Maine Trucking Insurance

Hauling only inside Maine

The BMV’s Motor Carrier Services lists IRP, IFTA, UCR, USDOT numbers and overlimit permits. We found no separate state operating authority for intrastate freight there.^[1] Household goods movers should confirm with State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (207-624-8909).

• USDOT number. Required for vehicles over 26,000 lb, even in intrastate commerce. Intrastate-only trucks of 10,000 to 26,000 lb are exempt unless they are buses or haul hazmat.^[2][3]
• Hours of service. Intrastate carriers working within 100 air miles of their regular place of business are exempt from the federal hours-of-service rules.^[3]

Insurance for Maine trucks

• Intrastate trucks. Maine’s intrastate safety rule adopts most federal motor carrier rules, but not the federal insurance part (Part 387).^[4] Every vehicle needs Maine’s required coverage: $50,000/$100,000 bodily injury, $25,000 property damage and $2,000 medical payments.^[5] We found no state Form E filing.
• Interstate for-hire trucks need the federal minimum: $750,000 for general freight, more for hazmat.^[6]

Brokers and shippers usually ask for $1,000,000 in auto liability plus a cargo limit, so check your contracts before you choose limits.

Weights, trailers and posted roads

• 100,000 lb on the Interstate. Federal law lets Maine apply its own weight limits on its Interstates.^[7] A three-axle tractor with a tri-axle semitrailer can run 100,000 lb if it meets the spacing rules: at least 36 feet between the extreme axles (not counting the steering axle), at least 10 feet from the steering axle to the tandem, and no more than 41,000 lb on the tandem and 50,000 lb on the tri-axle.^[8]
• 53-foot trailers. No permit needed since 2004, but kingpin to rearmost axle can’t exceed 43 feet, and overall length is limited to 74 feet off the Interstate and approved routes.^[9]
• Canadian weights. Canadian Weight Limit Permits allow Canadian weights on three routes: Calais to the Domtar mill in Baileyville, Madawaska to Fraser Paper, and Van Buren to the Van Buren rail yard.^[10]
• Posted roads. MaineDOT sets posting periods for state highways, and towns and counties post local roads. Home heating fuel and animal bedding deliveries may use posted town and county roads. The fine is at least $250 and can’t be suspended.^[11]

Permits, tolls and Maine freight

IRP, IFTA, UCR and overlimit permits all go through BMV Motor Carrier Services. IFTA is handled by the BMV Fuel Tax Unit (207-624-9000 ext. 52136).^[1][12] Overlimit permits are available online, by fax or at a BMV branch, and moves aren’t routinely allowed at night, on legal holidays or on July and August weekends.^[13] The Maine Turnpike takes cash or E-ZPass only, with no pay-by-plate.^[14] Maine has no weight-distance tax.

Almost 90% of Maine’s freight tonnage moves by truck.^[15] The state’s three-port strategy (Portland, Searsport and Eastport) handles more than 1.5 million tons of dry cargo^[16], and the border crossings at Calais, Madawaska and Van Buren feed mills and rail yards.^[10]

What to have ready for a Maine quote

• USDOT and MC numbers, if you have them
• Where the trucks are garaged, your usual routes and whether you cross into Canada
• What you haul: logs, chips, paper, fuel or general freight
• Axle configuration, if you run 100,000 lb
• 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 need a USDOT number if I only haul in Maine?

Only if the vehicle is over 26,000 lb, hauls hazmat or is a bus. Intrastate trucks of 10,000 to 26,000 lb are exempt.^[2]

Does Maine require intrastate trucking authority or a Form E?

We found none for intrastate freight. Maine hasn’t adopted the federal insurance part for intrastate trucks, so the state minimum is $50,000/$100,000/$25,000; interstate for-hire carriers need $750,000.^[4][5][6]

Can I run 100,000 lb on Maine’s Interstates?

Yes, with a three-axle tractor and tri-axle semitrailer that meets Maine’s axle-spacing and axle-weight rules.^[8][7]

How do Maine’s posted roads work?

MaineDOT sets posting periods for state highways, and towns and counties post their own roads. Violations carry a minimum $250 fine that can’t be suspended.^[11]

Where do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Maine?

From the BMV’s overlimit permit unit, online, by fax or at a branch. Moves aren’t routinely allowed at night, on legal holidays or on July and August weekends.^[13]

Related coverage and nearby states

• Owner-operator truck insurance
• Motor truck cargo insurance
• Truck and trailer physical damage
• New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts trucking insurance
• All states we serve
• Truck insurance requirements by state
• New authority truck insurance
• How much commercial truck insurance costs

Sources

• [1] Maine BMV: Motor Carrier Services
• [2] Maine BMV: USDOT number
• [3] Maine rule 16-222 ch. 4 § 4: intrastate applicability
• [4] Maine rule 16-222 ch. 4 § 3: federal rules adopted
• [5] 29-A M.R.S. § 1605: required insurance
• [6] 49 CFR 387.9: federal minimums
• [7] 23 U.S.C. § 127: Interstate vehicle weights
• [8] 29-A M.R.S. § 2354: 100,000 lb combinations
• [9] Maine BMV: 53-foot trailers
• [10] Maine BMV: Canadian weight limit permits
• [11] 29-A M.R.S. § 2395: posted ways
• [12] Maine BMV: Fuel tax licensing and reporting
• [13] Maine BMV: Overlimit permits
• [14] Maine Turnpike: Tolls
• [15] MaineDOT: Freight
• [16] MaineDOT: Ports

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.