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§ New-entrant audit — Louisiana

The new-entrant safety audit in Louisiana

The FMCSA new-entrant safety audit works the same way in Louisiana as everywhere else: it is a federal program. Every new Louisiana interstate motor carrier is monitored for 18 months and undergoes a safety audit of the six factors (General, Driver, Operational, Vehicle, Hazardous Materials, and Accident), generally after at least 3 months of operation. What is specific to Louisiana is intrastate registration, handled by the state.

When does the new-entrant audit happen for a Louisiana carrier?

After a new entrant satisfies its pre-operational requirements, it is subject to new-entrant safety monitoring for 18 months, and a safety audit is conducted once it has operated long enough to have sufficient records — generally at least 3 months (49 CFR 385.307).

What does the audit check?

The same six factors evaluated in every state: General (Parts 387, 390), Driver (Parts 382, 383, 391), Operational (Parts 392, 395), Vehicle (Parts 393, 396), Hazardous Materials (Parts 171, 177, 180, 397), and Accident (recordable rate per million miles). This grouping is defined in 49 CFR Appendix A to Part 385.

What is specific to Louisiana?

Louisiana intrastate matters are handled by the Louisiana Public Service Commission — Motor Carrier Regulations and Applications. These are separate from the federal new-entrant audit.

  • Intrastate reg required: Yes for regulated categories — the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) issues intrastate operating authority (certificate/permit) for carriers operating within Louisiana, including common/contract carriers of waste (Forms T-79/T-74), saltwater (T-78), passengers/15-or-fewer (T-75), charter bus/16-or-more (T-72), dispatched taxicabs (T-71), non-consensual wrecker/towing (T-76), and household goods (T-77). Filed with LPSC, PO Box 91154, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9154.
  • UCR: Required for interstate operation only. Louisiana is a participating UCR base state; Louisiana-domiciled interstate carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies file UCR through Louisiana at UCR.gov. Purely intrastate carriers (no interstate freight/movements) are not subject to UCR fees.
  • State fee: UCR 2026 fee: $46.00 per entity for 0-2 commercial motor vehicles (Bracket B1), unchanged from 2025; scaling up to $44,836.00 for 1,001+ vehicles (Bracket B6). LPSC intrastate application fees are set per carrier type (application-specific; quarterly Inspection & Supervision Fees also apply) and are not published as a single flat figure on the LPSC page.
  • New-entrant / safety audit: Federal only: a new USDOT registrant seeking interstate authority enters the FMCSA New Entrant Safety Assurance Program for 18 months, with a safety audit within 12 months of beginning operations. This applies to interstate operations; Louisiana does not add a separate state new-entrant safety audit for the intrastate LPSC certificate.

Common questions

What does a new motor carrier need to register and operate in Louisiana?
A new Louisiana-based motor carrier needs more than a federal USDOT number: if it hauls certain intrastate freight or passengers (household goods, passengers, charter bus, taxicab, waste, saltwater, or non-consensual towing), it must obtain intrastate operating authority (a certificate or permit) from the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC); if it operates in interstate commerce it must also file Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) with Louisiana as its base state ($46 for 0-2 vehicles ...

Prep your own new-entrant audit

The CarrierReady Audit-Prep Kit gives you fillable templates mapped to all six factors — driver qualification files, a written maintenance program, a drug-and-alcohol testing policy, an accident register, and a document-by-document checklist.

See the kit

Primary sources

CarrierReady is an independent audit-preparation tool — not legal advice, and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the FMCSA or any government agency; always verify against the official regulations at ecfr.gov.