What to do after an accident in a company truck
A step-by-step routine for drivers and the office after a company truck crash: the scene, the DMV's SR-1 report, the insurance claim, the evidence hold and the driver review.
Reviewed 2026-10-14Blog category
California rules & filings
California adds its own layer to running trucks: the Motor Carrier Permit and its MC 65 M insurance filing, CA and USDOT numbers, the 26,001-lb line for a commercial license, the DMV's Employer Pull Notice program, CARB's Clean Truck Check and the SR-1 report after a crash. These guides explain what each one asks of a contractor or business fleet, in plain terms, with a link to the agency that decides.
Rules can change without notice. Every guide carries its sources with the date we last checked them, and the agency's own page is the final word.
Before you letter a new truck's doors, read our guide to USDOT and CA numbers for intrastate contractors. If you only check driving records once a year, read our guide to the DMV's Employer Pull Notice program to see what the months in between can hide. Fleets with diesel trucks over 14,000 lbs should keep our guide to CARB Clean Truck Check for contractor trucks on the office wall.
All postsTrade playbooks (12)California rules & filings (5)Fleet cost & safety (9)Fleet risk by region (7)
USDOT vs CA number: what intrastate contractors in California need
Why California contractors who never cross the state line often still need a USDOT number, how the CA number and Motor Carrier Permit build on it and how to keep both current.
Reviewed 2026-10-14The DMV Employer Pull Notice program: what fleets need to know
Who has to be enrolled in the DMV's pull notice program, what it costs, how the electronic switch works and why enrolling every driver can help at renewal.
Reviewed 2026-10-14CARB Clean Truck Check: what it means for contractor trucks
Which contractor trucks fall under CARB's Clean Truck Check, what the fees and test schedule look like, how DMV registration holds work and where the Truck and Bus and Advanced Clean Fleets rules stand.
Reviewed 2026-10-14The 26,001-lb line: when a box truck needs a commercial license
How the 26,001-lb GVWR line, axle count and towing usually decide a box truck driver's license class in California, and the pull notice, testing, medical and inspection rules that can follow a heavier truck.
Reviewed 2026-10-1401California permits, numbers and filings at a glance
Beyond the policy, California's fleet requirements fit in two tables: what the company holds and what follows each driver, truck and crash. Each row links its guide.
| What | Who generally needs it | Who files or issues it | When the rules call for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDOT and CA numbers | Businesses whose trucks need a Motor Carrier Permit, even if they never leave California | FMCSA issues the USDOT number; CHP then issues the CA number | An MCS-150 update every 24 months and within 15 days of a change |
| Motor Carrier Permit (MCP) | Trucks with two or more axles over 10,000 lbs GVWR and any vehicle hauling for pay | You apply to DMV on form MC 706 M | Every 12 months, on form MC 134 M |
| MC 65 M insurance filing | Permitted carriers, with at least $750,000 of liability for general freight | Your insurance company, with DMV | Continuously: DMV generally suspends the permit the day coverage ends without a new filing |
Official sources
- Vehicle Code 34507.5: CA number and USDOT number (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- 49 CFR 390.19T: MCS-150 filing and biennial updates (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- Vehicle Code 34601: motor carrier of property and commercial motor vehicle (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- DMV, Motor Carrier Permits (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- Vehicle Code 34631.5: insurance minimums for motor carriers of property (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
02Drivers, inspections, emissions and crash reports
| What | Who it generally applies to | Who acts | When the rules call for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial license class | Class B for one truck over 26,000 lbs or a three-axle truck; Class A for a combination of 26,001 lbs or more towing over 10,000 lbs | The driver, licensed by DMV | A medical report no more than two years old |
| Employer Pull Notice (EPN) | Required for Class A and B drivers and some endorsed Class C drivers; others may join with consent | The employer enrolls each driver: $5 a driver, $1 a report | A report on each driver at least every 12 months |
| BIT and 90-day inspections | Three-axle trucks over 10,000 lbs, vehicles of 26,001 lbs or more, heavy towing and placarded loads | CHP inspects the terminal; your shop inspects each vehicle | Every 90 days per vehicle, with records kept two years |
| CARB Clean Truck Check | Diesel and alternative-fuel vehicles over 14,000 lbs GVWR | The owner, in CARB's reporting system | A yearly fee ($32.13 in 2026, $33.12 for deadlines from January 1, 2027) and tests twice a year |
| SR-1 crash report | Crashes with more than $1,000 of property damage to any one person, or any injury or death | The driver or your broker for you | Within 10 days of the crash |
Official sources
- DMV, Commercial driver license classes and certifications (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- Vehicle Code 1808.1: Employer Pull Notice program (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- DMV, Employer Pull Notice (EPN) program (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- Vehicle Code 34501.12: BIT program and 90-day inspections (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- AB 3278 (2024), bill text (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
Show all 8 official sources
- CARB, Clean Truck Check FAQ (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- CARB, Annual vehicle compliance fee update for 2027 (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
- Vehicle Code 16000: accident reports to DMV (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
03Where to start, by situation
- Buying a truck rated over 10,000 lbs. Check the door-jamb label, then get the numbers in order: USDOT, CA number, permit, filing. Heavy one-ton pickups are easy to overlook; see insurance for heavy-duty work pickups.
- Hiring for a three-axle dump or a heavy trailer. Confirm the license class, enroll the driver in EPN and clear the record with your broker first; see the driver qualification steps.
- Changing insurance companies. The new MC 65 M typically needs to reach DMV before the old policy's cancellation takes effect. If it doesn't, follow the steps for a lapsed permit.
- Buying a used diesel over 14,000 lbs. Check the engine year before you pay. Under CARB's Truck and Bus rule, DMV won't register one without a 2010 or newer engine, and the truck would also fall under Clean Truck Check.
Official sources
- CARB, Truck and Bus Regulation (opens in a new tab) Verified 2026-10-14
Rules and filings questions
Does our insurance company file anything with the state?
Yes, when a truck needs a Motor Carrier Permit: The insurer usually files the MC 65 M with DMV once the policy is bound. The numbers and the permit stay in your company's name.
Which of these apply if we only run vans and light pickups?
Two-axle vehicles rated 10,000 lbs GVWR or less that carry your own goods usually need only the commercial auto policy. Towing a trailer rated over 10,000 lbs, hauling for pay or carrying placarded hazmat can bring the permit in.
How do we keep the dates straight?
Keep one office calendar with the dates the agencies set: the permit every 12 months, the MCS-150 every 24, EPN reports as they arrive, Clean Truck Check deadlines and the MC 65 M at every change of carrier.