Do I Need to Put My Company Name on My Truck?

Do I need to put my company name on my truck? If the truck is a commercial motor vehicle covered by the federal marking rule, yes. The rule asks for the name of the carrier operating it, plus the USDOT number, on both sides (49 CFR 390.21). It is not your logo or your brand that matters. It is the name on your FMCSA registration.

If your vehicle is not covered by that rule, the federal marking rule does not ask for your name. Some states and licensing boards have their own lettering rules, so check with yours.

Commercial truck lettering requirements for the name

The rule says the marking shows "the legal name or a single trade name of the motor carrier operating the self-propelled CMV, as listed on the motor carrier identification report (Form MCS-150)" (49 CFR 390.21). Three parts of that sentence matter on a door:

• One name. Legal name or a single trade name, not a mix and not two names stacked.
• The operating carrier. The company running the truck, which is not always the company that owns it.
• As listed. It has to match your registration, not just sound close.

The letters have to contrast sharply with the background and be readable from 50 feet in daylight, on both sides. Our USDOT number display rules page walks through that part.

Spelling has to match your registration

FMCSA's summary of the rule says the name on the vehicle must match the information on the carrier's Form MCS-150 (FMCSA highlights). The identification rules also say only the legal name or a single trade name may be used on the registration forms (49 CFR 390.19T).

So before you order, pull up your own record and copy the name exactly as shown, including any LLC or Inc. if that is how it is listed. Our USDOT number lookup guide shows how to find it for free. A shorthand you use with customers, such as a nickname, is not what the rule is looking for.

What to do with a DBA

A DBA is a trade name. The rule allows a single trade name, as listed on your registration. The point to check is whether that trade name is actually on your record. FMCSA's Motus public search can look up a record by USDOT number, legal name or DBA (FMCSA), so you can see what is there.

If your door should say one name and your record says another, fix the record first. How to change the name on a record is a question for FMCSA and the Motus system, so check there before you letter the door.

When another name is on the truck

If another person's name appears on the vehicle, the operating carrier's name and USDOT number must follow it, preceded by the words "operated by" (49 CFR 390.21). FMCSA's guidance for vehicles used by two or more carriers says the markings of the carrier responsible for the operation must be displayed at the time of transportation (FMCSA).

Leased and rented vehicles

Leases and rentals are where names go wrong most often.

• Property-carrying leases. The lease rule says that during the lease, the carrier identifies the equipment under the federal identification rules (49 CFR 376.11). Check your lease for who supplies the door markings. A removable sign is allowed if it meets the same requirements (49 CFR 390.21), so it can come off when the lease ends.
• Short rentals. For a rental of 30 calendar days or less, the vehicle may carry the rental company's name and USDOT number instead, if the rental agreement has the required details and is carried on the vehicle (49 CFR 390.21). Read the full conditions before you rely on this.

City, state and other lines

The federal rule does not require a city and state. FMCSA said it does not prohibit them either (FMCSA highlights). Other identifying information, such as a phone number, a website or an MC number, may be shown if it is not inconsistent with the required name and number.

That freedom has one limit: nothing you add should make the required lines harder to read or confuse them. Keep the name and USDOT lines large and plain, and treat extras as secondary. On our builder a city line adds $6 per decal, and our Company Name + USDOT decal puts the name and number together on one rectangle. If you want a full set of lines, see the Custom USDOT Logo or browse company name decals for trucks.

Before you order

1. Look up your record and copy the name exactly.
2. Decide on one name, legal or a single trade name.
3. Check state rules if you operate only inside one state, using our state requirements guide.
4. Confirm with FMCSA or your state, since rules change.