I Need a USDOT Number?

What is a USDOT Number?

Companies that operate commercial vehicles transporting passengers or hauling cargo in
interstate commerce must be registered with the FMCSA and must have a USDOT Number.
Also, commercial intrastate hazardous materials carriers who haul quantities requiring a safety
permit must register for a USDOT Number.

The USDOT Number serves as a unique identifier when collecting and monitoring a company's
safety information acquired during audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and
inspections. Click the button below to access our interactive tool that will determine if you
need a US DOT number:

You are required to obtain a USDOT number if you have a vehicle that:

Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous and

transported in a quantity requiring placarding (whether interstate or intrastate).

OR

Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or
gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or
Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation;
or
Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to
transport passengers for compensation;

AND is involved in Interstate commerce:

Trade, traffic, or transportation in the United States

Between a place in a State and a place outside of such State (including a place outside of the
United States);
Between two places in a State through another State or a place outside of the United States; or
Between two places in a State as part of trade, traffic, or transportation originating or terminating
outside the State or the United States.
 You are required by FMCSA to obtain USDOT Number and comply with the Federal
Regulations.

How to Comply with Federal Regulations

It is the responsibility of motor carrier operators and drivers to know and comply with all
applicable Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Safety compliance and safe operations
translate into saved lives and property. We believe the information in this package, when
effectively applied, will contribute to safer motor carrier operations and highways.

States that Require a DOT Number

Apart from federal regulations, some states require commercial motor vehicle registrants to
obtain a USDOT Number. These states include:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
New Jersey
New York
Nebraska
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
 Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Get Authority to Operate (MC Number)

Overview
In general, companies that do the following are required to have interstate Operating Authority
(MC number) in addition to a DOT number:

Operate as for-hire carriers (for a fee or other compensation)

Transport passengers in interstate commerce
Transport federally-regulated commodities or arranging for their transport, in interstate
commerce

FMCSA operating authority is often identified as an "MC," "FF," or "MX" number, depending
on the type of authority that is granted. Unlike the USDOT Number application process, a
company may need to obtain multiple operating authorities to support its planned business
operations. Operating Authority dictates the type of operation a company may run and the cargo
it may carry.

Types of Authority
Ready to Apply?
Filing Fees
Apply for Authority
How Long Does the Process Take?
How Do I Check My Application Status?

Who Does Not Need Authority?

All of this also dictates the level of insurance/financial responsibilities a company must maintain.
Carriers not required to have operating authority include:

Private carriers (carriers that transport their own cargo)

For-hire" carriers that exclusively haul exempt commodities (cargo that is not federally
regulated)
Carriers that operate exclusively within a federally designated "commercial zone" that is exempt
from interstate authority rules. A commercial zone is, for example, a geographic territory that
includes multiple states bordering on a major metropolitan city, such as
Virginia/Maryland/Washington, DC
 Types of Authority

The type(s) of Operating Authority requested will impact the type and level of insurance that is
required by FMCSA. Therefore, carefully select only the type(s) of Operating Authority relevant
to the business. FMCSA does not refund application fees. Descriptions of the different types of
interstate Operating Authority are as follows:

Review Types of Authority

Filing Fees

Action Fee

Permanent Authority $300.00

Notice of Name Change $14.00

NOTE: Separate fees must be submitted for each kind of authority sought. Please note that there
are NO REFUNDS for mistaken applications.

Apply for Authority

Unified Registration System (first-time applicants)

First-time applicants, who have never registered with FMCSA before and have not been issued a
US DOT number, need to register via the new Unified Registration System as of December 12,
2015. To register, click here.

Applicants who are already registered for a USDOT number, or who are applying for an
additional authority, can apply online using FMCSAs legacy registration system with a credit
card.

Credit Card via US Mail

If you are already registered with FMCSA, but wish to add an operating authority, you can
register using a form and credit card via US Mail. Credit card payments and completed
applications should be mailed to:
 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, MC-RS
Washington, DC 20590

Check via US Mail

If you are already registered with FMCSA, but wish to add an operating authority, you can
register using a form and a check via US Mail. Payment may be combined. Applications and
other filings accompanied by improper fees will not be accepted.

Checks should be made payable to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Applications and payments should be sent to:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

P. O. BOX 530226
Atlanta, GA, 30353-0226

Express Mail

Applications and payments should be sent to:

Bank of America
Lockbox Number 530226
1075 Loop Road
Atlanta, GA, 30337

How Long Does the Process Take?

URS applications (new applicants only) may take 20-25 business days, unless they are subject to
further review by the agency, in which case it could take an additional 8 weeks or longer
US Mail carrier applications (existing carriers) may take 45-60 business days

How Do I Check My Application Status?

To check whether your operating authority has been issued(granted),

Go to the SAFER website

See bold heading FMCSA Searches
Click on Licensing & Insurance
Enter MC Number or USDOT Number in the appropriate box and click search
Click HTML
 Scroll to bottom and click on Authority History. This page will display the granted date of the
operating authority

Normally, operating authority documents are sent out within 3-4 business days after number has
been granted. If 10 or more business days have passed since the grant date and you have not yet
received the operating authority document, call 800-832-5660 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Eastern Time for assistance, or contact us via our web form.

Updated: Friday, April 22, 2016

Insurance Requirements
Overview
In addition to filing an application for operating authority, all applicants for motor carrier,
forwarder, and broker authorities must have specific insurance and legal process agent
documents on file before the FMCSA will issue the authorities. The required filings vary, based
on the types of registrations involved. Below is a list of pre-registration forms, followed by an
explanation of which types of registrants are subject to filing those forms.

Please note that first-time applicants with FMCSA must apply using the Unified Registration
System (URS) as of December 12, 2015. Existing registration- or authority-holders may apply
for authorities using the OP-series forms until September 30, 2016.

Liability and cargo insurance forms must be submitted directly (online) by the home office of the
insurance company furnishing the coverage. The FMCSA does not furnish copies of insurance
forms.

Requirements

Form Description Authorities Subject to

Filing

BMC-91 or BMC-91X Public liability insurance (bodily injury/property Motor Carrier

damage/environmental restoration) Freight Forwarder
(Note: Non-vehicle
operating freight
forwarders may seek
waiver of this
requirement.)
 Form Description Authorities Subject to
Filing

Freight:--$750,000 - $5,000,000, depending on commodities transported; $300,000 for non-hazardous freight

moved only in vehicles weighing under 10,001 lbs.
Passengers:--$5,000,000; $1,500,000 for registrants operating only vehicles with seating capacity of 15 or
fewer passengers.

BMC-34 or BMC-83 Cargo insurance--$5,000 per vehicle Household

$10,000 per occurrence Goods Motor Carrier
Household
Goods Freight
Forwarder

BMC-84 or BMC-85 Surety Bond amount is $75,000 Freight Forwarder

Trust Fund Agreement amount is $75,000 Broker of Freight

BOC-3 Service of Process Agents All Authorities

MCS-90 Endorsement for Motor Carrier Policies of Hazmat Safety Permit

Insurance for Public Liability under Sections 29 Carriers
and 30 of the Motor Carrier Act of 1980

How to File

Applicants should be prepared to contact their agents to request filing of the required forms
immediately after obtaining their designated docket number. These filings must be received
within 90 days after the FMCSA has published public notice of intention to register the
applicant. (Applicants will be notified by letter of their docket number and date of publication in
the FMCSA Register.)

Applicants are cautioned to ensure that the name and address of the business as set out in all pre-
registration filings match exactly the name and address provided in their application for
operating authority filings. Any deviation will result in rejection of the supplemental pre-
registration filings.

Where to File
 Insurance companies (NOT insurance agents) that wish to file insurance forms online need to set
up a filer account with FMCSA. Please submit a request to the Insurance Team at mc-
ecc.comments@dot.gov

Email links icon

or at the above address with the following information:

Letter on the insurance companys letterhead requesting a filer account

Home office address of the insurance company
Billing address, if that address is different from the home office address
Name of a contact person with that insurance company
Contact persons telephone and fax numbers
Billing contact persons telephone and fax number if it is different than the home office contact
person
E-mail address of the contact person if available
Preferred user name for the account (if any)
Copy of the insurance companys state license
Subject line: "Insurance Filer Account Request"

Insurance/process agent filings can also be mailed directly to:

FMCSA

Office of Registration and Safety Information, MC-RS

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE W63-105

Washington, DC 20590

Checking Status

FMCSA's QCMobile app can be used to verify an entity's operating authority and USDOT
number. The new app will provide the functionality previously provided by the automated phone
system, plus access to USDOT number status information. Users of Apple or Android
smartphones or tablets can download this app from the iTunes App Store (Apple) or the Google
Play Store (Android) at no cost.

Updated: Friday, April 22, 2016

Broker Registration
Overview

New Applicants:
 Brokers who are registering for the first time must apply for broker authority
with the FMCSA via the Unified Registration System (URS) as of December
12, 2015. For more information about URS, or to apply for the first
time, click here. After the MC Number has been assigned, to complete the
application process, brokers must also take the following steps:

For brokers of property: Proof of Insurance Coverage: a Surety Bond

(Form BMC-84) or Trust Fund Agreement (Form BMC-85) in the amount of
$75,000.
For brokers of household goods: Proof of Insurance Coverage: a Surety Bond
(Form BMC-84) or Trust Fund Agreement (Form BMC-85) in the amount of
$75,000.
Form BOC-3, Designation of Process Agent Form (brokers may designate
themselves as their own process agents in the State in which they are
writing contracts)
Application processing fee: $300 (non-refundable) charged during the
application process
Application processing time: Approximately 4-6 weeks

Existing Brokers or Carriers:

After December 12, 2015, entities with existing authorities or USDOT number registrations will
using existing forms/processes to update their authority or apply for an additional authority:

By mail: Once you have completed the OP-1 form, you must print the completed form and mail
it to the address indicated on the form.
Request the form by phone: You can call 800-832-5660 to have a form mailed to you. Once you
have completed the form, you can mail it to the address indicated on the form.