International Carrier Registration

This checklist is offered by TxDOT as an aid for foreign and/or Mexico-domiciled for-hire motor carriers and motor private carriers and describes standards or documents required to operate in municipalities of Texas on the United States--Mexico International Border or within the commercial zones of such municipalities. This is not an all-encompassing list of requirements and is provided for information only. Direct specific questions to the agencies referenced below. Visit Vehicle Titles and Registration for more information on NAFTA annual permits and cross-border traffic.

Vehicle Safety

To operate in the U.S., foreign and/or Mexico-domiciled motor carriers or drivers entering the U.S. must:

• Comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR).
• Have a Licencia Federal de Conductor with the medical certification code to operate in commercial zones, OR have a non-resident commercial driver license issued by a U.S. state.
• Have either a valid equivalent Mexico Federal Inspection Sticker in the commercial zone (proof of insurance required to obtain), OR have a valid state inspection sticker from one of the Border States to operate outside border zones.

Note: If the vehicle has not passed a safety inspection before they get to customs agents, carriers will need to get a VI30, Certificate of Inspection ("Green Sheet") issued at a Texas Department of Public Safety inspection station at the border, where they must also provide proof of insurance.

For additional information, contact the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Stations along the border.

• Del Rio - (830) 775-3569
• El Paso - (915) 849-4030
• Eagle Pass - (830) 757-4683
• Laredo - (956) 728-2251
• Harlingen - (956) 423-1160
• McAllen - (956) 984-5600

To comply with U.S. Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations (FHMR), Foreign and/or Mexico- domiciled motor carriers, or drivers entering the U.S. must:

• Ensure shipping papers are prepared properly in English, readily accessible, and visible.
• Ensure shipping papers contain emergency response information.
• Ensure that the motor vehicle transporting hazardous materials is placarded and labeled in accordance to 49 CFR, Part 172.
• Register with the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), if applicable. For information, call the Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (OHMS) at (800) 467-4922. RSPA is the national agency responsible for the control or regulation of the transportation of hazardous materials. Their address is Hazardous Materials Registration Program, DHM-60, United States Department of Transportation, Washington , D.C. 20590-0001 .

Insurance

To operate in the U.S., foreign and/or Mexico-domiciled motor carriers must:

• Have the minimum required insurance levels for the type of vehicle operated and cargo being transported. The following are the vehicle types and cargo with descriptions and the minimum level of liability insurance requirements for each one.

• Present to any state or federal law enforcement official, or any TxDOT investigator:
  • current MCS-90 insurance endorsements;
  • evidence of liability insurance coverage on an insurance identification card, binder, or a similar document; and
  • RS-3 Registration Receipt, listing all states of travel, issued by TxDOT, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, or the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.
• Have the vehicle marked with the company name, Mexican city and state, and the FMCSA motor carrier identification number preceded by the letters "USDOT".

Note: All of these documents must be in the same motor carrier’s name, U.S. Customs agents will not allow drivers who fail to present these required documents into the U.S.

Registration

To comply with U.S. federal laws, Foreign and/or Mexico-domiciled motor carriers must have:

• An FMCSA Form OP-2 Certificate of Registration, obtainable by submitting a completed Application for Certificate of Registration to: FMCSA Lock Box, P.O. Box 100147 , Atlanta , GA 30384-0147 . Call FMCSA at (800) 832-5660 or (512) 536-5980 for additional information. (Form OP-2 Application Forms and MCS-150 Application Forms may be obtained at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or Administracion Federal de Seguiridad de Autotransportes.) Heavy Vehicle Use Tax Forms may be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service.
• Effective January 1, 1994 , Mexican domiciled, owned, or controlled passenger carriers may apply for authority, through FMCSA, 49 USC §13902 to transport passengers in charter and tour bus service in the U.S. in foreign commerce. The transport must begin or end in Mexico.

To comply with Texas state laws, Foreign and/or Mexico-domiciled motor carriers are required to obtain an Form OP-2 Certificate of Registration from the FMCSA.

Foreign and/or Mexico-domiciled motor carriers must have, in each vehicle:

• MCS-90 insurance endorsement;
• evidence of liability insurance coverage; and
• FMCSA Certificate of Motor Carrier Registration

Contact the TxDOT Motor Carrier Division at (800) 299-1700 for additional information or you may e-mail your general questions.

Important: TxDOT Motor Carrier Certificates of Registration issued to Foreign and/or Mexico-domiciled motor carriers will no longer authorize those motor carriers to operate in municipalities in Texas on the United States-Mexico International border or within the commercial zones of such municipalities.

Disclaimer: This is not an all-encompassing list of requirements and is provided for information only. Direct specific questions to the agencies referenced above.