Trailer Decals for Business: Name, Unit Number, GVWR and VIN

Trailer decals for a business usually carry a name and phone number, plus a unit number, a GVWR line or the VIN if you want the trailer identified at a glance. The federal USDOT marking rule applies to the power unit, not the trailer, so trailer lettering is mostly for your own use. Our decals are solid rectangles, so on a large enclosed trailer they work as sign panels, not as a full-wall graphic.

Business name and phone on an enclosed trailer

A name and a phone number do the advertising on a trailer that parks at job sites. A sample for an event-rental trailer:

• SUMMIT EVENT RENTALS
• 555-0142
• Tables, tents and delivery

The Business Name + Phone Number decal holds these three lines. For a website or a fourth line, use the Make-Your-Own 5-Line decal. A panel on each side, and a plain name-and-phone panel on the rear door, gives drivers behind you something to read. If you prefer a brand mark, the Shield Badge Alpine Logo is a badge-style custom logo design that works on a door and on trailers, at $120 per door.

The federal marking rule is on the power unit

The marking rule, 49 CFR 390.21, applies to the self-propelled vehicle: the truck or tractor. FMCSA's 2000 final rule did not extend it to trailers, and its news release says carriers display their name and USDOT number on both sides of the power unit.

The trailer still matters for weight. A towed unit counts toward the combination rating in the federal definition of a commercial motor vehicle (49 CFR 390.5T). State rules can differ, so confirm yours. The full explanation is in DOT requirements for trailers, and the rule itself is summarized at USDOT number display rules.

Unit numbers and the GVWR line

The Trailer / Unit Number pair gives you matched decals with a GVWR line. A sample:

• TRAILER 07
• GVWR 7000 LB

The unit number lets you tell trailers apart in a yard. Nothing in the federal marking rule requires it. GVWR is the manufacturer's maximum loaded weight rating, which 49 CFR 390.5T defines as a value the manufacturer specifies. Copy it from your trailer's own paperwork. For a weight line on its own, use the GVW / Weight Decal. The unit number guide has more.

The VIN decal for trailers

The new VIN decal prints a vehicle identification number on a decal made for trucks and trailers, so you can read the VIN from outside without hunting for the plate. You can letter the full VIN or only its last 8 characters, so decide which you want and type it exactly as it appears on the trailer's title or label. Place it near the unit number so the two read together.

How to apply a large decal on a trailer wall

Every order includes a printed instruction sheet and a link to the install video, which you can also watch on the install page. The short version:

1. Wash the wall and let it dry completely, free of wax or polish.
2. Work in shade and mild temperatures if you can.
3. Choose a smooth, flat panel away from rivets, seams and ribs.
4. Measure from the trailer's edges, not by eye, and mark the position with masking tape. Check that it is level.
5. Keep a squeegee, a clean cloth and a sharp blade or pin close by, and ask a helper to hold a wide decal.

The install guide covers doors and large panels in more detail.