOT fees.

Can I get an annual permit for repeat construction-equipment hauls?

Some states offer annual oversize/overweight permits for repeat haulers — Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana have well-established annual permit programs. Annual permits typically cap GVW and dimensions; loads exceeding the annual-permit ceiling still require per-trip permits even if the carrier holds the annual. Annual permits work well for fleets running consistent equipment routes.

Do I need a state operating permit on top of the oversize permit?

Often yes. Trip permits cover the specific oversize/overweight move; state operating authority (CA, TX, OH) plus weight-distance permits (NY HUT, KYU, NM, CT, Oregon) apply on top for general state operation. A new construction-equipment hauler operating multi-state typically holds the operating-authority permits as a baseline plus per-trip oversize permits for individual moves.

Other permit contexts

You might also need

UCR registration — FastUCRFiling
Driver screening — FastDriverScreening