Vehicle marking/Identification - California

Intrastate

California Identification Number — A motor carrier (except a household goods carrier), whose principal place of business is in California, who operates from a terminal in California, or who is required to be licensed pursuant to §32000.5 of the California Vehicle Code, must obtain and display a California Identification (CA) number issued by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

California also requires interstate carriers that are BOTH delivering AND picking up loads in California to obtain a CA number from the California Highway Patrol.

Interstate

Note: Interstate carriers must obtain a CA Number from the California Highway Patrol if they both pick up and deliver loads in California. Refer to intrastate above for information.

All commercial motor carriers (for-hire and private) operating interstate are subject to the marking requirements of 49 CFR 390.21 which requires all CMVs to display, on both sides of the power unit, the US DOT number and the legal name of the business entity that owns or controls the motor carrier operation, or the “doing business as” (DBA) name, as it appears on the Form MCS-150.

Any new or used commercial vehicles added to a motor carrier’s fleet must be identified with the US DOT number and single trade name before being put into service.

The regulations do not require the city, state or MC number to be displayed on the vehicle.