Commercial Vehicles

 

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There is a variety of services that the Department of Licensing provides to businesses operating commercial vehicles in Washington.

For intrastate commercial vehicles

If you operate a commercial vehicle within Washington, you may need a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number.

DOT Numbers
The U.S. Department of Transportation number (DOT number) is used to track the safety fitness rating of commercial vehicles and their owners.

If you operate any of the following commercial vehicles within Washington, you must get a DOT number and display it on the vehicle:

  • Commercial motor vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 16,001 pounds or more
  • Combinations of commercial motor vehicles including a towed unit with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or more and having a total GVWR of 16,001 pounds or more
  • Commercial motor vehicles of any size used in the transportation of placarded hazardous materials
  • Commercial motor vehicles designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver
  • Private school buses of any weight or size

Farm vehicles
Farm vehicles must have an intrastate DOT number, but they are exempt from safety audits and compliance reviews. Commercial motor vehicles owned and operated by farmers must have a DOT number if they are:

  • One of the types of vehicles described above

          AND

  • Used to transport the farmer’s own orchard, farm, or dairy products, livestock, or plant/animal waste within Washington

How to apply for an Intrastate DOT number

 

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For interstate commercial vehicles

If you operate a commercial vehicle across state lines, you must have a U.S. Department of Transportation number.

How to apply for an Interstate DOT number

To get a USDOT number, submit the Motor Carrier Identification Report to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

How to get a copy of the forms

Visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website. You may complete and submit the forms online, or print out copies of the forms and mail them to the address on the form. Call (800) 832-5660 to have forms mailed to you.

Prorate

If you own or operate a commercial vehicle that operates in more than one state, you will need to go through the Prorate office to license your vehicle.

Fleets

A simple way to manage the registration of multiple vehicles owned by the same registered owner operating within Washington is by establishing a fleet account.

The following vehicles can be put into a fleet account:

  • Passenger Vehicles
  • Trucks
  • Motor Homes
  • Motorcycles
  • Trailers

There are two types of fleet accounts:

  • Regular Fleet: 5-49 vehicles
  • Permanent Fleets: 50 or more vehicles

For more information on how to set up a fleet, please visit the Department of Licensing website.

Permits

3-Day Trip Permits
A Washington vehicle trip permit authorizes you to operate a single vehicle at the maximum weight limit for 3 consecutive days within Washington. No more than 3 permits may be used for any 1 vehicle within a 30-day period. Trip permits can be purchased at any licensing office or at any Department of Transportation permitting office and cost $30 each.

Fuel Permits
You must purchase a special fuel permit when entering Washington if you:

Don’t pay fuel tax under the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA)

AND

Plan to operate a diesel or propane-powered commercial vehicle that has:

  • 2 axles and a gross vehicle weight (GVW) over 26,000 pounds
  • 3 or more axles regardless of weight
  • A combination of vehicles with a combined GVW over 26,000 pounds

Fuel permits are good for 3 consecutive days and cost $35 each. They can be purchased at any licensing office or at any Department of Transportation permitting office.

Oversize load

For information on the use of these permits within Washington, contact:

Department of Transportation
PO Box 47367
7345 Linderson Way
Olympia WA 98504-7367
Phone: (360) 704-6340
Washington State Department of Transportation

 

For information on the use of these permits within Clark County, contact:

Clark County Community Development
Public Service Center
1300 Franklin Street, Third Floor
Vancouver, WA 98660
Phone: (564) 397-2434 / Fax: (360) 397-6106


Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 3:30 pm, closed from noon to 1:00 pm daily
Clark County Community Development