CALCULATOR / FREE
Trucking startup cost calculator
Add up the cash you need to start a trucking company: the government fees for 2026, your truck, trailer and insurance down payments, setup costs, and the running costs you carry until the first broker pays, usually 30 days or more.
How it is calculated
Government fees, filled in from their sources:
- FMCSA operating authority filing: $300
- UCR registration for 2026: $46 for 0-2 trucks, $138 for 3-5, $276 for 6-20, $963 for 21-100
- Heavy vehicle use tax (IRS Form 2290), per truck per year: none under 55,000 lb taxable gross weight, $100 plus $22 per 1,000 lb above 55,000, and $550 above 75,000 lb
- DOT drug testing for CDL trucks: a consortium plan and a pre-employment test per driver, priced from Vertical Identity's published rates as of October 2026
Your quotes: truck and trailer down payments, the insurance down payment, plates and IFTA, and setup costs such as the BOC-3 process agent, ELD and phone.
Cash to run until paid = weekly running costs × days until the first broker pays ÷ 7.
Total = government fees + testing + your quotes + cash to run until paid.
SOURCE: UCR PLAN, 2026 FEE BRACKETS, OCT 2026
SOURCE: 26 U.S.C. 4481, HEAVY VEHICLE USE TAX RATES, OCT 2026
A worked example
An EXAMPLE one-truck start: a tractor at 80,000 lb taxable gross weight needing a CDL, $15,000 down on the truck, $3,000 down on insurance, $1,500 for plates and IFTA, $800 of setup, about $4,000 a week of running costs, and brokers that pay in 35 days.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Government fees: FMCSA, UCR, HVUT | ($896.00) |
| Drug testing: consortium + pre-employment | ($154.00) |
| Truck down payment | ($15,000.00) |
| Insurance, plates, setup | ($5,300.00) |
| Running costs for 35 days | ($20,000.00) |
| NET | ($41,350.00) |
That is $41,350, and nearly half of it is the 35 days of running costs before money comes in. With factoring paying in a day or two instead, that line drops to about $1,100 for 2 days, for a fee on every invoice for as long as you factor.
What a good or bad result means
If the total is more than the cash you have, the gap is usually the working capital, not the fees. You can close it with savings, a line of credit, factoring, or by leasing on to a carrier first while you build a cushion. Don't close it by starting with too little insurance down or no repair fund; those are the gaps that end new companies.
Then check the business works month to month: get your cost per mile, see what loads pay in owner-operator rates per mile, and if you run a 26 ft box truck, try the box truck profit calculator. The filing steps in order are in how to get your own authority. When you are ready to run, see dispatch for owner-operators or apply.
Calculator questions
Q01How much does it cost to start a trucking company?
For one truck, the government fees are small: $300 for FMCSA authority, $46 for UCR in 2026, and up to $550 a year of heavy vehicle use tax. The big numbers are the truck and insurance down payments and the cash to run until brokers pay. Our EXAMPLE one-truck start needs about $41,000 in total.
Q02What is the biggest startup cost people forget?
Working capital. Brokers commonly pay 30 days or more after delivery, so the first month of fuel, payments and insurance comes out of your pocket. At about $4,000 a week of running costs, 35 days is $20,000. Factoring shortens the wait to a day or two, for a fee on every invoice.
Q03How much does it cost to start a box truck business?
Less in fees: a 26 ft box truck rated 26,000 lb or less pays no heavy vehicle use tax, usually needs no CDL and so no DOT drug testing program, and plates often cost less. Untick the CDL box, set the weight to 26,000 lb, and enter your own quotes for a box truck number.
Q04Do I need my own authority to start?
To haul for brokers in your own name across state lines, yes: an MC number from FMCSA, insurance filed with FMCSA, a BOC-3 and UCR. Many drivers start by leasing on to a carrier instead, which costs far less up front because the carrier provides the authority.
By Daniel
UPDATED OCTOBER 2026
New MC? Have loads lined up for day one.
We prepare your carrier packets before the authority is active and dispatch every equipment type. Every rate con comes to your company to sign or refuse.