How to Start a Trucking Company in Michigan: State Authority, USDOT Number and Decals

Starting a trucking company in Michigan is mostly paperwork, and it comes in layers. You form a business entity with LARA, register with the Michigan Department of Treasury if you collect or owe taxes, get insurance that meets the filing requirements, and then decide whether your trucks need a USDOT number, Michigan intrastate operating authority from the Michigan State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED), or both. Each layer has its own fee, deadline and annual renewal.

This guide walks through those steps in the order most new owners should handle them. It also answers the question many people type in as freight broker license michigan, in its own section below.

Disclaimer: This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Trucking is a heavily regulated business, and the right structure, insurance and authority depend on your equipment, your freight and your customers. Talk to a qualified attorney and a CPA before you file anything you cannot easily undo, and confirm every fee on the agency page before you pay.

Michigan Has No General Business License

Michigan does not issue a general statewide business license. LARA's Corporations Division receives, reviews and files the documents that form and maintain a business entity such as an LLC or corporation. It does not license businesses. Registering your company through the MiBusiness Registry Portal is a filing, not a license.

Licensing happens by trade or activity, through agencies such as LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing, MDARD and the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, depending on the business. For a trucking company, the operating authority comes from CVED. Counties and municipalities may add zoning approvals, certificates of occupancy or health approvals. Michigan has 83 counties, about 275 to 280 cities, about 255 to 258 villages and 1,240 townships, so the local rules that apply to your yard or terminal depend on exactly where it sits.

Freight Broker License in Michigan: What to Check First

Many people searching for a freight broker license in Michigan are really asking one of two things. First, does the state issue a special broker license? Based on the verified facts for this guide, Michigan does not issue a general business license, and this guide does not identify a separate Michigan freight broker license. Confirm that point directly with CVED at 517-284-3250 and with the federal regulator before you advertise brokerage services.

Second, which authority do you need? Arranging loads for other carriers is a different activity from operating your own trucks. Describe exactly what you will do, because the authority you apply for has to match it.

What You Need Before You Start

• A company name that includes Limited Liability Company, L.L.C. or L.C., checked on the MiBusiness Registry business search
• A Michigan resident agent with a physical registered office. Michigan's term for this is resident agent, and a P.O. box alone is not sufficient.
• A vehicle list with each unit's VIN, gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and whether it is self-propelled
• Commercial auto liability and workers' compensation coverage, or an approved exclusion
• Your insurer's certificate of liability and Form E
• A federal EIN if you need one, and a payment method for LARA, Treasury and CVED fees
• A yard or terminal location checked against local zoning

Step-by-Step: Starting a Michigan Trucking Company

Step 1: Decide What Kind of Operation You Are

Your authority depends on where your freight goes. An intrastate-only for-hire carrier moves freight for pay within Michigan and needs CVED intrastate operating authority. A carrier hauling across state lines needs a USDOT number, insurance filings and the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR). A carrier hauling point to point within Michigan may need the same federal items as an interstate carrier, so describe your routes accurately. Confirm whether your operation counts as for-hire by calling CVED at 517-284-3250.

Step 2: Form the Business Entity

Most owners form an LLC. File Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-700) with LARA for a $50 filing fee. The filing must name your resident agent and registered office. If you want to hold a name first, Form CSCL/CD-540 reserves it for six months following the month of filing for $25.

The annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) costs $25 and is due February 15 each year, beginning the year after formation. An LLC formed or qualified after September 30 does not owe a statement on the February 15 immediately following. LARA offers expedited review at extra cost, from $50 for a 24-hour formation review to $1,000 for a one-hour review, and the one-hour and two-hour options have cutoff times.

A corporation files Articles of Incorporation for Profit Corporation (Form CSCL/CD-500) for a $60 filing fee and an annual report of $25 due May 15. A sole proprietor or general partnership instead files an assumed name certificate with the county clerk where it does business under MCL 445.1. Fees for that filing are set by statute and by each clerk, so confirm them locally.

Entity choice changes your taxes. A standard LLC is a pass-through entity, and members report income on the Michigan individual income tax at the flat 4.25 percent rate for the 2026 tax year. An LLC that elects federal C corporation treatment is subject to the 6 percent Michigan Corporate Income Tax. Ask a CPA which structure fits your situation.

Step 3: Register With the Department of Treasury

Michigan imposes no franchise tax, and the only recurring LARA charge for an LLC is the annual statement. Treasury is a separate matter. If your business sells taxable goods or services, you need a sales tax license, which is free and can arrive in as little as 7 business days. The state sales tax rate is 6 percent. Register through the Treasury online business registration page, and confirm with Treasury whether your freight services are taxable.

Check whether your city levies an income tax. Only 24 Michigan cities do, so most owners will not face one, but confirm for your location.

Step 4: Put Your Insurance in Order

CVED requires proof of workers' compensation insurance or an approved exclusion, a certificate of liability and Form E from your insurer. The minimum liability limits are not stated in this guide, so ask CVED and your insurance agent for the current requirements in writing. Ask your agent to issue the documents early, because CVED's processing window is the next thing that can stall you.

Step 5: Get a USDOT Number Where It Applies

A valid USDOT number is required for vehicles over 26,001 pounds GVWR, and it is also required for interstate carriers. Interstate carriers also need insurance filings and UCR. Confirm the current federal filing steps, any fees and the registration process with the federal regulator. Do not assume a fee amount that is not published by the agency.

Step 6: Apply for CVED Intrastate Authority

Intrastate-only for-hire carriers apply online through the CVED Authority Portal, which you can find by searching for it on michigan.gov. Have these ready: a valid USDOT number if it applies, your LARA or county clerk registration, proof of workers' compensation insurance or an approved exclusion, your certificate of liability and Form E, and payment for the processing and decal fees.

The fees under MCL 478.1 and 478.2 are a $100 application fee, a $50 renewal fee and $100 per year for each intrastate self-propelled vehicle. A vehicle added after June 30 costs $50 for that year, and a replacement ID costs $10. Processing can take up to 30 days, and the application is dismissed if the documents are not received within that time.

Step 7: Buy and Display Your Decals

Authority is tied to decals, and each intrastate self-propelled vehicle needs its own decal and renewal. Keep an updated vehicle list, because each unit adds a yearly charge. Ask CVED how and where decals must be displayed, since placement rules are not covered in this guide.

Step 8: Clear Local Zoning and Permits

Truck parking, terminals and maintenance bays are often limited by local zoning. Ask the city, village or township whether your yard is permitted for that use, and whether it needs a certificate of occupancy or any other local approval. A parcel can be zoned correctly for a warehouse and still be wrong for a truck yard.

Step 9: Calendar Every Renewal

Filing	Who files it	Due	Fee
Annual Statement (CSCL/CD-2700)	LLC	February 15 each year	$25
Annual Report (CSCL/CD-2500)	Corporation	May 15 each year	$25, plus late fees from $35 (May 16 to May 31) up to a $75 maximum on or after September 1
CVED renewal and decals	Intrastate carrier	October 1 to December 1	$50 renewal, plus $100 per intrastate self-propelled vehicle per year

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying for the wrong authority. Intrastate and interstate operations need different filings. Describe your routes accurately to CVED before you apply.
• Waiting on insurance paperwork. Missing documents are the most likely cause of a dismissed application, and the 30-day window does not pause while you wait.
• Using a P.O. box as your resident agent address. You need a physical registered office.
• Treating brokerage and hauling as the same thing. If you plan to do both, ask CVED and the federal regulator how each activity is filed.
• Forgetting the October to December renewal window. A lapsed authority stops your trucks from operating legally, so calendar it the day you receive your decals.
• Running under a trade name without filing it. An LLC doing business under another name needs a Certificate of Assumed Name, which costs $25 for an LLC through Form CSCL/CD-541.
• Skipping the local check. State approvals do not replace city, township or county zoning.

What Results to Expect

A complete, accurate package may move through the process without repeat filings, though nothing in this guide guarantees a particular outcome. LARA does not publish a guaranteed standard review time for routine filings, so expedited review may be worth considering if your start date is fixed. CVED processing can take up to 30 days, so plan your first load date around that window rather than around the day you submit. Once your authority and decals are in hand, expect your renewals to follow the same calendar every year.

Official Resources and Next Steps

• LARA Corporations Division, for entity forms and fees
• MiBusiness Registry business search, to check name availability
• Michigan Department of Treasury, for tax registration and rates
• Michigan Small Business Development Center, for planning help

Before you file, confirm your authority type and insurance requirements with CVED at 517-284-3250, and have a CPA review your entity and tax choice. Those two calls will prevent most of the expensive corrections new carriers make.