Does New Jersey set its own trucking insurance minimums?

The stored record marks state and federal minimums as different. Review the operation-specific rows and source notes; the difference does not establish one amount for every carrier.

Do federal insurance minimums still apply to a New Jersey carrier?

Federal insurance requirements depend on the vehicle, commodity and operation. Review the federal table and its cited regulation alongside the applicable state requirements; state location alone does not settle coverage or filing scope.

What insurance does a new New Jersey carrier line up first?

Review the liability, cargo and filing requirements for your operation before comparing coverage. The source notes identify the stored state and federal scope; insurer and contractual requirements need their own check.

Where do these figures come from?

The tables show stored amounts with their recorded sources. A field marked "Not confirmed" is a verification gap. Review its note; that label does not establish that the agency publishes no amount or that no requirement applies.

New Jersey Trucking Insurance Requirements (2026)

By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Jul 30, 2026

What New Jersey requires

These are the state-level rules attached to New Jersey intrastate operating authority. A field reading "Not confirmed" means this guide has not confirmed that value. The note explains the gap; unknown is not evidence of absence.

Liability minimum: $1,500,000 liability for New Jersey trucks of 26,001 lb or more; the operation-type table below lists each class
Cargo minimum: New Jersey sets no cargo insurance minimum for a general freight carrier. Licensed public movers must file a certificate of insurance covering cargo liability at the rate of $1.00 per pound per article, covering at least $25,000 per accident for loss or damage to property being transported on any vehicle and $50,000 for the aggregate of losses occurring at any one time and place.
Differs from federal: Yes

Minimum liability by operation type

Review the operation-specific scope and source notes before relying on a coverage amount.

New Jersey minimum liability coverage by operation type
Operation type	Minimum liability	Limit applies to	Set by	Notes
Commercial motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in New Jersey, gross vehicle weight rating 26,001 lb or more, and autocabs	$1,500,000	Combined single limit for injury to or death of one or more persons in any one accident or for damage to property in any one accident	N.J.S.A. 39:6B-1	Commercial motor vehicle is defined by reference to N.J.S.A. 39:3-10.11 and includes an autocab as defined in R.S.48:16-1, and includes commercially registered vehicles.
Commercial motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in New Jersey, gross vehicle weight rating 10,001 lb or more but less than 26,001 lb	$300,000	Combined single limit for injury to or death of one or more persons in any one accident or for damage to property in any one accident	N.J.S.A. 39:6B-1
Public mover, bodily injury liability, one person	$25,000		N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.7
Public mover, bodily injury liability, all persons in any one accident	$100,000	Subject to a maximum of $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person	N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.7
Public mover, cargo liability for loss or damage to property being transported on any vehicle	$25,000	Per accident, at the rate of $1.00 per pound per article	N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.7
Public mover, aggregate of losses or damages to property occurring at any one time and place	$50,000		N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.7
Public mover, loss or damage in any one accident to property of others, excluding cargo	$10,000		N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.7
Commercial for-hire bus, each vehicle seating not more than 12 passengers	$25,000	Minimum liability on any one judgment; maximum liability $100,000 on all judgments arising from the same transaction	N.J.S.A. 48:4-36
Commercial for-hire bus, each vehicle seating 13 to 20 passengers	$25,000	Minimum liability on any one judgment; maximum liability $200,000 on all judgments arising from the same transaction	N.J.S.A. 48:4-36
Commercial for-hire bus, each vehicle seating 21 to 30 passengers	$25,000	Minimum liability on any one judgment; maximum liability $400,000 on all judgments arising from the same transaction	N.J.S.A. 48:4-36
Commercial for-hire bus, each vehicle seating more than 30 passengers	$25,000	Minimum liability on any one judgment; maximum liability $600,000 on all judgments arising from the same transaction	N.J.S.A. 48:4-36
Oversize or overweight permit applicant, bodily injury or death of any one person in any one occurrence	$100,000		N.J.A.C. 13:18-1.7	A permit application is not accepted without proof of this coverage, and the policy must carry a 10-day prior notice to the MVC on cancellation or termination.
Oversize or overweight permit applicant, bodily injury or death of two or more persons in any one occurrence	$300,000		N.J.A.C. 13:18-1.7
Oversize or overweight permit applicant, damage to or destruction of property in any one occurrence	$100,000		N.J.A.C. 13:18-1.7

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Who files the proof of insurance

The rows identify stored proof-of-coverage filings. Confirm which filing applies to your authority and who submits it before requesting a form.

The federal minimums, for contrast

Federal financial-responsibility requirements depend on the operation, vehicle and commodity. Review the rows and exclusions in 49 CFR Part 387 (property carriers 387.303, brokers and freight forwarders 387.307, endorsements 387.15), as displayed on FMCSA's insurance filing requirements page; the filing mechanics live in our BMC-91 and BMC-34 insurance filings guide.

Federal minimum public liability levels by operation (49 CFR Part 387)
Operation	Vehicle	Liability minimum
For-hire property carrier, non-hazardous	GVWR under 10,001 lb	$300,000
For-hire property carrier, non-hazardous (general freight)	GVWR 10,001 lb or more	$750,000
For-hire carrier of certain hazardous materials	Any	$1,000,000
For-hire and private carriers of explosives, poison gas, or radioactive materials	Any	$5,000,000
For-hire carrier of household goods	GVWR 10,001 lb or more	$750,000
For-hire carrier of passengers	15 or fewer passengers	$1,500,000
For-hire carrier of passengers	16 or more passengers	$5,000,000
Broker of property or household goods	None	None
Freight forwarder of property	None	None
Freight forwarder of household goods	None	None

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Where insurance fits in the New Jersey launch

Coverage sits early in the sequence: the federal filing sequence needs your insurer's proof of coverage on file before authority activates, and the state rules above attach to the credential covered on the New Jersey intrastate authority page. For the full order of operations, work through start a trucking company in New Jersey.