Indiana’s commercial vehicle laws borrow directly from the federal rulebook: if you drive, own, or dispatch a truck, bus, or combination that meets the federal definition of a commercial motor vehicle, you are subject to a stack of licensing, registration, insurance, hours, testing, and inspection requirements enforced by both the state and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Getting any piece wrong can ground the vehicle, cost thousands in civil penalties, or end a driving career. This is what those rules require and what happens when they’re broken.
What Counts as a Commercial Motor Vehicle in Indiana
Indiana Code 9-13-2-31 adopts the federal definition in 49 CFR 383.5 word for word.1eCFR. 49 CFR 383.5 – Definitions A vehicle is commercial if any one of three things is true:
- It’s a combination vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit exceeds 10,000 pounds (Group A).
- It’s a single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more (Group B).
- It’s smaller than that but designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver, or it hauls hazardous materials in placardable quantities (Group C).
Federal statute at 49 U.S.C. § 31301 says the same thing.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 31301 – Definitions Because Indiana ties its definition to the federal one, a truck that’s commercial under FMCSA rules is commercial in Indiana too, whether the run stays inside the state or crosses a state line.
Commercial Driver’s License
Operating a commercial motor vehicle in Indiana requires a CDL. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles runs the program under Indiana Code Title 9, Article 24, Chapter 6.1, and that chapter obligates the state to follow the federal CDL standards in 49 CFR Parts 383 through 399.3Justia. Indiana Code Title 9, Article 24, Chapter 6.1 – Commercial Drivers License Program The three CDL classes track the three vehicle groups:
- Class A covers combinations over 26,000 pounds where the towed unit exceeds 10,000 pounds GVWR.
- Class B covers single vehicles over 26,000 pounds GVWR, including when towing a unit under 10,000 pounds.
- Class C covers lighter vehicles that carry 16 or more passengers or transport placarded hazmat.
Applicants pass a knowledge test and a skills exam.4Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Commercial Drivers License Overview Endorsements are separate: “H” for hazardous materials, “P” for passengers, “T” for doubles and triples, “N” for tank vehicles. Each endorsement carries its own test.
Medical Certification
Every CDL holder must carry a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate. The physical qualification standards sit in 49 CFR Part 391 and cover vision, hearing, blood pressure, and other health measures. A certificate is generally good for up to two years, though drivers with certain conditions receive shorter periods. Drivers with insulin-treated diabetes or vision deficiencies face additional evaluation, including specialist reports tied to the exam.
Registration, IFTA, and Unified Carrier Registration
Commercial vehicles have to be registered before they operate on Indiana roads. The Indiana Department of Revenue’s Motor Carrier Services unit handles commercial registrations, the International Registration Plan, fuel tax agreements, oversize/overweight permits, USDOT numbers, and Unified Carrier Registration.5Indiana Department of Revenue. Motor Carrier Services Fleets of 25 or more commercial vehicles can be plated directly by the Department of Revenue on payment of the annual registration fee and any commercial vehicle excise tax.6Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-18.1-13 – Department of State Revenue Registrations and Permits
Carriers running “qualified motor vehicles” across state lines register under the International Fuel Tax Agreement, which lets them file fuel tax in their base jurisdiction and have it redistributed based on miles driven in each state. A vehicle qualifies for IFTA if it has two axles and a gross weight over 26,000 pounds, three or more axles regardless of weight, or is used in a combination over 26,000 pounds.7IFTA, Inc. Carrier Information
Any motor carrier, freight forwarder, broker, or leasing company operating in interstate commerce must also register and pay under the Unified Carrier Registration program. Fees scale by fleet size. For 2026:8Unified Carrier Registration. Fee Brackets
- 0–2 vehicles: $46
- 3–5 vehicles: $138
- 6–20 vehicles: $276
- 21–100 vehicles: $963
- 101–1,000 vehicles: $4,592
- 1,001 or more vehicles: $44,836
Registration and payment are due before January 1 of the registration year. The 2026 portal opened October 1, 2025.
Insurance Minimums
Federal law sets the floor for motor carrier liability insurance, and Indiana carriers running interstate have to meet it. Under 49 CFR 387.9, coverage depends on the cargo:9eCFR. 49 CFR 387.9 – Financial Responsibility, Minimum Levels
- General non-hazardous freight in a vehicle with GVWR over 10,000 pounds: $750,000 combined single limit for public liability.
- Oil and most hazardous materials: $1,000,000.
- Certain bulk hazmat, Class A or B explosives, and highly toxic materials: $5,000,000.
For-hire carriers of non-hazardous property need $750,000 regardless of where they run. Hazmat carriers face the higher figures whether interstate or intrastate. Slipping below the minimum can cost a carrier its operating authority, which is why most run well above the legal floor.
Hours of Service and Electronic Logs
Indiana follows the federal hours-of-service rules in 49 CFR Part 395.10eCFR. 49 CFR Part 395 – Hours of Service of Drivers For property-carrying drivers, the core limits are:11Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Summary of Hours of Service Regulations
- A maximum of 11 driving hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- No driving beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, regardless of breaks inside that window.
- A 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving.
- No driving after 60 on-duty hours in 7 consecutive days, or 70 in 8.
Since December 2017, most drivers required to keep records of duty status must use a registered electronic logging device instead of paper.12eCFR. 49 CFR Part 395 Subpart B – Electronic Logging Devices The device has to be on FMCSA’s registered list and hardwired to the engine so driving time records itself.
Some drivers are exempt. Vehicles with engines built before model year 2000 lack the electronics an ELD needs. Short-haul drivers who stay within a 150 air-mile radius and get back to their starting location within 14 hours are exempt, as are driveaway-towaway operations where the driven vehicle is the load. Certain agricultural work during planting and harvest qualifies too. Exempt drivers still have to track their hours on paper.
Oversize and Overweight Permits
Indiana requires a permit before a vehicle or load exceeds any of the standard legal dimensions:13Indiana Department of Revenue. Motor Carrier Services – Oversize/Overweight
- Height over 13 feet 6 inches.
- Width over 8 feet 6 inches.
- Length over 53 feet for a semi-tractor and semi-trailer combination.
- Gross weight over 80,000 pounds, subject to axle weight limits.
Permits are applied for through the state’s online OSOW system. Two-vehicle combinations totaling 60 feet or more cannot get an OSOW permit unless the rig is a registered tractor-trailer or involves a fifth-wheel travel trailer.
Inspections and the Carrier Safety Record
The Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division runs roadside inspections statewide, checking brakes, tires, lights, steering, and other safety-critical systems. Officers pick vehicles based on articulated safety factors, and qualified personnel can also run random safety inspections.14Indiana State Police. Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspection Selection and Unbiased Traffic Enforcement Standard Operating Procedure A vehicle that fails can be placed out of service on the spot and cannot move until repairs are done. Out-of-service violations report up to FMCSA and stick to the carrier’s safety record, where enough bad marks can trigger a compliance review or a federal out-of-service order against the carrier itself.
Drug and Alcohol Testing and the Clearinghouse
Every employer of CDL drivers has to comply with FMCSA’s drug and alcohol testing program and the federal Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.15eCFR. 49 CFR 382.701 – Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Before hiring, the employer runs a full Clearinghouse query, which requires the driver’s electronic consent, and the driver can’t perform safety-sensitive duties until the query comes back clean. After hiring, the employer queries the Clearinghouse at least once every 12 months for each CDL driver. The annual check can start as a limited query using general written consent, but if the limited query hits a record, a full query has to follow within 24 hours, and until it clears, the driver can’t operate a commercial vehicle.16eCFR. 49 CFR Part 382 Subpart G – Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
Testing itself is required in specific situations. A negative pre-employment drug test is required before a driver operates a commercial vehicle for the first time with an employer.17Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. When Does Testing Occur and What Tests Are Required Post-accident testing is required after any crash involving a fatality, whether the CMV driver was cited or not. For crashes with bodily injury requiring immediate off-scene medical treatment, or disabling vehicle damage requiring a tow, testing is required only if the CMV driver was cited. Random, reasonable-suspicion, and return-to-duty tests round out the program.
Penalties
Oversize and Overweight Fines
Under Indiana Code 9-20-18-14.5, operating with a valid OSOW permit but violating its terms brings a warning for the first offense, a $1,000 civil penalty for the second, and $1,500 for each additional violation.18Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-20-18-14.5 – Civil Penalties Operating with no permit when one was required can reach $5,000 per violation. When the vehicle is over the legal limit and no permit was available to cover the excess, the fine tracks how far over the limit it is:
- Dimensional excess, or 1,000 to 4,999 pounds overweight: $500.
- 5,000 to 9,999 pounds overweight: $1,000.
- 10,000 pounds or more overweight: $5,000.
A carrier’s penalty count resets after one full year without a violation.
CDL Disqualification
Disqualification is the most career-ending consequence a commercial driver faces. Under 49 CFR 383.51, a first conviction for driving under the influence while operating a commercial vehicle triggers a one-year disqualification, and three years if the driver was hauling hazmat.19eCFR. 49 CFR 383.51 – Disqualification of Drivers A second major offense, even of a different type, brings lifetime disqualification. Major offenses include DUI, leaving the scene, using a commercial vehicle to commit a felony, and causing a fatality through negligent driving.
A state may reinstate a driver disqualified for life after 10 years if the driver completes an approved rehabilitation program, but a reinstated driver who commits another major offense loses the CDL permanently. Two categories can never be reinstated under that path: using a commercial vehicle to manufacture or distribute controlled substances, and using one in human trafficking.
Other Consequences
Recent Indiana legislation made operating with false or expired CDL credentials a Level 6 felony carrying a $5,000 penalty. Violations also feed insurance premiums and the carrier’s federal safety score, and knowingly falsifying hours-of-service records or tampering with vehicle safety equipment can bring criminal prosecution on top of the civil side.