Maine splits by weight: $750,000 CSL for tow trucks that are commercial motor vehicles at 26,001+ lbs, and $350,000 CSL for for-hire towing below that threshold. The state sets no on-hook, garagekeepers, or cargo minimum.
Law: 29-A MRSA § 1611(2), § 1611(2)(G), § 1611(2)(A); § 101(17) definition · 29-A MRSA § 1611(1), § 1611(3)
Weight / class variation: § 1611(2)(G): intrastate commercial motor vehicles (26,001+ lbs GVWR/GVW or GCWR, buses, hazmat-placarded). § 1611(2)(A): for-hire freight in intrastate-exempt service. Maine's § 101(17) CMV threshold is 26,001+ lbs, not the federal 10,001-lb threshold — interstate wreckers at 10,001+ lbs pick up the federal $750,000 through the tool's federal layer.
Both § 1611 paragraphs govern tow trucks; neither is the single answer. (G) is unambiguous for 26,001+ lbs. For lighter wreckers, (G) cannot apply (they are not § 101(17) CMVs), and (A) is the only § 1611 paragraph that can cover them: § 1611(1) bars registering any hire vehicle without insurance, and (A) covers 'for-hire transportation vehicles for transporting freight or merchandise but not passengers in intrastate-exempt service.' The exempt-service hook: emergency towing of an accidentally wrecked/disabled motor vehicle is expressly exempt from federal jurisdiction under 49 U.S.C. § 13506(b)(3). Caveats: the statute never names tow trucks; the (A) application is a statutory reading, not a BMV/court-confirmed position. Non-emergency towing (planned transport, repossession, impound of an operable vehicle) may fall outside the § 13506(b)(3) emergency-towing exemption, so (A)'s exempt-service qualifier is less certain for those operations. (G) was added in 2025 (PL 2025, c. 107), in force as of 2026-10-14 (applies to policies on/after Jan. 1, 2026). No state on-hook, garagekeepers, or cargo minimum (§ 1611 covers liability only). Do-not-confuse: § 1861's perishable-cargo provision concerns the towed vehicle's own cargo insurance, not a tow-operator minimum; § 1605-B's $500 towing/storage coverage is an obligation on the towed vehicle's own policy. § 1611(1)(D) still references the obsolete 49 CFR 1043.2 / ICC certification — an anachronism, not a live Form E requirement. Verified 2026-10-14: all fields resolved (figure or confirmed absence).
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Not required doesn’t mean not liable: if you don’t carry workers’ comp — even where it isn’t required for you — an injured worker may be able to sue you in court instead of being limited to comp benefits, because the exclusive-remedy shield generally depends on having coverage.
Minimums are the legal floor, not a recommendation — most operators carry more. Your operation (light-duty, heavy-duty, repo, rotation, motor club) decides which coverages fit. Take the coverage quiz →
Rotation is a local contract, not state law. Rotation agreements commonly require auto liability around $1,000,000 CSL, on-hook/cargo $50,000–$100,000, garagekeepers $50,000–$500,000, and the agency named as additional insured — check your agency’s agreement for its exact terms. Rotation readiness checklist →
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Informational only — not legal advice and not a quote. Requirements change — confirm the exact limits with your state DOT / public utilities commission and your rotation agreement before you buy. Minimums are the legal floor, not a recommendation — most operators carry more.