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Washington trucking rules

Fees, CDL costs, weight and size limits, chain laws and new bills for truckers and trucking companies in Washington. Updated 2026-10-21.

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

Must-know rules

Washington caps trucks over 10,000 lb and all combinations at 60 mph, even where cars can go 70. Snoqualmie and the other passes can require chains, and every truck over 10,000 lb must carry at least two spare chains from Nov 1 to Apr 1. Seattle-area tunnels have hazmat limits, and HB 2410 raises a trucking safety fee. I could not confirm Washington's rules on idling, weigh stations or ports of entry, IFTA/IRP and the weight-distance tax, so they are left out.

Researched by our AI agent from the linked sources on 2026-10-21. Always confirm with the source.

• Must knowTruck speed limit

  State law caps vehicles over 10,000 lb gross and all vehicle combinations at 60 mph. WSDOT can set a lower limit. 'Trucks' on speed signs means those same vehicles.

  RCW 46.61.410 Increases by secretary of transportation—Maximum speed limit for trucks
• Must knowSize limits and when a permit is needed

  WSDOT says an oversize/overweight permit is generally needed for loads over 14 ft high, 8 ft 6 in wide, or 40 ft long (single unit). There are exceptions, including some for log trucks. Legal weight depends on vehicle length and number of axles.

  WSDOT Gray Notebook - Commercial Vehicle Services - Oversize or overweight permits

Weight limits, oversize permits and chain laws

Our agent is still researching Washington's weight, size and chain rules. Check back soon.

Fees and DOT requirements

Washington's CDL add-on fee is the same for Class A and B. The main trap is that trucks pay gross-weight registration on a statutory table, and a 26,001 lb truck is charged at the next bracket up (28,000 lb). Intrastate for-hire freight carriers need a UTC common carrier permit, which costs $275 once. Washington also requires a USDOT number for many intrastate trucks, even when FMCSA would not.

Class B CDL

$217 for 8 years (about $27.12 a year)
$217 is the DOL renewal total for an 8-year term: $81 standard renewal + $136 CDL add-on. The 6-year option is $163 ($61 + $102). Per RCW 46.20.049, the CDL add-on is $136 per class for an 8-year term, or $17 per year for any other term. An original CDL costs the first-license fee plus the CDL add-o Source

Class A CDL

$217 for 8 years (about $27.12 a year)
Same as Class B. The statute sets one add-on fee 'for each class' ($136 for 8 years, or $17 per year for other terms), so DOL charges the same for Class A. The 6-year option is $163. The CLP is $40 and the knowledge exam is $35. A skills test of $175 per attempt is reported by training providers onl Source

Registration, 26,001 lb straight truck

$365.20 a year Source

Registration, 80,000 lb combination

$1,830 a year Source

How registration is figured

Declared gross weight, from a statutory fee table in 2,000 lb steps (RCW 46.17.355). Schedule A applies to trucks that do not tow trailers and to log haulers. Schedule B applies to trucks that tow trailers. If your weight is not listed, it is rounded up to the next listed weight. Vehicles over 10,00
26,001 lb is not a table row, so it rounds up to 28,000 lb on Schedule A, which is $365.20. A truck at exactly 26,000 lb would be $339.15. The 80,000 lb combination uses Schedule B, which is $1,830.00 (Schedule A is $1,740.00). These are base weight fees only, before the 15% freight project fee, the filing fee (RCW 46.17.005) and any other fees. The statute says that beginning July 1, 2026 the wei Source

Intrastate operating authority

Common carrier permit (UTC) for general commodities. Household goods movers need a separate Household Goods Carrier perm. $275, one-time.
Intrastate common carriers hauling general commodities, excluding household goods, must get a permit from the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) before hauling for hire in Washington. The application fee is $275 for new general-commodities authority. Adding hazmat or armored car to existing authority is $100, and a reinstatement within 10 months of cancellation is $100. A UBI number is Source

State DOT requirements

• Must knowUSDOT number for intrastate carriers

  Washington requires a USDOT number for intrastate operations. The UTC application states it is required for a vehicle or combination with a GVWR of 16,001 lb or more, or for hauling placarded hazmat. The UTC also says Washington law requires one for other UTC-regulated carriers regardless of weight, even if FMCSA says you do not need one. Washington has no separate state DOT number. You get the USDOT number from FMCSA.

  USDOT Number Requirement (UTC)

See all 7 DOT requirements with full access

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

New Washington trucking bills

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

• Enacted WA HB2410: Establishing a commercial truck safety and education council. Effective date 6/11/2026. · 2026-03-16

Bill data from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).