How to Get Your USDOT and MC Numbers

You need two federal numbers to haul freight for hire across state lines. One is free and immediate. The other costs $300 and takes weeks. Roughly 40% of first-time applicants get rejected on paperwork errors. This is the process, stripped to what actually matters.

Your USDOT number identifies your company. Your MC number licenses it to haul freight.

Two numbers. Different purposes.

USDOT number — your company’s federal ID. Tracks your safety record, inspections, and compliance. Free. Issued immediately online. Every interstate motor carrier needs one.

MC number — your operating authority. The license to haul someone else’s goods for money across state lines. Costs $300. Takes 3-8 weeks to activate. Without it, your USDOT number is just identification with no permission attached.

Motus transition note: FMCSA is building a new registration platform called Motus that will eventually replace MC numbers entirely. Phase 1 launched December 2025 for supporting companies. Phase 2 for carriers is expected mid-to-late 2026. As of February 2026, you still apply through the existing system and still receive an MC number. Do not delay registration waiting for Motus.

Not every operation needs an MC number

You need operating authority if you haul someone else’s goods for compensation across state lines, broker freight, forward freight, or move household goods for hire.

You do not need it if you haul your own company’s goods (private carrier — USDOT only), operate only within one state, or work as a leased-on owner-operator under another carrier’s authority.

Most new trucking companies need Motor Carrier of Property authority. One OP-1 filing, one $300 fee. If you also plan to broker freight, that’s a second authority type and a second $300 fee.

The seven-step process from zero to active authority

1. Get your USDOT number (free, immediate)

Before touching the FMCSA portal, have these ready:

• Legal business entity already formed with your state
• EIN from the IRS (free at irs.gov)
• Physical business address — PO boxes are not accepted
• Vehicle information if you already have a truck

Go to the FMCSA Unified Registration System at fmcsa.dot.gov/registration. Create an account. Complete the MCS-150 with your legal name, DBA, EIN, business structure, operations classification, vehicle information, cargo types, and operating radius.

Your USDOT number is issued immediately. If anyone charges you for “USDOT number processing,” they are marking up a free service.

2. Apply for MC authority ($300, non-refundable)

Through the same portal, select Motor Carrier of Property authority, complete the OP-1 form, and pay $300. Your MC number is assigned within 3-5 business days.

Here is the part that trips everyone up: the number is assigned but not active. A mandatory waiting period begins.

3. Complete identity verification

As of April 2025, FMCSA requires biometric identity verification through Login.gov and the IDEMIA system. Scan a QR code, photograph both sides of your government ID, take a facial selfie. The system matches your face to your ID.

Common failures: blurry photos, name on ID not matching application exactly, expired ID. Use good lighting, Chrome browser, and make sure every character of your name matches across all documents.

4. Wait out the 21-day protest period

Once your application publishes in the FMCSA Register, the clock starts. 21 calendar days. Not business days. Cannot be shortened, expedited, or paid to skip.

Do not sit idle for 21 days. This is your window to handle everything else.

5. File your BOC-3 ($30-$75)

Your BOC-3 designates a legal representative in every state where you operate. You cannot file this yourself — a process agent company does it for you. Cost: $30-$75 one-time. Do it in week one. Takes minutes.

This must be filed within 90 days of your authority application being published.

6. Get insurance and have your insurer file the BMC-91

Your insurance company files the BMC-91 (Certificate of Insurance) with FMCSA. This proves you carry the required minimum liability: $750,000 per 49 CFR 387.9 for general freight, $1,000,000-$5,000,000 for hazmat. You do not file this yourself.

The timing strategy: Shop insurance quotes during weeks one and two. Narrow your options by day 14. Bind coverage around day 18-19. Your insurer files the BMC-91 immediately. This minimizes premium days on a truck you cannot legally use yet — at $8,000-$15,000 per year, that’s $22-$41 per day in wasted premium.

You have 90 days from application publication to get the BMC-91 and BOC-3 on file. Miss it and your application expires. You forfeit the $300 and start over.

7. Verify on SAFER

After the protest period expires and your BOC-3 and BMC-91 are on file, check safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Search your USDOT or MC number. You want “Operating Status: AUTHORIZED.”

FMCSA takes 1-5 business days after all requirements are met. Check daily.

Use the 21-day wait to get everything else done

• Days 1-3: File BOC-3 ($30-$75). Set up a burner email and phone for FMCSA spam.
• Days 1-7: Start collecting insurance quotes. Get 3-5 minimum.
• Days 7-14: Enroll in a drug and alcohol testing consortium ($99-$299/year). Register in the FMCSA Clearinghouse. Complete your pre-employment drug test.
• Day 14: Narrow insurance options.
• Days 18-19: Bind insurance. Instruct insurer to file BMC-91 immediately.
• Day 21+: Monitor SAFER daily for AUTHORIZED status.

By the time the protest period ends, you should be ready to haul the next day.

Your phone will explode with spam the moment you file

The moment your application publishes, your contact information becomes public record. A cottage industry of compliance companies, insurance brokers, and outright scammers monitors new filings daily.

Within 48 hours, expect:

• Phone calls from “compliance” companies charging 3-5x the actual cost of filings
• Physical mail designed to mimic government notices
• Letters claiming your authority is “not in compliance” demanding payment
• Offers for “expedited” authority activation (impossible — no one can shorten the 21-day period)

Protect yourself: Use a burner email and secondary phone for registration. Ignore all unsolicited contact for the first month. FMCSA will never call you demanding immediate payment. Check fmcsa.dot.gov directly for any notice you receive.

This spam flood is disorienting. Knowing it’s coming makes it manageable. You are not in trouble. You do not owe anyone money.

40% of first applications get rejected — here’s why

According to Driver Advantage (2026), approximately 40% of first-time applications are rejected or require corrections. These are avoidable mistakes.

Business name mismatch. “Johnson Trucking LLC” on your state filing versus “Johnson Trucking” on your FMCSA application. The missing “LLC” triggers rejection. All three documents — state filing, IRS EIN letter, FMCSA application — must use the identical legal name.

PO Box as business address. FMCSA requires a physical street address. Not a PO Box, not a UPS Store.

Wrong operation classification. Selecting “private carrier” when you intend to operate for-hire, or vice versa. This determines whether you need an MC number at all.

Identity verification failure. Blurry photos, expired ID, name mismatches. The IDEMIA system is strict.

How to avoid rejection: Triple-check that your business name is identical across all documents. Use your physical address. Have your EIN letter open while filling out the application. If unsure about classification, call FMCSA at 1-800-832-5660 before submitting.

After approval: what happens before your first load

Authority granted is a milestone, not the finish line. You still need:

1. USDOT number on your truck. Both sides, readable from 50 feet, per 49 CFR 390.21. Magnetic signs work in most states.
2. UCR registration. $76/year for 0-2 vehicles at ucr.gov.
3. State registrations. IRP apportioned plates ($500-$2,000+), IFTA license ($0-$50), HVUT Form 2290 ($100-$550 per truck).
4. Compliance setup. Drug testing consortium, Clearinghouse registration, driver qualification file, ELD, annual DOT vehicle inspection. See our compliance overview.
5. Insurance confirmed active. Verify your BMC-91 is visible on your SAFER record.

New Entrant Safety Assurance Program: For 18 months after activation, FMCSA monitors you more closely. Expect a safety audit around months 9-12. Our safety audit guide covers what they check.

Realistic timeline from application to first load

Total federal filing cost: roughly $406-$451. USDOT is free, MC authority is $300, BOC-3 is $30-$75, UCR is $76.

Professional filing services charge $1,000-$2,500. They may help you avoid the 40% rejection rate, but they cannot make the 21-day wait go faster. The bottleneck is the protest period.

The sooner you file, the sooner the clock starts. Get the applications submitted, then use the waiting period to handle everything else.