Interstate vs Intrastate: The Core Difference
Interstate commerce means your freight crosses a state line — even if you personally never leave Florida. If you pick up a load in Miami destined for Atlanta, that's interstate even if you hand it off at a Jacksonville terminal. Interstate operations are regulated by FMCSA (federal). Intrastate operations — freight that originates and terminates within Florida — fall under FDOT's Motor Carrier Compliance Office.
Florida Intrastate Insurance Requirements
Florida intrastate carriers over 26,001 lbs GVWR must file proof of insurance with FDOT using Form HSMV-90010. Minimum liability is $750,000 for general freight — matching FMCSA's standard. Florida also requires cargo insurance for for-hire intrastate carriers: $5,000 minimum for household goods, $10,000 for other freight. Intrastate carriers do not need a USDOT number unless they also operate interstate.
The Grey Zone: Occasional Interstate Trips
Many Florida truckers start intrastate and occasionally accept a load that crosses state lines. The moment you do, you're subject to FMCSA. You need an active USDOT number, MC authority, BOC-3, and BMC-91 filing. Running interstate without these can result in out-of-service orders at any port of entry weigh station. We help Florida operators get both intrastate and interstate coverage dialed in before it becomes a compliance problem.