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West Virginia trucking rules

Fees, CDL costs, weight and size limits, chain laws and new bills for truckers and trucking companies in West Virginia. Updated 2026-10-22.

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

Must-know rules

West Virginia puts weight enforcement and excess-weight permits under the Public Service Commission, not the DOT or State Police. Intrastate-only trucks need a state Motor Carrier Road Tax decal, and out-of-state IFTA carriers do not. I could not confirm the rules on chains, idling, hazmat routing or tunnels, or any 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 knowWeight enforcement and excess-weight permits

  Since July 1, 2003, the Public Service Commission has had jurisdiction over weight enforcement. It also issues excess-weight permits. Go to the PSC, not the DOT, for overweight permits.

  West Virginia Code §17C-17B-2 (Transfer of weight enforcement and permit jurisdiction to PSC)
• Must knowWeigh and inspection stops

  A police officer, weighing-crew member or commercial vehicle enforcement officer who finds a violation can make you stay put or move to a suitable location until it is fixed. Weight enforcement officers and PSC commercial vehicle enforcement officers have concurrent jurisdiction with police.

  WV HB 3132 (2021) text, amending §17A-11-4 and §17C-17-10

Weight limits, oversize permits and chain laws

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

Fees and DOT requirements

West Virginia's state fees are low. A CDL costs about $26–$61 depending on age and term, and truck registration is set by declared gross weight, reaching about $1,131 at 80,000 lb. For-hire intrastate carriers need a Public Service Commission (PSC) certificate or permit, not just a USDOT number. Intrastate-only trucks over 26,000 lb also need Motor Carrier Road Tax decals from the Tax Division, a requirement many states don't have.

Class B CDL

$43.75 for 5 years (about $8.75 a year)
The fee is not flat. Class A, B and C CDLs are issued by date of birth, and the fee ranges from $26.25 to $61.25 depending on the number of years issued. The 2022 DMV handbook chart (copy at https://static.epermittest.com/media/filer_public/c4/b2/c4b2ad67-d337-4b31-afc3-25a3289aa169/west-virginia-dm Source

Class A CDL

$43.75 for 5 years (about $8.75 a year)
Class A uses the same fee schedule as Class B. Class A, B and C CDLs are issued by date of birth, with fees from $26.25 to $61.25 depending on the years issued. The handbook chart (see Class B) shows $26.25 (3 years) to $61.25 (7 years), and $43.75 for 5 years. Endorsement, combination/air-brake add Source

Registration, 26,001 lb straight truck

$188.50 a year Source

Registration, 80,000 lb combination

$1,131.25 a year Source

How registration is figured

A truck used separately is charged by the declared gross weight on the registration application. For a truck-tractor pulling a trailer, the basis is the combined declared gross weight of the tractor and trailer. Trucks over 10,000 lb are Class B under W. Va. Code 17A-10-3. For declared weights over
These two figures are my arithmetic from the statute, not numbers printed in a fee table. At 26,001 lb: $78.50 plus 11 increments of $10 = $188.50. At 80,000 lb: $737.50 plus 25 increments of $15.75 = $1,131.25. The DMV fee brochure says its schedule includes a $1.00 litter fee and a $0.50 insurance enforcement fee. The brochure (https://transportation.wv.gov/dmv/dmvformsearch/registration-fees-br Source

Intrastate operating authority

Certificate of convenience and necessity (common carriers) or contract-carrier permit, issued by the WV Public Service C. $100, annual.
Applying for a certificate of convenience and necessity or a contract-carrier permit costs $100.00. The $100 application fee is one-time, but the authority must be kept active every fiscal year. No for-hire carrier may operate in a fiscal year until it has filed an annual insurance registration form, paid the $25.00 annual insurance registration fee, filed proof of insurance, and received PSC appr Source Non-government source

State DOT requirements

• Must knowUSDOT number for intrastate carriers

  FMCSA lists West Virginia among the states that require intrastate commercial vehicle registrants to obtain a USDOT number. PSC Rule 4.13.1 requires carriers to obtain and display identification on for-hire vehicles and on commercial vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001 lb or more. The rule text I could access was truncated, and a third-party guide reads it as the USDOT number.

  FMCSA - Do I Need a USDOT Number?

See all 9 DOT requirements with full access

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

New West Virginia trucking bills

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

• Pending WV SB1025: Allowing CDL license renewal without medical retest under certain circumstances To Judiciary · 2026-02-20
• Pending WV HB5535: Relating to tow truck lighting To House Energy and Public Works · 2026-02-16
• Pending WV HB4551: West Virginia Safe Trucking Act 2026 To House Government Adminstration · 2026-01-20

Bill data from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).