TL;DR: For intrastate Texas trucking, TxDMV requires $500,000 CSL for general freight above 26,000 pounds, $1,000,000 for oil, listed hazmat, and petroleum fuels, $5,000,000 for worst-class bulk hazmat, and $300,000 for household goods movers under 26,000 pounds. Interstate work follows the higher federal tiers, and brokers require $1,000,000 regardless.
What liability limits does Texas require for intrastate trucking?
The minimums live in 43 Texas Administrative Code 218.16 and are published in the TxDMV Motor Carrier Handbook. They are combined single limits, CSL, one number covering bodily injury and property damage per occurrence, and they scale by commodity and vehicle class rather than one flat figure.
| Carrier type | Description | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| All others, general commodities | Private or for-hire, gross weight, registered weight, or rating over 26,000 lbs | $500,000 |
| Hazmat, worst classes | Bulk hazardous substances over 3,500 water gallons; any quantity Division 1.1 to 1.3; Division 2.3 Zone A or 6.1 PG I Zone A; bulk Division 2.1 or 2.2; highway route controlled Class 7 | $5,000,000 |
| Oil and listed hazmat | Oil per 49 CFR 172.101, listed hazardous waste and substances, petroleum lubricants and fuels | $1,000,000 |
| Household goods movers | Under 26,000 lbs | $300,000 |
| Buses | More than 15 but fewer than 26 passengers | $500,000 |
| Buses | 26 or more passengers | $5,000,000 |
| Commercial school buses | Municipal school routes | $500,000 |
How do Texas minimums compare to federal ones?
Lower floor, higher threshold. Federally, for-hire interstate carriers of general freight need $750,000 starting at 10,001 pounds under 49 CFR 387.9. Texas intrastate general freight needs $500,000 starting above 26,000 pounds. The hazmat tiers largely mirror the federal amounts, with Texas explicitly sweeping petroleum fuels into the $1,000,000 tier. The practical consequence: a truck legal for Dallas-to-Houston freight at $500,000 is not legal for Dallas-to-Oklahoma City freight until coverage rises and federal filings post.
Is the Texas minimum actually enough?
For booking freight, no. Standard broker-carrier agreements require $1,000,000 auto liability regardless of the legal floor, and Texas is a severity jurisdiction: its courts have produced some of the nation's largest commercial-vehicle verdicts, which is also why excess layers above $1,000,000 are increasingly common for Texas fleets with assets to protect. The gap between $500,000 and a serious injury verdict lands on the business. Buy for your freight and your balance sheet, and let the state minimum be the floor it is.
What happens below 26,000 pounds in Texas?
For general freight, intrastate carriers at or below 26,000 pounds fall outside TxDMV registration entirely, so no state liability filing applies, though financial responsibility laws and contracts still do. The triggers that pull lighter vehicles back in: placardable hazmat at any weight, household goods for compensation at any weight, and passenger configurations. Interstate is stricter: the federal $750,000 floor reaches down to 10,001 pounds, which surprises hotshot operators whose combinations sit between the two thresholds.
Do these limits change, and where do I verify them?
The amounts are set by TxDMV rule under Texas Transportation Code 643.101, which caps them at the federal 49 U.S.C. 13906 levels, and they have been stable for years; the current table appears in the May 2025 Motor Carrier Handbook. Verify against 43 TAC 218.16 or the Handbook before relying on any number, and remember the market layer moves independently: broker and shipper requirements can rise without any regulation changing.
Real questions Texas owner-operators and fleet managers ask
What is the minimum liability for a semi in Texas?
For intrastate general freight in equipment over 26,000 pounds, $500,000 combined single limit under 43 TAC 218.16. The same truck running interstate needs $750,000 federally, and virtually every broker requires $1,000,000 by contract. Most Texas fleets buy $1,000,000 for that reason.
What limit do fuel haulers need in Texas?
$1,000,000 minimum, because Texas places petroleum products that are lubricants or fuels in its oil and listed hazmat tier. Bulk operations in the worst hazmat classes, like bulk flammable gas, take $5,000,000. Match the tier to the exact commodity and equipment before binding.
Does Texas require liability insurance for trucks under 26,000 pounds?
Not through TxDMV for general freight; registration starts above 26,000 pounds. Placardable hazmat, household goods, and passenger operations trigger registration at any weight. Ordinary Texas financial responsibility law and your contracts still require coverage, and interstate work federalizes everything at 10,001 pounds.
Are Texas minimums going up soon?
The amounts are set by TxDMV rule, capped at federal levels by Texas Transportation Code 643.101, and the May 2025 Handbook shows the same tiers that have applied for years. No increase is pending as of July 2026. Contract requirements from brokers move independently of the rules.
What does combined single limit mean on my Texas filing?
One limit covers bodily injury and property damage together per occurrence, rather than separate per-person and per-accident caps. The Form E your insurer files certifies the CSL amount for your carrier type, and the policy limit must at least equal that filed figure.
Why truckers work with Morrow
- We know the filings. Morrow is licensed in Texas and writes limits that satisfy TxDMV, FMCSA, and your shipper contracts in one policy.
- New authority is our normal. First-year carriers pay the most and get declined the most. We work with markets that actually want new ventures and we tell you what the first renewal takes.
- Certificates and filings, fast. Certificates of insurance the same business day for most carriers, and federal or state filings submitted electronically so your authority is not sitting in a queue.
- We quote the whole picture. Liability, cargo, physical damage, and the endorsements shippers and brokers actually check for, priced together so nothing is missing when a load is on the line.
- Real people when something goes wrong. A claim, a lapse notice, or a lost certificate gets a person, not a portal.
Related Texas trucking guides
The other Texas trucking questions, answered the same way.
- Trucking insurance in Texas (start here)
- Trucking insurance requirements
- Intrastate authority and filings
- Cost of trucking insurance
- Business insurance in Texas
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- What is an MCS-90 endorsement?
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- Commercial auto for trucking fleets
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Limits, forms, and deadlines change, so verify current requirements with TxDMV and the Texas Department of Insurance before you rely on them. Morrow is a brand name of Afthonea Inc. Last updated: July 2026.