Setting Up Your Trucking Business: EIN, Banking, and More

You picked a structure. Now set it up. LLC filing, EIN, bank account, bookkeeping — one to two weeks, under $500 in most states. The fastest and cheapest phase of starting a trucking company.

Five steps. One week. Under $300.

Every state handles this slightly differently, but the general process is the same everywhere.

1. Go to your state’s Secretary of State website. Search “[your state] file LLC” and you will find it.
2. Choose a name. Must include “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company.” Check your state’s business name database to make sure it is available.
3. File Articles of Organization. This is the official formation document. It asks for basic information: LLC name, registered agent, principal address, and organizer name.
4. Pay the filing fee. Ranges from $50 to $300 in most states.
5. Receive confirmation. Online filings typically process in 1-5 business days. Some states issue confirmation same day.

No lawyer required. No filing service required. The state website walks you through it.

What your state charges

Your state may not be listed. Check your Secretary of State website for current fees.

Articles of Organization are simpler than they sound

The name sounds like it requires an attorney. It is a form. Most states have it online as a fill-in-the-blanks template.

What the form typically asks:

• LLC name
• Principal business address
• Registered agent name and address
• Organizer (you)
• Purpose (most states accept “any lawful purpose” or “trucking and transportation services”)
• Management structure (member-managed for a single-member LLC)

What you put in these fields is your decision. The state provides instructions with the form. If you have questions about how to fill them out for your specific situation, that is what an attorney is for.

Every LLC needs a registered agent. You can be your own.

Every state requires your LLC to have a registered agent — a person or service with a physical address in the state who can accept legal notices, tax documents, and service of process during business hours.

You can be your own registered agent if you have a physical address (not a P.O. box) in your formation state and are available during business hours. Since truckers are often on the road, some prefer a service.

Commercial registered agent services cost $50-$300/year. They provide an address and forward anything they receive.

Note: your BOC-3 process agent (required for FMCSA authority) is a different thing. The BOC-3 covers all 50 states for federal purposes. Your registered agent covers your LLC in its home state. Two separate requirements.

An operating agreement is two pages worth having

Some states require it. Some do not. Either way, it is a short document worth having.

For a single-member LLC, an operating agreement is typically 2-3 pages covering: who owns the LLC, how it is managed, how profits are distributed, and what happens if the LLC dissolves.

Why it matters: It reinforces that your LLC is a separate entity from you personally. If someone ever challenges your LLC’s liability protection, having an operating agreement on file helps your case.

Free templates are widely available online. If your situation is straightforward — single owner, single truck — a template is usually sufficient. Complex situations (multiple members, investors, unusual arrangements) benefit from attorney review.

Get your EIN from the IRS — free and immediate

Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is your business’s tax ID. You need it for everything: bank account, FMCSA authority, IFTA, IRP, UCR, broker packets, vendor relationships.

How to get it: IRS.gov. Search “Apply for EIN Online.” Ten minutes. Free. Always free. If anyone charges you for this, they are a middleman adding no value.

Sequence matters: Form your LLC first, then apply for the EIN. The application asks for your LLC’s legal name and formation date.

Your EIN is issued immediately at the end of the online application. Print the confirmation letter and save it. You will reference this number constantly.

Open a business bank account before you earn dollar one

This is the single most important operational step after forming your LLC.

Why it matters more than you think: If you mix business and personal funds, a court can “pierce the corporate veil” — meaning they treat your LLC as if it does not exist. The entire point of forming an LLC is the separation between business and personal. Commingling funds destroys it.

What to look for:

• Business checking with no minimum balance requirement
• No monthly fee (or low monthly fee)
• Online bill pay
• Debit card for fuel and expenses

Options: Online banks (Bluevine, Novo, Mercury) offer no-fee business checking. Local banks and credit unions work too — some truckers prefer a local relationship for future lending. Pick what works for you.

What you need to open it: EIN confirmation letter, Articles of Organization, state-issued ID. Some banks also ask for your operating agreement.

Start tracking expenses on day one, not tax season

The IRS audits self-employed taxpayers — including owner-operators — at a higher rate than most professions. Records are your protection.

What to track: Every business expense. Fuel. Tolls. Meals on the road (per diem rules apply). Parking. Maintenance. Truck washes. Phone bill (business portion). Load board subscriptions. Insurance payments. Truck payments. Every dollar.

How to track it:

• QuickBooks Self-Employed (~$15/month) — most common among owner-operators
• Wave (free) — adequate for basic tracking
• Spreadsheet — works if you maintain it consistently
• ATBS TruckTax app — designed specifically for owner-operators

The tool matters less than the discipline. Pick something and use it every day. Receipts go in the system the day they happen, not in a shoebox until April.

The entire formation phase: one to two weeks, under $500

This is the fastest and cheapest phase of starting a trucking company. Everything after this — federal registration, insurance, compliance — takes longer and costs more.

Next: Getting your USDOT number and MC authority — the federal registration that makes you a legal motor carrier.