How To Apply for a GA DOT Number Online

Your career as a trucker or carrier supervisor depends on your operating authority. USDOT number registration is among the most discussed elements when beginning your career. However, you might need more to operate within the entirety of the United States. 

Freely crossing state lines sometimes requires a state DOT number. Georgia requires truckers to obtain a GA DOT number when they use its state roads. FMCA Filings explains how to apply for a GA DOT number online. 

The Differences Between State DOT Numbers and USDOT Numbers

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandates that all commercial vehicles traveling interstate have a USDOT number. A federal DOT number grants truckers with a basic level of operating authority to cross state lines. The FMCSA uses it to identify and access a carrier’s safety audits and other identifying information regarding its compliance. 

However, many states require separate DOT numbers per their state transportation agencies’ regulations, with Georgia among them. Whether you operate within the state or need to cross into it, you’ll need a GA DOT number to work your route legally.

What Is a GA DOT Number?

A GA DOT number serves a similar purpose as a USDOT number. However, it protects and contributes to resources for Georgia roads rather than nationally. The Georgia Department of Transportation issues the state’s DOT number to qualifying truckers operating within the state. 

GA DOT number requirements typically apply to trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds. However, you might also need Georgia Intrastate Motor Carrier authority regardless of your vehicle’s GVWR. Intrastate motor carrier authority applies to smaller trucks, truck-and-trailer combinations, and vans transporting goods within the state without crossing other borders. 

What Makes Georgia Different?

Georgia has strict state requirements because of its unique position as an import and export gate. Savannah, Georgia, houses one of the largest seaports in the nation. Therefore, many truckers who pick up and drop off overseas loads use this Southeastern hub to fulfill their route’s requirements. 

Georgia also boasts a sizable trucking industry influenced by Savannah’s size and position. Therefore, commercial truckers frequently use state roads to take their loads from point A to point B. The Georgia Department of Transportation must implement strict roadway standards that closely reflect those enforced by the FMCSA. 

Who Needs a GA DOT Number?

Before you learn how to apply for a GA DOT number online, find out whether you need one to continue legal, compliant operations. The Georgia DOT lists the characteristics mandating its state DOT number:

• Interstate vehicles with a GVWR of over 10,000 pounds
• Current commercial vehicle registration
• Vehicles transporting hazardous materials, regardless of GVWR
• Passenger vehicles transporting over eight people for compensation
• Passenger vehicles transporting over 15 people with no compensation

These characteristics don’t just apply to semi-trucks. Fire trucks, garbage collection trucks, buses, and vehicles transporting construction equipment must also obtain a GA DOT number.  

What Happens When You Ignore GA DOT Regulations?

The GA DOT has a structure that closely resembles the USDOT. Instead of the FMCSA, it uses the Motor Carrier Compliance Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety to enforce the compliance regulations required of all trucking companies using its state roads. When a company operates within the state without the required operating authority, it risks the MCCD’s consequences, including:

• Up to $15,000 for each infraction
• An additional $10,000 per day of continued infractions
• Eventual revocation of operating authority 

Therefore, obtaining and retaining your GA DOT number benefits your trucking career and carrier. These consequences can impact your ability to reach one of the largest and most essential ports in the United States. 

How To Apply for a GA DOT Number Online

The application process for a GA DOT number closely resembles the process for a USDOT number. First, you need your USDOT number or PIN to create an account through FMCA Filings’ DOT portal. This portal allows you to keep your filings in one convenient digital location where you can access proof, deadlines, and other information at any time. 

Alternatively, apply once for a state permit under the website’s “Filings and Permits” section. Most state filings can take up to a month to process. However, they typically take two weeks or less. Once you receive your GA DOT number, you can operate legally within Georgia, accessing its roads and ports. 

Simplify State and Federal Compliance With Assistance From FMCA Filings

If you want to know how to apply for a GA DOT number online, you might want to learn about USDOT numbers first. These numbers are often the first step toward comprehensive operating authority. Learn how long it takes to get a DOT number from FMCA Filings. 

Use our filing services and online customer service to comply with state and federal regulations. Our agents are available to chat during normal business hours.