TL;DR: For-hire carriers apply to the Alabama Public Service Commission for a certificate or permit, register vehicles on Form B-2, and have their insurer file Form E liability at 100/300/50 plus Form H cargo at $5,000. Authority exists only while the filings stay active, and interstate work requires separate federal filings.
What is Alabama intrastate authority?
Permission from the Alabama Public Service Commission to haul property for compensation between Alabama points, issued under the Alabama Motor Carrier Act: certificates for common carriers, permits for contract carriers, administered by the Commission's Transportation Division under the rules in Alabama Administrative Code chapter 770-X-10. Private carriers hauling their own goods are outside the authority system; interstate-only carriers run on federal authority, and mixed operations hold both.
What is the application and filing sequence?
| Step | What happens | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Authority application to the APSC | $100 filing fee, certificate or permit type |
| 2 | Vehicle registration | Form B-2, $6 per vehicle |
| 3 | Insurer files Form E liability certificate | 100/300/50 minimums |
| 4 | Insurer files Form H cargo certificate | $5,000 minimum, property carriers |
| 5 | Authority issues; filings maintained continuously | Lapse voids authority |
The pattern matches every filing state: the insurance company, not the carrier or agent, transmits the certificates, and the authority's life is tied to theirs. Coverage quoted before applying and filed promptly after keeps the sequence short.
What must the filings certify?
The Form E certifies bodily injury and property damage liability at Alabama's minimums, $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, $50,000 property damage, and the Form H certifies cargo coverage at $5,000 for intrastate property carriers. Real policies run higher, $1,000,000 and $100,000, because broker contracts and actual exposure require it; the filings simply certify that coverage meets or exceeds the floors. Name matching between the authority and the certificates is enforced, and non-matching filings bounce.
How does authority lapse, and how is it prevented?
Through the filings, as always. An insurer cancellation that runs its course with no replacement Form E or H on file voids the authority, and enforcement meets the gap at roadside. Prevention is procedural: automated premium payments, renewals calendared, replacement filings posted and verified before old coverage ends, and special care at insurer switches and entity changes, when one filing routinely gets forgotten. Mixed intrastate-interstate operations verify the APSC filings and the FMCSA filing separately, since the systems do not talk to each other.
How do the state and federal systems differ for Alabama carriers?
In amounts and forms, not in logic. The APSC layer uses the uniform state forms at split-limit minimums; the federal layer uses BMC certificates at the 49 CFR 387.9 combined single limits, $750,000 and up, with the MCS-90 endorsement on the policy. A single liability policy at $1,000,000 typically satisfies both, and the practical difference is administrative: two filings, two agencies, two lapse clocks. The federal side adds the BOC-3, UCR registration, and the new entrant program for first-time authorities.
Where are status and rules checked?
The APSC's Transportation Division for authority and filing status, with chapter 770-X-10 online for the rules themselves. FMCSA's Licensing and Insurance site for the federal record. The Alabama Department of Insurance, (334) 269-3550, for insurer questions. Verification after any change beats discovery at a scale house, in Alabama as everywhere.
Real questions Alabama carriers seeking intrastate authority ask
How much does Alabama intrastate authority cost?
The APSC application fee is $100, vehicle registration runs $6 per vehicle on Form B-2, and the insurance itself dominates the budget. Authority issues once the insurer's Form E and Form H certificates are on file and stays valid only while they remain active.
Can I file my own insurance certificates with the APSC?
No. The Form E and Form H must be transmitted by the insurance company under the Commission's rules. The carrier's role is sequencing, getting authority details to the insurer early, and verifying the filings posted before operating.
Does Alabama accept my federal BMC filing for intrastate authority?
No, the systems are separate. Intrastate authority requires the state Forms E and H with the APSC; interstate authority requires the BMC certificate with FMCSA. One policy usually backs both filings, and each must be maintained independently.
What happens if my Form E lapses in Alabama?
The authority it supports becomes void, and operating on voided authority invites enforcement. The prevention is the standard filing-state discipline: replacement coverage bound and filed before the old policy's last day, then verified with the Commission.
Do I need a USDOT number for Alabama intrastate trucking?
Alabama participates in federal registration conventions, and intrastate carriers generally obtain USDOT numbers as part of registration and safety compliance. Verify current requirements with the APSC and ALEA's Motor Carrier Safety Unit, which enforces commercial vehicle rules in the state.
Can Morrow write trucking insurance in Alabama?
Not directly today. Morrow is the brand name of Afthonea Inc, licensed in Massachusetts, Florida, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Texas. If your trucking company is based in Alabama, we can refer you to a licensed Alabama agent, and this guide still shows you exactly what to ask that agent for. Everything above comes from public Alabama and federal sources, not from us selling you a policy.
Related Alabama trucking guides
The other Alabama trucking questions, answered the same way.
- Trucking insurance in Alabama (start here)
- Trucking insurance requirements
- Minimum liability limits for trucks
- Cost of trucking insurance
- Business insurance in Alabama
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- What is an MCS-90 endorsement?
- FMCSA filing timeline and the 20-day rule
- Trucking and transportation insurance overview
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Limits, forms, and deadlines change, so verify current requirements with the Alabama Public Service Commission's Transportation Division before you rely on them. Morrow is a brand name of Afthonea Inc. Last updated: July 2026.