To title a commercial vehicle, you file a title application with your state motor vehicle agency using proof of ownership, a bill of sale, the vehicle’s weight ratings and VIN, commercial insurance, your business or tax ID, and payment for the title fee and any sales or use tax. If the truck’s taxable gross weight is 55,000 pounds or more, you also need a stamped IRS Form 2290 before the state will finalize registration. A vehicle generally moves onto the commercial titling track once it has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, carries passengers for compensation, or hauls placarded hazardous materials.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 31101 – Definitions2eCFR. 49 CFR 390.5 – Definitions
The weight rating printed on the manufacturer’s label is what controls, not what the scale reads on any given day. Your state uses that number to route the application into the commercial fee schedule, which carries different insurance and documentation standards than a passenger vehicle title.
Documents to Gather Before You Apply
Commercial applications are less forgiving of missing paperwork than personal ones. Pull everything together before you start the form.
- Proof of ownership. For a new truck, that’s the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin from the dealer. For a used vehicle, it’s the previous owner’s title signed over to you on the assignment line.
- Bill of sale showing purchase price, transaction date, buyer, and seller. States use it to calculate sales or use tax.
- Weight certifications: unladen weight and gross vehicle weight rating. These drive your registration fees, and a wrong figure means paying to correct the title later.
- Federal Employer Identification Number if the vehicle is going in a business name. Sole proprietors can sometimes use a Social Security number, but businesses with an EIN should use it consistently across title, registration, and tax filings.
- Commercial insurance binder or declaration page showing liability coverage that meets your state’s minimums. States will not process a commercial title without proof of active coverage.
VIN Verification
Most states require a physical VIN inspection before issuing a commercial title, especially for out-of-state vehicles, rebuilt equipment, or trucks with no prior registration history in that state. A law enforcement officer or authorized inspector compares the 17-character VIN stamped on the chassis against your paperwork. Any mismatch stops the application and can trigger a fraud investigation. Schedule the inspection early, because availability varies by location.
Odometer Disclosure
Federal law normally requires a written odometer disclosure at transfer, but any vehicle with a GVWR over 16,000 pounds is exempt. Non-self-propelled vehicles like certain trailers are exempt regardless of weight. Age-based exemptions also apply: model year 2010 or earlier vehicles are exempt once they are at least 10 years old, and 2011 and newer models become exempt at 20 years.3eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements Most heavy trucks skip the odometer statement, but a cargo van or small box truck under 16,000 pounds still needs one from the seller.
Form 2290 for Vehicles 55,000 Pounds and Over
If your vehicle’s taxable gross weight is 55,000 pounds or more, you must file IRS Form 2290 and pay the Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax before your state will complete the registration. The IRS returns a stamped Schedule 1 as proof of payment, and your state will ask for that stamped copy during registration.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 2290 (Rev. July 2025)
The tax follows a graduated scale set by federal statute. A vehicle at 55,000 pounds pays $100 per year. Each additional 1,000 pounds adds $22, so a truck at 65,000 pounds owes $320. The scale tops out at $540 for vehicles between 74,001 and 75,000 pounds. Anything over 75,000 pounds pays a flat $550.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 4481 – Imposition of Tax The tax period runs from July 1 through June 30, and you owe from the month the vehicle is first used on public highways during that period.
Filling Out the Title Application
The application form itself is available from your state motor vehicle agency’s website or its physical offices. A few fields cause most of the rework.
The owner name has to match your federal tax records exactly. If the application says “ABC Trucking LLC” while your IRS records say “ABC Trucking, LLC” with a comma, the filing can get flagged for manual review. Use the name precisely as it appears on your IRS determination letter or EIN assignment notice.
If the vehicle is financed, the lender’s full legal name and mailing address go in the lienholder section. Skip or mistype this and you face problems in two directions: the lender may consider you in breach of your financing agreement, and you’ll hit delays when you eventually sell or refinance. The lienholder stays on the title until the loan is paid and the lender releases the lien.
The rest of the form asks for make, model, year, VIN, body type, and weight class. Get the weight class right. It determines the fee schedule, and a mistake means paying twice: once now, and again to correct the title.
Fees and Sales or Use Tax
Title fees vary by state, with base fees for the certificate typically in the range of $15 to $75. The fee itself is rarely the expensive part. Sales or use tax based on the purchase price is where the real cost lands, generally running between 4% and 9% of the acquisition price at state rates. On a $120,000 used tractor, that’s $5,000 to $10,000 in tax alone.
Some states offer exemptions or reduced rates for vehicles used exclusively in interstate commerce, common carriers, or equipment purchased by nonresidents. Rules vary widely, so check your state revenue department before assuming you owe the full rate. Documentation of interstate use, like your USDOT authority and apportioned registration, strengthens any exemption claim.
Most states accept applications by mail, in person at a commercial vehicle service counter, or through an online portal. Processing typically runs two to six weeks, with expedited processing available in some states for an added fee. Keep your receipt and any temporary operating permits in the vehicle until the processed title arrives.
Titling Under a Business Entity
Putting a truck in a business name means proving the entity legally exists and has authority to own property.
Proving the Entity Exists
Provide the formation documents filed with your state’s Secretary of State, such as articles of incorporation for a corporation or articles of organization for an LLC. Many states also require a certificate of good standing or certificate of status confirming the entity has not been dissolved and is current on its filings. If you operate under a trade name that differs from your legal entity name, a “Doing Business As” certificate from the appropriate state or county clerk’s office connects the two names for the title record.
Who Can Sign
Only authorized representatives can sign title documents for a business. For a corporation, that generally means an officer such as the president or secretary. For an LLC, a member or designated manager. For partnerships, a general partner. If someone else needs to handle the paperwork, a limited power of attorney specifically covering vehicle titling can authorize them. Some states also accept an incumbency certificate identifying current officers and their authority.
A titling power of attorney generally has to be on company letterhead, signed by an authorized principal, and notarized. The person named as agent typically cannot also notarize it. Fleet managers often keep a standing, notarized power of attorney on file rather than scrambling each time a new truck is titled.
Buying Used: Check the Title Brand
When buying used commercial equipment, the title brand is one of the most consequential details on the document. A salvage brand means an insurer declared the vehicle a total loss at some point. A rebuilt or salvage-rebuilt brand means someone repaired a previously salvaged vehicle and had it inspected before returning it to road use. A junk brand generally means the vehicle was deemed fit only for parts and cannot legally be driven on public roads in most states.
These brands attach permanently to the title history and follow the vehicle across state lines through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, which state agencies use to verify title data against the records of the state that originally issued the title.6American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) A branded title cuts resale value and can complicate insurance. Running an NMVTIS check before buying is one of the cheapest ways to avoid an expensive mistake.
When Ownership Paperwork Is Missing: Bonded Titles
Sometimes the ownership trail breaks. A seller loses the original title, an estate never transferred it, or a truck sat in a yard for years and the paperwork disappeared. Most states offer a bonded title as a path forward when you can demonstrate ownership but cannot produce the standard documentation.
The process requires purchasing a surety bond, typically set at 1.5 times the vehicle’s fair market value, though the multiplier varies by state. The bond protects anyone who later comes forward with a legitimate ownership claim during a waiting period that usually runs three to five years. If nothing surfaces during that period, the bond is released and the title converts to a standard, unencumbered title.
Fair market value is usually established through a licensed dealer appraisal or by averaging the high and low values from a recognized pricing guide. The bond itself costs a fraction of its face amount, often 1% to 3%. For a pricey commercial vehicle that’s still real money, but it beats leaving an untitled truck idle.
What Titling Doesn’t Cover
Titling establishes ownership in your base state. It does not give you authority to run interstate, and confusing the two leaves trucks vulnerable at roadside inspections.
If the vehicle’s gross weight or combined gross weight exceeds 26,000 pounds and it operates in two or more jurisdictions, you generally need registration through the International Registration Plan, which lets you file with your base state and pay apportioned fees based on miles traveled in each member jurisdiction.7International Registration Plan, Inc. International Registration Plan8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 14504a – Unified Carrier Registration System Plan and Agreement9Federal Register. Fees for the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement Companies operating commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce also need a USDOT number from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the number has to be marked on both sides of every self-propelled commercial vehicle along with the carrier’s legal name, in letters that contrast with the background and are readable from 50 feet in daylight.10Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Getting Started with Registration11eCFR. 49 CFR 390.21 – Marking of Self-Propelled CMVs and Intermodal Equipment Handle those steps alongside titling so the truck can start earning as soon as the plates arrive.