No person may conduct operations as a common carrier in Washington intrastate commerce without having first obtained a permit from the commission to do so.

(1) Common carriers must apply to the commission to acquire permanent common carrier authority, to extend existing permanent common carrier authority, or to change a carrier name or business structure. Common carriers must apply on forms furnished by the commission and must include all the information, documents and exhibits called for in the form or the form's instructions. The commission may refuse to accept any application until all required information is supplied.

(2) The commission will not accept an application unless it is accompanied by the required fee as shown in WAC 480-14-140.

(3) The commission's acceptance of an application for filing does not indicate the commission's approval, nor is the commission precluded from finding that the information presented in the application is insufficient.