Carrier setup

Landstar Carrier Setup: Requirements and How to Get Started

Landstar does not run a standard carrier packet. It contracts with independent business capacity owners (BCOs), and qualifies the operator and the truck. These are the minimums Landstar publishes, with the date we last checked them.

Verified: October 22, 2026, against Landstar's own pages

23
Minimum age: Class A
CDL: $1M
Unladen liability: Level One DOT
Truck inspection

What Landstar requires from an operator

Age 23 or older.
A Class A CDL (Class A or B for Expedited). Non-domiciled CDLs are not accepted.
A hazmat endorsement.
One year of verifiable over-the-road driving in the past three years (six months for Expedited), or two years with the equipment you will run at Landstar in the last five.
No DOT-recordable or preventable accidents in the past 12 months, no more than one serious violation in 36 months, and no DUI in 60 months.
No felony convictions in the past 7 years. Other charges are reviewed case by case.
No positive drug or alcohol tests.
Proficiency in English. Canadian operators need a FAST card.

How to get set up with Landstar

Check the minimums against your record and equipment
Landstar qualifies each operator case by case and says it may apply stricter requirements. Read the full list before you apply.
Get the truck ready
Tractors need a certified sleeper berth and must work with an ELD. Trucks and trailers must pass a Level One DOT inspection at an approved Landstar facility. Candidates in California must be CARB compliant.
Line up your insurance
Landstar requires unladen liability, plus either occupational accident or statutory workers compensation coverage. Physical damage is optional.
Apply through Landstar recruiting
Landstar recruiting is on 800-435-4010 and at leasetolandstar.com.

Payment terms

The Landstar requirement documents we checked do not publish payment terms or a quick pay option. Ask Landstar recruiting for the settlement terms in writing before you sign.

What is different about Landstar

A BCO contracts with Landstar as an independent business, so insurance is framed around the operating agreement. Landstar lists unladen liability with a $1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage. Occupational accident coverage with limits from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000, or statutory workers compensation with employer's liability of at least $100,000, is mandatory in its place.

Landstar offers some of these programs through its own insurance partners, and lets you use another insurer if the policy meets the operating agreement. Programs vary by state.

Your Landstar setup checklist

Age 23 or older with a Class A CDL and hazmat endorsement
Driving experience that meets the over-the-road requirement
Clean record for the past 12, 36 and 60 months as listed
Tractor with a certified sleeper berth and an ELD
Level One DOT inspection at an approved Landstar facility
Unladen liability at $1,000,000 combined single limit
Occupational accident or statutory workers compensation in place
CARB compliance, if you live in California
FAST card, if you are a Canadian operator

Once you are set up

Hey Bubba! is an AI back-office automation platform for fleets. Hey Bubba! connects to Landstar, so once your setup is approved, loads and paperwork flow into your back office automatically.

Apply with Landstar

Verified October 22, 2026.

Apply at LeaseToLandstar.com

Opens Landstar's own page in a new tab.

Sources

Requirements are set by Landstar and can change. Confirm before you submit.

Landstar carrier setup FAQ

Does Landstar use a carrier packet?

Landstar contracts with independent business capacity owners rather than collecting a standard broker packet. It qualifies the operator and the equipment against its published minimums, then decides case by case.

What insurance does Landstar require?

Unladen liability with a $1,000,000 combined single limit, and either occupational accident or statutory workers compensation coverage. Physical damage is not required by Landstar.

What is the minimum age to work with Landstar?

Landstar's minimum is 23 years of age, with a Class A CDL (Class A or B for Expedited).

Does the truck have to pass an inspection?

Yes. Trucks and trailers must pass a Level One DOT inspection at an approved Landstar inspection facility, and the tractor needs a certified sleeper berth and an ELD.

Where do I apply?

Through Landstar recruiting at leasetolandstar.com or 800-435-4010.

How does Hey Bubba! work with Landstar?

Hey Bubba! connects to Landstar, so once your setup is approved, loads and paperwork flow into your back office automatically.

Keep going

Run your back office on Hey Bubba!

Start free