Essential credentials for out-of-state vehicle purchases

November 6, 2025

If you’re one of the many carriers planning to purchase a commercial vehicle from outside of your home state, you should be wondering: do I need plates and other operating credentials to drive this vehicle home?

The short answer is yes. The truck might be new to you, but it’s still being operated “in commerce” and is being driven for a business purpose.

When you purchase a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), whether used or new, the truck will need everything that any other CMV would need to be legal on the road.

Remember that:

The vehicle must be marked with the purchasing company’s name and USDOT number;
The driver must be qualified to be on the road and have the proper license to operate the vehicle and be compliant with hours-of-service regulations, etc.; and
The driver must stop at weigh stations along the way and comply with any other rules that apply to operating the vehicle on public roadways.

Operating authority and UCR

Trip permits for interstate for-hire operating authority aren’t available from states. Carriers must have federal operating authority before conducting any for-hire transportation.

Additionally, all interstate and international carriers (private, exempt, for-hire) must be registered under the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Agreement. UCR trip permits are not available.

Taxes

The main taxes you need to consider are registration and fuel taxes, mileage taxes, and heavy vehicle use taxes.

Registration and fuel taxes: You'll need temporary registration and fuel permits if the truck is a qualifying vehicle under those programs. Sometimes the state in which the vehicle was purchased will also issue a temporary registration or temporary registration permit so the vehicle has a “plate” of sorts. Then, state-by-state trip and fuel permits can be purchased for the trip home.
Mileage taxes: A few U.S. jurisdictions (including Connecticut, Kentucky, New York, New Mexico, and Oregon) assess mileage or highway use taxes in addition to fuel taxes. Trip permits are available in some cases for carriers not permanently registered.
Heavy vehicle use tax: The Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) applies to highway motor vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more and includes trucks, tractors, and buses. For these vehicles, you must file Form 2290 and Schedule 1 if a taxable highway motor vehicle is registered, or required to be registered, in your name under any state or District of Columbia, Canadian, or Mexican law at the time of its first use.

Publish Date

November 6, 2025

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Industry News

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