Get your own trucking authority and haul your first load

Register your company with the state and IRS

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Choose a business structure and file formation documents with your state
1 hour 30 min
This step produces a legally recognised business entity and a Certificate of Formation (or equivalent) on file with your Secretary of State. The main decision is which business structure to use.
For most new owner-operators a single-member LLC is the right choice: it separates personal assets from business liabilities (the FMCSA and brokers expect to see a company name, not a personal name), the paperwork is straightforward, and it avoids the double taxation of a C-corp. A sole proprietorship is simpler but offers no liability protection. A corporation adds administrative overhead that rarely pays off at one truck.
If you already operate as a sole proprietor and have an EIN under that structure, you can skip this step — but be aware that most insurance carriers quote lower rates for LLCs.
- Search your Secretary of State’s business-name database to confirm your desired name is available. Do not pay for a name-search service — the state website is free.
- Reserve the name if your state allows it (optional; fee typically $10–$50). This holds the name for 30–120 days while you prepare the filed documents.
- Choose a registered agent — either yourself (requires a physical street address in the state during business hours) or a commercial service ($50–$300/year).
- File the Articles of Organization (LLC) or equivalent online through the Secretary of State portal. Have your EIN ready if the form asks for it — you get the EIN in the next step.
- Pay the filing fee ($50 in Kentucky to $500 in Massachusetts; most states fall in the $100–$200 range). The fee is nonrefundable even if the application is rejected.
- Download the stamped Certificate of Formation immediately — most portals provide a PDF on the confirmation screen. File a copy in your new-entrant safety folder.

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