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Georgia trucking rules

Fees, CDL costs, weight and size limits, chain laws and new bills for truckers and trucking companies in Georgia. Updated 2026-10-24.

Must-know rules · Weight, oversize & chains · Fees · Bills

Must-know rules

Georgia has no separate truck speed limit, and its Hands-Free law adds CDL-specific limits on top of the federal handheld ban. The state's Motor Carrier Compliance Division is now called Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) under HB 116. I could not confirm chain or traction rules, port-of-entry or weigh-station stop rules, hazmat routing or tunnels, or a statewide idling limit from official sources, so those are left out or flagged.

Researched by our AI agent from the linked sources on 2026-10-22. Always confirm with the source.

• Must knowOversize/overweight permit tiers and fees

  GDOT lists a Standard Single permit at $30 for width or height up to 16' and weight up to 150,000 lb. Superload Single is $125 (over 16' wide or high, or 150,001–180,000 lb) and can take up to 3 days to approve. Superload Plus is $500 (over 180,000 lb), needs a bridge analysis, and can take up to 3 weeks. The GDOT page looks older and mentions the GAPROS system, so confirm current fees there.

  Oversize Permits and Regulations - GDOT
• Must knowHandheld phone and texting (CDL drivers)

  Georgia's Hands-Free Act (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241) bars holding or supporting a phone. CMV operators may use only one button to start or end a call. They also may not reach for a device in a way that takes them out of the seated, belted position. Texting is prohibited under both state and federal rules.

  Georgia DPS: Are you Ready for Hands-Free in Georgia?

Weight limits, oversize permits and chain laws

Georgia's no-permit limits are 8'6" wide, 13'6" high, a 53-ft standard trailer and 80,000 lb gross. A standard single-trip oversize/overweight permit costs $30 and comes from GDOT. Georgia has no seasonal "must carry chains" rule. Chains are required only when a road is posted as limited-access in winter weather. I found no frost law or seasonal weight restriction. The GDOT permit page I could retrieve is an old snapshot, so confirm fees and hours with GDOT.

Weight limits

80,000 lb gross, 20,340 lb single axle, 34,000 lb tandem
The 34,000 lb tandem figure applies when gross weight is over 73,280 lb or length is over 55 ft. Below that, DPS lists 40,680 lb tandem. On state routes, DPS lists 37,340 lb tandem on all trucks (axles within 216 in) and 40,680 lb on tractor-semitrailers. State routes allow 80,000 lb on 5 axles and 70,000 lb on 4 axles, subject to the state bridge formula. Containerized freight with a port origin
Permits are for non-divisible loads only. Divisible loads cannot be permitted. A single-trip permit costs $30 for up to 150,000 lb and 16 ft wide/high. A superload permit costs $125 for 150,001-180,000 lb or over 16 ft wide/high. A superload plus permit (over 180,000 lb) requires a bridge analysis. GDOT's page lists typical permit weights by axle count, from 46,000 lb on 2 axles to 100,000 lb on 5 Source

Legal size without a permit

8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high, 53 ft semitrailer
Single-trip oversize permit: $30 from GDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Unit. Single-trip and annual permits and customer service: (844) 837-5500. Main office: (404) 635-8176. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:
The GDOT rule (672-2-.03) allows permitted moves Monday-Saturday only, from 30 min after sunrise to 30 min before sunset, unless the permit says otherwise. Sunday is not allowed. The 2026 state rule says permits are not valid inside the I-285 area Mon-Fri 7-9am and 3-6pm. The older GDOT page and third-party sites say 4-6pm, so confirm the evening window. Permitted loads may not move in fog, snow o Source

Chain law

Chains required when signs say so
Georgia has no seasonal carry requirement. GDOT may limit access to a road in winter weather and post signs. Commercial vehicles with 4+ drive wheels must then chain at least four drive tires, and buses at least two. The Georgia Trucking Association and TheTrucker.com guide for 2026-27 both report a fine of up to $1,000 for blocking traffic or causing a crash. I could not retrieve the statute text Source Non-government source

• Must knowAtlanta I-285 restriction

  The older GDOT page says no permitted load may travel into or through the area inside I-285 unless it is picking up or delivering there. Rush-hour windows also apply (see the travel limits above).

  Oversize Permits and Regulations - GDOT

Fees and DOT requirements

Georgia's state CDL fee is low ($32 for 8 years for both Class A and B), and annual truck registration is set by declared weight, not value. Intrastate-only carriers still have to register each vehicle with the Department of Public Safety (GIMC, $5 per vehicle per year) and display a USDOT number with a 'GA' suffix. Trucks registered in Georgia outside IRP also owe a $100 heavy-vehicle highway user impact fee.

Class B CDL

$32 for 8 years (about $4 a year)
DDS's published fee page lists the license at $32 for 8 years. The Class B restricted (seasonal) CDL is valid 5 years. A CDL with an H or X endorsement is also capped at 5 years, per a third-party summary of DDS materials. Other state fees: $35 commercial application (CAP) fee, which a third-party s Source

Class A CDL

$32 for 8 years (about $4 a year)
Same DDS fee line as Class B: $32 for 8 years for Class A, B and C. A CDL with an H or X endorsement is capped at 5 years. Other state fees are the same as for Class B: $35 application (CAP), $10 CLP, $50 road skills test per attempt, and $5 per endorsement if added after initial issuance. Applicant Source

Registration, 26,001 lb straight truck

$85 a year Source

Registration, 80,000 lb combination

$725 a year Source

How registration is figured

Annual license fee is based on the owner's declared registered gross weight, in bands set by O.C.G.A. 40-2-151 and the DOR 'Schedule of Motor Vehicle License Plates and Fees'. It is not based on vehicle value. The schedule has separate 'not for hire' and 'for hire' columns.
Figures are the DOR schedule's 1-year fees for the 26,001-30,000 lb band and the 63,281 lb-to-maximum band (80,000 lb falls in the top band). $85 and $725 are the 'for hire' rates (plates HF and HK). Private ('not for hire') rates are $45 (PF) and $400 (PK). I read the 'for hire' label from the table layout, so confirm it on the schedule. The statute caps a for-hire straight truck that is not a tr Source

Intrastate operating authority

Georgia Intrastate Motor Carrier (GIMC) registration, administered by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Household g. $5, annual.
The fee is $5 per vehicle for new applicants or those registering before Jan 1, and $25 per vehicle after the deadline (DPS GIMC application instructions; DOR rule 560-10-31-.05 also shows $5 per vehicle and a $25 late penalty). For-hire carriers must also have their insurer file a Form E (public liability and property damage). The registration is not active until all documents are received and al Source Non-government source

State DOT requirements

• Must knowIntrastate USDOT number and markings

  Intrastate-only carriers with a GVWR over 10,000 lb (or certain passenger/placarded-hazmat operations) must have a USDOT number. They must display it on each vehicle preceded by 'USDOT' and followed by 'GA', with the legal or single trade name. DPS materials direct carriers to get the number from FMCSA via Form MCS-150, choosing 'intrastate'. I found no Georgia application fee for the number.

  Requirements for Georgia Intrastate Commercial Motor Carriers (DPS Fact Sheet)

See all 9 DOT requirements with full access

Fees change; confirm with the linked state source. Compare all states.

New Georgia trucking bills

Enacted signed into law · Pending still moving through the legislature · Did not pass

• Enacted GA HB116: Public Safety, Department of; Motor Carrier Compliance Division to Commercial Vehicle Enforcement; change name Effective Date 2025-07-01 · 2025-05-08

Bill data from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).