Georgia DOT Number Requirements: USDOT Plus the GA Suffix

DOT number requirements GA come with one Georgia-only detail. For a carrier engaged solely in intrastate transportation, Georgia's rule says the USDOT marking is followed by the letters "GA", with the example "USDOT 000000 GA" (Georgia DPS rulebook). The number is still the one FMCSA issued to you. The GA is the part Georgia asks you to add on the door. This page reads the rule slowly, shows how to lay out the line and lists what to ask the state.

Reading the rule one phrase at a time

The sentence in the rulebook (Rule 1-390.21(h)(1)) packs three conditions into a few words.

• "Engaged solely in intrastate transportation." The GA clause is written for these carriers. Under the federal definitions, a trip between two places in one state can still count as interstate when it is part of a movement that starts or ends outside the state (49 CFR 390.5T). Georgia's rule uses its own words, so a mixed operation is a question for the state.
• "Followed by." The letters come after the number, not before it. USDOT 1234567 GA is the order the rule describes.
• "The letters GA." The example writes them as two capital letters with no punctuation. It does not spell out the word Georgia.

A worked example for the door

Take Acme Trucking, a made-up carrier that never leaves Georgia, with the made-up number 1234567. Its door reads:

• ACME TRUCKING
• USDOT 1234567 GA

The top line is the name as listed on the carrier's FMCSA registration, since the marking rule ties the name to that record (49 CFR 390.21). The second line is the Georgia version of the number line. The marking goes on both sides, in colors that contrast sharply with the door, and can be read from 50 feet in daylight with the truck stopped (same rule). Our display rules page covers that part in plain words, and where to put the USDOT number on a truck covers placement on the door.

Slips we would look for before ordering:

• GA placed ahead of the number.
• "Georgia" spelled out instead of the two letters.
• GA set so small that the end of the line fades first. Stand 50 feet away and read the whole line, GA included.
• A name that has drifted from the registration. Our examples and mistakes guide has the full list.

The 10,001 pound line, and "among other tests"

The same rulebook describes a commercial motor vehicle in intrastate commerce as one with a GVWR, GCWR, GVW or GCW of 10,001 pounds or more, among other tests (Georgia DPS rulebook).

Two reading tips. First, the federal definitions let a combination rating be the sum of the ratings of the power unit and the towed unit (49 CFR 390.5T), so a truck under the line alone can be over it with a trailer behind. Second, "among other tests" means weight is not the whole definition. We did not copy the other tests here, so read the definition itself before deciding your truck sits outside it.

Lightweight vehicles have an extra list

The rulebook also names "lightweight commercial motor vehicles." It says they must show the name of the motor carrier, the city and state of principal domicile and the company telephone number, in the size, shape, location and color specified by 390.21 (Georgia DPS rulebook).

We did not verify where Georgia draws the line for "lightweight," so read that definition. If your truck is in the group, a decal with only the number leaves items off. The make-your-own five-line decal takes whatever lines you type, and the phone number decal prints a number in large digits.

Getting the number

The number on a Georgia door is the USDOT number. New ones are applied for in FMCSA's Motus system at motus.dot.gov (FMCSA), and FMCSA's list of states that require intrastate registrants to obtain a USDOT number includes Georgia (FMCSA). Our guide to getting a USDOT number covers the steps and the look-alike-site warning.

If you are asking whether Georgia has an application of its own beyond that registration, we did not verify one. Ask DPS.

Questions to ask Georgia DPS

Write down the date and the name of whoever answers.

1. Given where my loads start and finish, is my truck engaged solely in intrastate transportation?
2. Does my truck, or my truck and trailer together, fall inside the intrastate definition?
3. Is my vehicle a lightweight commercial motor vehicle that needs the extra lines?
4. Is anything expected on the door beyond name, USDOT number and GA?

Ordering the GA decal

The USDOT Decal with GA Suffix prints USDOT, your number and GA on one rectangle. It is $18.99 per decal, and the Set of 2 option gives you a matching decal for each door at $37.98. You pick the width (12, 18 or 24 inches, which are decal widths and not legal sizes), the lettering color and the sticker background color.

If you want the number line without GA, the USDOT Decal Sticker is the same price. Preview your lines on a truck door in the door builder before checkout. We print what you order. Rules change, and Georgia DPS is where to confirm yours. For how other states differ, see USDOT number requirements by state.