USDOT only
Custom USDOT Logo
Your business name, city, USDOT and MC together on one decal. Pick color, pick size, stick it on.
$26$50per decal
By vehicle
Tow Truck Door Decals: Name, Phone, USDOT and Operated By
Tow truck door decals with your name, phone and USDOT number, the operated by wording for trucks working under another company, and roadside contrast.
Tow truck door decals usually carry the company name, a phone number and, where the truck is covered, the USDOT number. If the truck works under another company's name, the operating carrier's name and USDOT number follow the words "operated by". Choose strong contrast, because a tow truck gets read at the roadside, often from a moving car.
What goes on a tow truck door
A tow truck that the marking rule covers is lettered like any other power unit, and a phone line is an extra you choose. Two sample layouts:
- HARBOR TOWING, DALLAS, TX, 555-0142, USDOT 1234567, set in the Make-Your-Own 5-Line decal with one line to spare.
- HARBOR TOWING over 555-0142, in the Business Name + Phone Number decal, with a USDOT decal beneath it.
The federal marking rule, 49 CFR 390.21, asks for the carrier's legal name or a single trade name and the USDOT number. It also says other identifying information, such as a phone number, may be displayed if it is not inconsistent with what is required.
State rules vary. The Texas Department of Public Safety, for example, lists the owner or operator name, the motor carrier registration number, the city of the place of business and a telephone number with area code as the markings for a tow truck. Check your own state before you order.
Operated by: when the truck works under another company
Sometimes a tow truck carries one company's name while another company runs it. The rule covers that: if another person's name appears on the vehicle, the operating carrier's name and USDOT number follow it, preceded by the words "operated by". A sample stack:
- METRO RECOVERY GROUP
- OPERATED BY
- HARBOR TOWING
- USDOT 1234567
We print the lines exactly as you type them, so the wording is yours to get right. Our Make-Your-Own 5-Line decal takes any text. If you are not sure which company counts as the operating carrier, ask FMCSA. The who needs a USDOT number guide covers the basics.
Contrast for night and roadside work
The federal test is daylight legibility from 50 feet with the truck stopped (49 CFR 390.21). A recovery truck also works in rain, at night and under flashing lights. We do not sell reflective vinyl and make no claim about night visibility. What you control is contrast.
- Choose a pair with a wide gap in lightness: black on yellow or white, or white on black or blue.
- Avoid pairings with similar brightness, such as silver with white or red on blue.
- Wipe the decals when you wash the truck, since road film dulls them.
More on color and type choices is in truck lettering fonts and colors.
Unit numbers for a tow fleet
A short "TRUCK 7" on both doors lets a dispatcher or a yard attendant name the truck without reading a registration number. The single number decal fits a unit number, which no federal rule requires. You can preview any of these in the door builder.
Frequently asked questions
Do tow trucks need a USDOT number?
It depends on the truck's weight rating and use, not on the fact that it is a tow truck. A vehicle in interstate commerce is a commercial motor vehicle at 10,001 pounds GVWR or GCWR or more (49 CFR 390.5T). Some states add rules for in-state work. Check the rating on your truck's label and your state's agency.
Can I put my phone number on a tow truck door?
Yes. The marking rule lets you display other identifying information as long as it is not inconsistent with the required name and USDOT number (49 CFR 390.21). Keep the required lines clear and make the phone line easy to read from the road.
Do I need an MC number on a tow truck?
The MC number is not part of the federal marking rule: FMCSA says no marking requirement exists for it. It is interstate operating authority, which in general applies to carriers hauling regulated cargo for others across state lines. Whether your towing work needs it is a question for FMCSA. Add an MC line only if you hold the authority. Compare MC and USDOT numbers.
Will the decals show up at night?
We cannot promise that. Our decals are not reflective, and the federal test is a daytime one. A solid sticker color with lettering that contrasts sharply is the part you control, and a clean surface helps. If a customer or contract asks for reflective lettering, check with them before ordering.
How should I number a tow fleet?
Keep it short and consistent: the same format on every truck, on both doors, in the same position. A number such as "TRUCK 7" is easy to say over the radio. Decide the scheme before you order, because a printed number cannot be edited, only replaced with a new decal.
Decals for this
All decals →Regulation numbers
USDOT + MC Two-Line Decal
The classic interstate stack: USDOT over MC. Centered, spaced, 2" letters. Add GVW or CA# in the builder.
$16.99$28per decal
Make your own
Business Name + Phone Number Decal
Business name, optional tagline and phone number on one door decal for trucks and vans. $24.99 each.
$24.99per decal
Make your own
Make-Your-Own 5-Line Lettering (Any Text)
Five free-text lines: company, city, USDOT, MC + one spare (phone, GVW, CA#, website). You type it, we space it.
$45$68per decal
Keep reading
All guides →Rules and requirements
Who Needs a USDOT Number? A Plain-Words Walkthrough
A step-by-step way to tell whether your truck, van or pickup counts as a commercial motor vehicle, and where state rules can change the answer.
Read →Rules and requirementsMC Number vs DOT Number: What Each One Is
A USDOT number is the safety registration every covered carrier has. An MC number is operating authority for for-hire carriers. Here is the difference and what goes on the door.
Read →Choosing and ordering decalsSemi Truck Lettering Fonts and Colors That Read Clearly
The federal rule names no font, only sharp contrast and 50-foot legibility. See which of our sticker and lettering color pairings read clearly and which to avoid.
Read →More decals for your truck
All decals by vehicle →By vehicle
Van Lettering for Cargo and Sprinter Vans: Name, Phone and USDOT
Van lettering for cargo and Sprinter vans: name, phone and service-line decals, USDOT lettering when the van is covered, sliding door layouts and fleet sets.
See decals →By vehicleTrailer Decals for Business: Name, Unit Number, GVWR and VIN
Trailer decals for business and enclosed trailers: name and phone panels, unit numbers, a GVWR line and the new VIN decal, plus how to apply a large decal.
See decals →By vehicleHotshot Trucking DOT Number Decals for Pickups and Trailers
Hotshot trucking DOT number decals: why combination weight decides it, when for-hire loads need MC, and layouts for pickup doors and trailers.
See decals →By needDOT Number Stickers for Trucks
DOT number stickers made to order in 3M and Oracal vinyl. Compare USDOT-only, two-line, name and four-line decals from $12.99, with a 3-year guarantee.
See decals →See it on a truck door first
Type your lines, pick the size and colors, and watch your decal on the door. Questions? Email info@workdecals.com.