Does North Carolina set its own trucking insurance minimums?

The stored record does not mark a difference from the federal minimums. Review the applicable operation and source notes before using a coverage amount.

Do federal insurance minimums still apply to a North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.

North Carolina Trucking Insurance Requirements (2026)

By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Jul 29, 2026

What North Carolina requires

These are the state-level rules attached to North Carolina 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: $750,000 for the main class; the operation-type table below lists each class
Cargo minimum: No cargo insurance minimum is published for general intrastate freight. Cargo coverage is required of household goods movers through the Form H filing described in the operation-type table below.
Differs from federal: No

Minimum liability by operation type

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

North Carolina minimum liability coverage by operation type
Operation type	Minimum liability
Any commercial motor vehicle registered in North Carolina, including intrastate and private operation	$750,000
Household goods mover, vehicles of 26,000 lb GVW or less, NCUC Form E filing	$100,000
Household goods mover, vehicles over 26,000 lb GVW, NCUC Form E filing	$750,000
Motor carriers holding a Utilities Commission certificate or broker's license, statutory floor for bodily injury or death of one person	$50,000
Interstate for-hire property carriage, nonhazardous property, filed with NCDMV before an apportioned plate issues	$750,000
Passenger carriage, vehicle seating 15 passengers or less	$1,500,000
Passenger carriage, vehicle seating 16 passengers or more	$5,000,000

Scroll sideways to see every column.

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.

Liability proof: Form E, Uniform Motor Carrier Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability Certificate of Insurance
Household goods cargo: Form H, Uniform Motor Carrier Cargo Certificate of Insurance

Filings are made by the insurance company. NCDMV requires a Form BMC-91 from each motor carrier regulated by the Federal Highway Administration and a Form E from each for-hire interstate motor carrier before an apportioned plate is issued, and requires the registrant to notify the Division of any change in liability coverage.

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

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Where insurance fits in the North Carolina 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 North Carolina intrastate authority page. For the full order of operations, work through start a trucking company in North Carolina.