What a Georgia trucking company needs to run legal
Every registration a Georgia-based carrier deals with, named agency by agency — plus the per-mile programs waiting in nearby states.
The Georgia carrier stack at a glance
Every state wires carrier compliance differently, and Georgia is no exception. Below is what a carrier based in Georgia actually deals with — which agency issues the IFTA license, where apportioned plates come from, what applies if you never cross the state line, and the drive-through taxes waiting in nearby states.
- IFTA: Georgia Department of Revenue
- IRP (apportioned plates): Georgia Department of Revenue
- Intrastate program: Georgia Intrastate Motor Carrier (GIMC) registration
- Workers' comp: Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation (threshold ~3 employees)
Interstate: IFTA and IRP for Georgia carriers
Your IFTA base jurisdiction is Georgia: the license and quarterly fuel-tax filings go through Georgia Department of Revenue, which issues one license and a set of decals per truck.
Apportioned plates and the cab card come from Georgia Department of Revenue under the International Registration Plan, with annual fees split across the states you run by mileage.
Running intrastate only in Georgia
Georgia runs a named intrastate carrier program — Georgia Intrastate Motor Carrier (GIMC) registration — administered by Georgia Department of Public Safety. If you haul for pay only inside the state, register there before your first load and confirm the exact insurance minimums they require.
Workers' compensation in Georgia
Georgia generally requires workers' compensation once you reach 3 employees. With W2 drivers, confirm your exact obligation with Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation before assuming you're exempt.
Permit states near Georgia
No weight-distance state borders Georgia, but long-haul routes still meet them: Oregon's weight-mile tax, New York's HUT, Kentucky's KYU, New Mexico's weight-distance permit, Connecticut's Highway Use Fee, and California's Clean Truck Check all follow the truck, not the base plate. Register before the route, not after the citation.
The federal baseline (every state)
None of the state items replace the federal floor: USDOT number, MC operating authority with a BOC-3 process agent for interstate for-hire work, primary liability insurance on file with the FMCSA, UCR registration, Form 2290 heavy-vehicle use tax, the MCS-150 biennial update, and driver-side items like medical cards and drug-and-alcohol consortium enrollment. The full picture, resolved for your specific operation, lives in CabCommand's compliance roadmap. Rather than keeping this page bookmarked, let the software carry it: CabCommand builds your Georgia roadmap item by item, watches the renewals, and flags permit-state routes before you roll.
Frequently asked questions
Where does a Georgia carrier get an IFTA license?
Through Georgia Department of Revenue — Georgia is your base jurisdiction, so the license and quarterly returns run through them. Verify current fees and forms with the agency.
Who issues IRP apportioned plates in Georgia?
Georgia Department of Revenue. Fees are computed from your per-state mileage and truck weight, so clean trip records set next year's bill.
Does Georgia require workers' comp for drivers?
Generally once you reach 3 employees — but thresholds carry exceptions, so with W2 drivers confirm with Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation.
Which drive-through state taxes affect Georgia carriers?
None border Georgia, but long-haul routes meet all six: OR weight-mile, NY HUT, KY KYU, NM weight-distance, CT Highway Use Fee, and CA Clean Truck Check.
Keep Georgia compliance handled for you
CabCommand builds this checklist for your exact operation, tracks every renewal, and warns you when a route needs a permit you don't have yet.
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