Historical textIn force on Sept. 30, 2012Source: annual CFR edition 2011

§ 387.303 Security for the protection of the public: Minimum limits.

Wording in the annual edition revised as of Oct. 1, 2011, superseded by the 2012 annual edition.

govinfo, 2011 edition ↗

Compare with

Before Jan. 1, 2017 the record is one snapshot per annual CFR edition, revised as of October 1. This is the 2011 edition's wording. An amendment that took effect between Oct. 1, 2011 and Sept. 30, 2012 would not appear until the next edition, so check the citations below and the Federal Register for exact effective dates.

49 CFR § 387.303 — Security for the protection of the public: Minimum limits.. Text in force on September 30, 2012. This wording effective October 1, 2011 to October 1, 2012. Source: govinfo, 2011 edition, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2011-title49-vol5/CFR-2011-title49-vol5-sec387-303. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/387.303?asof=2012-09-30, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

(a) Definitions. (1) Primary security means public liability coverage provided by the insurance or surety company responsible for the first dollar of coverage.

(2) Excess security means public liability coverage above the primary security, or above any additional underlying security, up to and including the required minimum limits set forth in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(b)(1) Motor carriers subject to § 387.301(a)(1) are required to have security for the required minimum limits as follows:

Passenger Carriers: Kind of Equipment	Vehicle seating capacity	Minimum limit
(i) Any vehicle with a seating capacity of 16 passengers or more	$5,000,000
(ii) Any vehicle designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation	1,500,000

(2) Motor carriers subject to § 387.301(a)(2) are required to have security for the required minimum limits as follows:

Kind of equipment	Commodity transported	July 1, 1983*	July 1, 1984*
(a) Freight Vehicles of 10,001 Pounds or More GVWR	Property (non-hazardous)	$500,000	$750,000
(b) Freight Vehicles of 10,001 Pounds or More GVWR	Hazardous substances, as defined in § 171.8, transported in cargo tanks, portable tanks, or hopper-type vehicles with capacities in excess of 3,500 water gallons, or in bulk Class A or B explosives, poison gas (Poison A) liquefied compressed gas or compressed gas, or highway route controlled quantity radioactive materials as defined in § 173.455	1,000,000	5,000,000
(c) Freight Vehicles of 10,001 Pounds or More GVWR	Oil listed in § 172.101; hazardous waste, hazardous materials and hazardous substances defined in § 171.8 and listed in § 172.101, but not mentioned in (b) above or (d) below	500,000	1,000,000
(d) Freight Vehicles Under 10,001 Pounds GVWR	Any quantity of Class A or B explosives; any quantity of poison gas (Poison A); or highway route controlled quantity radioactive materials as defined in § 173.455	1,000,000	5,000,000

*Note: The effective date of the current required minimum limit in § 387.303(b)(2) was January 6, 1983, in accordance with the requirements of Pub. L. 97-424, 96 Stat. 2097.

(3) Motor carriers subject to the minimum limits governed by this section, which are also subject to Department of Transportation limits requirements, are at no time required to have security for more than the required minimum limits established by the Secretary of Transportation in the applicable provisions of 49 CFR Part 387—Minimum Levels of Financial Responsibility for Motor Carriers.

(4) Foreign motor carriers and foreign motor private carriers. Foreign motor carriers and foreign motor private carriers (Mexican), subject to the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 13902(c) and 49 CFR part 368 regarding obtaining certificates of registration from the FMCSA, must meet our minimum financial responsibility requirements by obtaining insurance coverage, in the required amounts, for periods of 24 hours or longer, from insurance or surety companies, that meet the requirements of 49 CFR 387.315. These carriers must have available for inspection, in each vehicle operating in the United States, copies of the following documents:

(i) The certificate of registration;

(ii) The required insurance endorsement (Form MCS-90); and

(iii) An insurance identification card, binder, or other document issued by an authorized insurer which specifies both the effective date and the expiration date of the insurance coverage.

Notwithstanding the provisions of § 387.301(a)(1), the filing of evidence of insurance is not required as a condition to the issuance of a certificate of registration. Further, the reference to continuous coverage at § 387.313(a)(6) and the reference to cancellation notice at § 387.313(d) are not applicable to these carriers.

(c) Household goods motor carriers: Cargo liability. Security required to compensate individual shippers for loss or damage to property belonging to them and coming into the possession of household goods motor carriers in connection with their transportation service;

(1) For loss of or damage to household goods carried on any one motor vehicle—$5,000,

(2) For loss of or damage to or aggregate of losses or damages of or to household goods occurring at any one time and place—$10,000.

[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997; 67 FR 61824, Oct. 2, 2002; 68 FR 56198, Sept. 30, 2003; 72 FR 55701, Oct. 1, 2007; 75 FR 35328, June 22, 2010]

Amendment history

16 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1998

Sept. 30, 2019 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
June 18, 2018 → Sept. 30, 2019eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
May 17, 2018 → June 18, 2018eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
Jan. 17, 2017 → May 17, 2018eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
Jan. 1, 2017 → Jan. 17, 2017eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997; 67 FR 61824, Oct. 2, 2002; 68 FR 56198, Sept. 30, 2003; 72 FR 55701, Oct. 1, 2007; 75 FR 35328, June 22, 2010; 77 FR 59826, Oct. 1, 2012]
Oct. 1, 2016 → Jan. 1, 2017annual edition 2016diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
Oct. 1, 2015 → Oct. 1, 2016annual edition 2015diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
Oct. 1, 2014 → Oct. 1, 2015annual edition 2014diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 19822]
Oct. 1, 2013 → Oct. 1, 2014annual edition 2013diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
Oct. 1, 2012 → Oct. 1, 2013annual edition 2012diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982]
Oct. 1, 2011 → Oct. 1, 2012annual edition 2011diff vs. previousviewing
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997; 67 FR 61824, Oct. 2, 2002; 68 FR 56198, Sept. 30, 2003; 72 FR 55701, Oct. 1, 2007; 75 FR 35328, June 22, 2010]
Oct. 1, 2010 → Oct. 1, 2011annual edition 2010diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997; 67 FR 61824, Oct. 2, 2002; 68 FR 56198, Sept. 30, 2003; 72 FR 55701, Oct. 1, 2007]
Oct. 1, 2007 → Oct. 1, 2010annual editions 2007–2009diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997; 67 FR 61824, Oct. 2, 2002; 68 FR 56198, Sept. 30, 2003; 72 FR 55701, Oct. 1, 2007]
Oct. 1, 2003 → Oct. 1, 2007annual editions 2003–2006diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997; 67 FR 61824, Oct. 2, 2002; 68 FR 56198, Sept. 30, 2003]
Oct. 1, 2001 → Oct. 1, 2003annual editions 2001–2002diff vs. previous
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997]
Oct. 1, 1998 → Oct. 1, 2001annual editions 1998–2000
[47 FR 55944, Dec. 14, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 43333, Sept. 23, 1983; 48 FR 45775, Oct. 7, 1983; 48 FR 51780, Nov. 14, 1983; 49 FR 1991, Jan. 17, 1984; 49 FR 27767, July 6, 1984; 50 FR 40030, Oct. 1, 1985; 53 FR 36984, Sept. 23, 1988; 54 FR 52034, Dec. 20, 1989; 55 FR 47338, Nov. 13, 1990; 62 FR 49941, Sept. 24, 1997]

A new entry appears whenever the regulatory words change between government snapshots. Day-precise from the eCFR (2017 onward); before that, one snapshot per annual CFR edition (revised as of October 1). Bracketed citations are the Federal Register history printed with the section.