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Connecticut trucking insurance
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Connecticut Trucking Insurance

Class Insurance Agency, an affiliated office of AIC Insurance

Truck insurance for Connecticut haulers

Connecticut has no tolls, but it charges combination trucks a per-mile Highway Use Fee, requires federal-level liability for in-state trucks over 18,000 lb, and bans trucks from its parkways. We quote Connecticut owner-operators, new authorities and fleets by phone, email and online from our office in Vancouver, Washington, in English, Russian, Ukrainian or Romanian.

Call 360-450-2211 or start a quote online.

The Highway Use Fee

  • Who pays. Since January 1, 2023, carriers pay a per-mile fee for combination trucks (a tractor or straight truck pulling a trailer) with a gross weight of 26,000 lb or more on any Connecticut highway. Milk haulers serving licensed dairy farms are exempt.[1][2] Gross weight means actual weight, including the load.[3]
  • Rates. From 2.5 cents a mile at 26,000–28,000 lb to 10 cents at 78,001–80,000 lb, and 17.5 cents above 80,000 lb. For example, 100 Connecticut miles at 80,000 lb costs $10.[1]
  • Permit and returns. You need a free permit from the Department of Revenue Services before operating, with a copy in each truck. Returns are quarterly, filed and paid online, even for quarters with no Connecticut miles, and you keep vehicle records for four years.[2][1]

Insurance for Connecticut trucks

  • Federal limits in state. Owners of intrastate trucks of 18,001 lb or more, interstate trucks of 10,001 lb or more and placarded hazmat must file proof of insurance with the DMV every year, at the federal amounts: $750,000 for general freight, $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for hazmat.[4][5] If you don’t file, the DMV suspends the registrations.[4]
  • IRP. Apportioned trucks need an ACORD certificate showing at least $750,000 of liability.[6]
  • Other vehicles need at least $25,000/$50,000/$25,000.[7]
  • Household goods movers are the only carriers needing a state certificate: $177 to apply plus $17.50 per vehicle a year[8][9], with $200,000/$600,000/$100,000 of liability on a Form E.[10]

USDOT numbers, safety rules and drivers

  • USDOT number. Intrastate trucks of 18,001 lb or more need an intrastate USDOT number; the interstate line is 10,001 lb.[11]
  • Safety rules. The DMV applies the federal safety rules to intrastate trucks of 18,001 lb or more, and repeat intrastate violations carry civil penalties of $1,000 to $10,000.[12]
  • Drivers may be 18 for intrastate driving, 21 for interstate and hazmat.[13]
  • Non-domiciled CDLs are limited to H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visa holders, valid for up to a year and issued only in Wethersfield.[14]

Parkways, lanes, speed and idling

  • No trucks on the parkways. Commercially registered freight vehicles are banned from the Merritt, Wilbur Cross and Milford parkways, with fines of $500 and then $1,000 charged to the owner or lessee.[15] Trailers and vehicles over 8 feet tall are also barred.[16]
  • Left lane. Trucks and vehicles towing trailers may not use the far-left lane of highways with three or more lanes each way where posted; from October 1, 2026 the rule extends to all vehicles.[17]
  • Speed. No separate truck limit, but commercial truck drivers going 70 to 85 mph on multi-lane highways pay higher fines, $150 to $200.[18]
  • Idling is limited to 3 consecutive minutes, with exceptions for traffic, refrigeration and temperatures below 20°F.[19]

Weights, size and permits

  • Weight. 22,400 lb single axle and 80,000 lb gross under the bridge formula. Bulk milk tankers and agricultural loads may run up to 100,000 lb where federal law allows.[20]
  • Size. 102 inches wide and 13 feet 6 inches high, with a $1,500 fine for overheight.[21] Semitrailers are 48 feet, or up to 53 feet on designated routes with a kingpin-to-rear-axle distance of 43 feet or less.[22]
  • Permits. A single-trip oversize/overweight permit is $30 plus a $12 electronic fee.[23]

Fuel tax, registration and tolls

  • Diesel tax is 49.9 cents a gallon from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.[24] IFTA runs through the Department of Revenue Services[25], and IRP through the DMV IRP unit in Wethersfield (860-263-5281).[6]
  • No tolls. Connecticut has no toll roads and no plans for them.[26]

Connecticut freight

CT DOT’s draft 2026 freight plan counts about 168 million tons of freight worth $392 billion moving through Connecticut in 2024, with trucks carrying 76% of the tonnage. The state has only about 1,238 truck parking spaces, and 92% of parking demand is on I-95, I-84, I-91 and I-395. The Port of New Haven is the busiest port between New York and Boston.[27]

What to have ready for a Connecticut quote

  • USDOT and MC numbers, and your Highway Use Fee permit if you have one
  • Where the trucks are garaged, your usual routes and your radius
  • What you haul: fuel, construction materials, milk, port freight or general freight
  • Driver names, license numbers and years of experience
  • Year, make, VIN and value of each truck and trailer
  • Current policy and loss runs, if you have been insured before

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay Connecticut’s Highway Use Fee?

Yes, if you run a combination truck of 26,000 lb or more on Connecticut highways. Rates run from 2.5 to 17.5 cents a mile by weight, filed quarterly.[1][2]

What liability limit does a Connecticut intrastate truck need?

The federal amounts, $750,000 for general freight, for intrastate trucks of 18,001 lb or more, with proof filed with the DMV every year.[4][5]

Do intrastate trucks need a USDOT number in Connecticut?

Yes, at 18,001 lb or more.[11]

Can trucks use the Merritt Parkway?

No. Commercially registered freight vehicles are banned from the Merritt, Wilbur Cross and Milford parkways, with fines of $500 and $1,000.[15]

Are there tolls in Connecticut?

No. The Highway Use Fee is the state’s road charge for heavy trucks.[26]

Get a Connecticut truck insurance quote

Call 360-450-2211 or start your quote. We’re open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific (10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern).


Related coverage and nearby states

Sources

General information only, checked September 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency that issues your permits. Coverage availability, terms and filings depend on underwriting and the policy issued; a quote request does not bind insurance.