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Maryland trucking insurance
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Maryland Trucking Insurance

Class Insurance Agency, an affiliated office of AIC Insurance

Truck insurance for Maryland haulers

Maryland trucking runs through the Port of Baltimore, the I-95 and I-81 corridors, and a Baltimore harbor that has had no Key Bridge since March 2024, which means tunnel rules matter for hazmat loads. We quote Maryland 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.

Authority, USDOT numbers and insurance

  • No state authority for freight. Maryland’s Public Service Commission regulates passenger carriers and taxis, not freight haulers.[1] Interstate for-hire carriers still need federal MC authority.
  • USDOT numbers. Trucks must show the owner’s name and a USDOT number, except intrastate trucks registered at 10,000 lb or less and farm trucks.[2] All USDOT numbers come from FMCSA, including for intrastate carriers.[3]
  • Federal limits apply in state. Maryland applies the federal insurance rules, with no exemptions, to intrastate for-hire property vehicles over 26,000 lb, interstate for-hire vehicles over 10,000 lb and placarded hazmat.[4][5] That means $750,000 for general freight and more for hazmat. Every vehicle must also carry at least $30,000/$60,000/$15,000 plus personal injury protection.[6]

Why Maryland claims are different

  • Contributory negligence. Maryland is one of the few states where an injured person who is even slightly at fault can be barred from recovering. The state’s top court declined to change that rule in 2013.[7]
  • Damages cap. Noneconomic damages are capped at $500,000 plus $15,000 for every year since 1995, which puts the cap at $980,000 for claims arising from October 1, 2026. Wrongful death claims with two or more claimants get 150% of the cap. A 2026 bill to remove the cap didn’t pass.[8]

Those rules help carriers in close cases, but a serious crash on I-95 can still exceed a minimum $750,000 policy.

Baltimore tunnels, hazmat and the Key Bridge

  • Hazmat is barred from both tunnels. Propane over 10 lb per container, bulk gasoline, flammable liquids, explosives, radioactive and other hazardous materials can’t use the Fort McHenry or Baltimore Harbor tunnels, and MDTA directs them to the western section of I-695.[9]
  • Size limits. The Harbor Tunnel also bars tandem trailers and loads over 13 feet 6 inches high or 96 inches wide. Fort McHenry allows 14 feet 6 inches high and 11 feet wide.[9]
  • Key Bridge rebuild. MDTA estimated $4.3 to $5.2 billion and a late-2030 opening in November 2025.[10] In May 2026 it split the work into four procurements, with main-span construction starting in summer 2027, and said the final schedule depends on contract awards.[11]

MDTA truck tolls

A 5-axle truck pays the same with Maryland E-ZPass, out-of-state E-ZPass or Pay-By-Plate; only video tolling costs more.[12]

Crossing (5 axles) E-ZPass or Pay-By-Plate Video
Fort McHenry Tunnel, Harbor Tunnel, Bay Bridge $24 $36
I-95 JFK Highway, Hatem Bridge $48 $63
Nice/Middleton Bridge $36 $51

Trucks with Maryland E-ZPass pay $2 per axle on the port access ramps at I-895/Childs Street and I-695/Broening Highway.[13] MDOT told legislators in March 2026 that the next toll increase is planned for early fiscal 2028.[13]

Weights, permits and farm loads

  • Limits. 80,000 lb gross for 5 axles, 20,000 lb single axle and 34,000 lb tandem. Trucks over 73,000 lb must stay on state highways except for the shortest route to a pickup or delivery, and idle-reduction units get 550 lb extra.[14][15]
  • Port containers. A port corridor permit allows 100,000 lb for sealed international containers from Seagirt Marine Terminal.[16]
  • Permits. Oversize permits start at $30, and overweight permits at $30 for the first 45 tons plus $5 per additional ton.[17]
  • Harvest. Off the Interstate, farm and forest products loaded in the field get a 10% axle tolerance, and harvest loads within 100 miles get 15% on axles or 5% gross during set crop windows: wheat June 1 to August 15, corn July 1 to December 1, soybeans September 1 to December 31.[14][15]

Drivers, fuel tax and idling

  • Safety rules apply to vehicles of 10,001 lb or more.[18] Intrastate drivers without placarded hazmat or 16 or more passengers may be 18.[19][20]
  • Non-domiciled CDLs. Since September 29, 2025, the MVA has paused every non-domiciled CDL action, including renewals, as directed by USDOT.[20]
  • Diesel tax is 47.45 cents a gallon from July 1, 2026.[21] IFTA licenses come from the Comptroller[22] and IRP plates from the MVA.[23]
  • Idling is limited to 5 consecutive minutes, with exceptions.[24] Speed limits top out at 70 mph, with no separate truck limit.[25]

Maryland freight

The Port of Baltimore handled about 50 million tons of cargo worth $65.6 billion in 2025, including 728,225 autos and light trucks (second in the U.S.) and a nation-leading 887,513 tons of roll-on/roll-off equipment.[26] Trucks carry 78% of Maryland’s freight by weight.[27] I-95 north of I-695 carries about 28,300 trucks a day, and trucks make up 31% of traffic on I-81 at the Pennsylvania line.[28] Maryland raised 322 million broiler chickens worth $1.5 billion in 2025.[29]

What to have ready for a Maryland quote

  • USDOT and MC numbers, if you have them
  • Where the trucks are garaged, your usual routes and your radius
  • What you haul: port containers, autos and ro-ro, poultry, grain, hazmat 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 need Maryland operating authority to haul freight inside Maryland?

No. Maryland’s PSC regulates passenger carriers, not freight haulers, but trucks still need USDOT numbers and the federal insurance limits apply to intrastate for-hire trucks over 26,000 lb.[1][2][5]

Can hazmat loads go through the Baltimore tunnels?

No. Hazmat is barred from the Fort McHenry and Baltimore Harbor tunnels, and MDTA directs it to the western section of I-695.[9]

What does a 5-axle truck pay at Maryland toll crossings?

$24 at the Baltimore tunnels and the Bay Bridge, $36 at the Nice/Middleton Bridge and $48 on I-95 JFK Highway, with E-ZPass or Pay-By-Plate.[12]

What is contributory negligence in Maryland?

An injured person who is partly at fault can be barred from recovering at all. Maryland’s top court kept the rule in 2013.[7]

How long can a truck idle in Maryland?

5 consecutive minutes, with some exceptions.[24]

Get a Maryland 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.