Class Insurance Agency, an affiliated office of AIC Insurance
Truck insurance for Rhode Island haulers
Rhode Island is small, but it regulates its intrastate carriers closely: certificates, door markings, cargo insurance and an ID device for every truck. We quote Rhode Island 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.
Hauling for hire inside Rhode Island
The Division of Public Utilities and Carriers regulates intrastate for-hire carriers of property and passengers, including general freight, household goods, towing, courier, petroleum, bulk, hazmat and armored carriers.[1]
- Common carriers need a certificate of public convenience and necessity[2], issued to applicants found fit, willing and able.[3]
- Contract carriers need a permit.[4]
- Exempt: farm commodities and supplies, snowplowing, garbage, newspapers, U.S. mail, federal vehicles and cooperatives.[5]
- ID device and markings. Each vehicle needs an annual Division identification device ($20 per vehicle), with the registration card kept in the cab.[6] Both sides of the truck must show your name, street address, city or town and certificate or permit number, readable from 50 feet.[7]
Division carriers must also follow U.S. DOT safety and hazmat rules.[8]
Insurance Rhode Island requires
| Coverage | Rhode Island minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury | $250,000 per person / $500,000 per accident |
| Property damage | $25,000 |
| Cargo | $25,000 |
A $100,000 surety bond or approved self-insurance can substitute.[9] Certificated common carriers file their liability and cargo certificates with the Division; dump-body bulk carriers are exempt from the cargo filing.[10] Trucks that cross state lines for hire also need the federal minimum, $750,000 for general freight.[11] Most brokers want $1,000,000 in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo, well above the state minimums.
Permits, restrictions and Rhode Island freight
- IFTA is administered by the Division of Taxation.[12]
- Oversize and overweight permits come from RIDOT, online or through its Oversize and Overweight Division (401-563-4582).[13] Permitted loads can’t travel on freeways and arterials from 7 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.[14]
- Washington Bridge (I-195). Limited to 48 tons (96,000 lb) with no oversize loads through December 2028.[13]
- Diesel emissions. Diesel trucks over 8,500 lb are subject to opacity inspections.[15]
ProvPort in Providence, one of only two deep-water ports in New England, sits off I-95 and I-195 and handled more than 2 million tons of cargo in 2024.[16] The Port of Davisville at Quonset is one of the top 10 auto importers in the U.S., with on-dock rail[17], and the Quonset Business Park employs more than 15,000 people at over 260 companies.[18]
What to have ready for a Rhode Island quote
- USDOT and MC numbers, and your Division certificate or permit number if you have one
- Where the trucks are garaged, your usual routes and your radius
- What you haul: port freight, autos, petroleum, bulk 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 Division approval to haul freight for hire inside Rhode Island?
Yes. You need a certificate if you haul for the general public, or a permit if you haul under contracts.[2][3][4]
What insurance does Rhode Island require for intrastate trucks?
$250,000/$500,000 bodily injury, $25,000 property damage and $25,000 cargo, filed with the Division. A $100,000 surety bond or approved self-insurance can substitute.[9][10]
What has to be on my truck doors in Rhode Island?
Your name, street address, city or town and certificate number on both sides, readable from 50 feet, plus the $20 annual Division ID device.[7][6]
Are there travel limits for oversize loads in Rhode Island?
Yes. Permitted oversize and overweight loads can’t use freeways and arterials from 7 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.[14]
Can I cross the Washington Bridge heavy or oversize?
Not over 96,000 lb, and no oversize loads, through December 2028.[13]
Get a Rhode Island 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
- [1] RI Division of Public Utilities and Carriers: Motor carriers
- [2] R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-12-6: certificates required
- [3] R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-12-7: issuing certificates
- [4] R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 39-12: motor carriers of property
- [5] R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-12-3: exemptions
- [6] R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-12-26: identification devices
- [7] 815-RICR-50-05-1.9: vehicle markings
- [8] 815-RICR-50-05-1.17: safety and hazmat rules
- [9] R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-12-27: insurance
- [10] 815-RICR-50-05-1.14: insurance filings
- [11] 49 CFR 387.9: federal minimums
- [12] R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-36.1-2: motor carrier fuel tax
- [13] RIDOT: Truck restrictions
- [14] R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-25-21: oversize and overweight permits
- [15] R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-47.2-2: diesel emissions inspections
- [16] ProvPort
- [17] Quonset: Port of Davisville
- [18] Quonset Business Park
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.