TL;DR: Maryland sets no trucking-specific intrastate liability minimum, so the 30/60/15 registration floor is the only statutory requirement for in-state freight. Interstate vehicles over 10,001 pounds carry federal tiers from $750,000 to $5,000,000, petroleum tankers need $1,000,000 for their PSC permit, and shippers expect $1,000,000 everywhere.
What is the legal floor for an intrastate Maryland truck?
Maryland's registration minimums, $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury with $15,000 for property damage, are the only statutory liability requirement for a general freight truck that never leaves the state. The legislature has not enacted a trucking-specific intrastate minimum, and because Maryland imposes no operating authority on property carriers, there is no permit condition raising the number for ordinary freight. That leaves a striking gap between what the law demands and what a loaded tractor-trailer can do, which is why the working market treats the registration floor as irrelevant.
What limits do the federal tiers impose?
Interstate operation over 10,001 pounds triggers 49 CFR 387.9: $750,000 for general freight, $1,000,000 for oil and certain hazardous property, and $5,000,000 for the highest-hazard cargo, with the light-vehicle tier of $300,000 applying under 10,001 pounds for non-hazardous interstate freight. These figures have been unchanged since 1985, and the insurer evidences them through the MCS-90 endorsement or a BMC-91X filing. Maryland carriers running the I-95 corridor into Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or the District are interstate carriers, full stop, and many nominally local operations cross lines around Washington weekly.
What do the regulated Maryland niches require?
Bulk flammable liquid tankers need $1,000,000 combined single limit as a condition of their PSC permit, along with cargo coverage of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 aggregate. For-hire passenger carriers demonstrate liability coverage to the PSC with their applications. Hazmat freight follows the federal tiers regardless of radius, because Maryland enforces the federal safety rules for hazardous cargo through the State Police inspection program.
| Operation | Minimum | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Intrastate general freight | 30/60/15 registration floor | Maryland vehicle law |
| Interstate over 10,001 lbs | $750,000 | 49 CFR 387.9 |
| Oil products | $1,000,000 | 49 CFR 387.9 |
| Highest-hazard cargo | $5,000,000 | 49 CFR 387.9 |
| Petroleum tanker permit | $1,000,000 CSL | COMAR 20.95.03.11 |
Why do carriers buy more than the floor?
Because the floor does not move freight. Brokers and shippers in the Baltimore-Washington market require $1,000,000 in liability almost universally, port terminals and interchange agreements set their own thresholds, and lenders expect physical damage alongside. A registration-minimum policy also leaves the business exposed: a single serious crash can produce claims that dwarf 30/60/15, and everything above the limit comes from the company's assets. Contributory negligence helps Maryland defendants at trial, but it is a litigation doctrine, not a substitute for limits.
How should a carrier set its limits?
Set liability at $1,000,000 unless every contract you hold says otherwise, and treat higher umbrella layers as the response to larger fleets, hazmat, or passenger exposure. Match cargo limits to real load values, review the stack whenever your radius or freight mix changes, and confirm your insurer can make federal filings promptly if interstate work begins. The gap between Maryland's thin statute and the market standard is the single most important fact in this topic: the state will register a truck at 30/60/15, but nobody will load it, and the carrier that prices its program against the statute instead of the market is planning around a number that stopped mattering decades ago. Revisit limits at every renewal so growth never outruns the coverage that protects it.
Real questions Maryland owner-operators and fleet managers ask
Is 30/60/15 really enough to run freight legally inside Maryland?
Legally, yes, for general freight that never crosses state lines, because Maryland sets no trucking-specific intrastate minimum. Practically, no shipper or broker will tender loads at that level, and a serious loss would far exceed it.
What liability limits apply to interstate Maryland carriers?
The federal tiers: $750,000 for general freight over 10,001 pounds, $1,000,000 for oil products, and $5,000,000 for the most hazardous cargo, evidenced by insurer filings with the FMCSA.
What must Maryland petroleum tankers carry?
A $1,000,000 combined single limit policy as a condition of the PSC permit, with the Commission named certificate holder, plus cargo insurance of $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 aggregate under COMAR 20.95.03.11.
Do hazmat loads inside Maryland follow state or federal minimums?
Federal. Maryland enforces the federal hazardous materials rules through State Police inspections, so hazmat freight carries the federal tiers of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 regardless of whether the route stays in state.
How much liability do Maryland shippers usually require?
The market standard is $1,000,000, matching the level brokers verify before onboarding. Port drayage, hazmat, and large construction contracts can require umbrella layers above the primary policy.
Can Morrow write trucking insurance in Maryland?
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 Maryland, we can refer you to a licensed Maryland agent, and this guide still shows you exactly what to ask that agent for. Everything above comes from public Maryland and federal sources, not from us selling you a policy.
Related Maryland trucking guides
The other Maryland trucking questions, answered the same way.
- Trucking insurance in Maryland (start here)
- Trucking insurance requirements
- Intrastate authority and filings
- Cost of trucking insurance
- Business insurance in Maryland
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- What is an MCS-90 endorsement?
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Limits, forms, and deadlines change, so verify current requirements with the Maryland Public Service Commission and the Maryland Insurance Administration before you rely on them. Morrow is a brand name of Afthonea Inc. Last updated: July 2026.