MC number requirements: what brokers and carriers should know

Most brokers and carriers still need an MC number to haul or arrange freight across state lines. FMCSA plans to phase out MC numbers eventually, but its April 2026 notice about its new Motus registration system gave no date, so the requirement stands for now.

How you get one did change in 2026. FMCSA moved registration into Motus in May, new applicants now verify their identity with a government-issued ID, and each newly granted authority receives its own randomized docket number.

Keeping authority active takes more than the application. Required insurance has to stay on file, and a biennial update is due every two years, though FMCSA has paused enforcement of that update for now.

What is an MC number?

An MC number, also called a docket number, is the FMCSA permission to haul regulated freight for pay, or arrange it, across state lines.

“MC number” is the informal name for “interstate operating authority.” In the trucking industry, people might also use the terms “trucking authority” and “broker authority,” but there’s no difference. Truckers and brokers apply through the same FMCSA registration system to get their interstate operating authority.

Do you need an MC number?

Most for-hire carriers and all freight brokers do. You need an MC number if you haul federally regulated freight owned by others for pay across state lines, or if you arrange that freight for a fee.

Some carriers do not. FMCSA lists private carriers that haul only their own cargo, for-hire carriers that haul only exempt commodities, and carriers that stay inside a federally designated commercial zone.

MC number vs USDOT number: what is the difference?

A USDOT number identifies a company for safety and registration tracking. An MC number gives that company permission to haul or arrange regulated freight for pay. You need a USDOT number first, then add MC authority if your work requires it.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the division of the U.S. Department of Transportation that oversees trucking and MC numbers. When you hear people talk about a “USDOT number,” they’re referring to a different type of registration that the FMCSA also oversees. It can be a little confusing, so here’s what you need to know:

USDOT number

A USDOT number (or DOT number, for short) identifies a carrier or owner-operator. The number stays with your company unless FMCSA inactivates it, which can happen for compliance violations or a missed biennial update.

Who needs a USDOT number?

Most self-employed truck drivers and commercial carriers need their own USDOT number. FMCSA requires one for companies that haul cargo in interstate commerce with vehicles rated at 10,001 pounds or more. Fleet drivers operate under their employer’s USDOT number and do not need one of their own.

MC number

An MC number gives carriers and brokers permission to conduct a specific type of business in the United States. There are three main types of operating authority:

• MC: This authority is for U.S.-based brokers and carriers.
• FF: This authority is for freight forwarders, whose work involves handling, storing, and packaging cargo, in addition to making transportation arrangements.
• MX: The “MX” designation means a carrier or broker is “domiciled” in Mexico but is authorized to transport cargo into and through the United States.

Each category has additional specifications. Those decide what you request when you apply, which we’ll cover in the next section.

How do you get an MC number?

New applicants apply for a USDOT number and operating authority in Motus, the FMCSA registration system that replaced the older Unified Registration System in May 2026. Here is the order most applicants follow.

1. Confirm you need authority. Check the “Do you need an MC number?” section above. FMCSA’s USDOT Wizard also shows whether you need only a USDOT number or both a USDOT number and operating authority.
2. Create a Motus profile and verify your identity. You need a Login.gov account, a smartphone or tablet, and a government-issued ID.
3. Apply for your USDOT number and operating authority. Choose the authority type your work requires. First-time applicants are assigned a USDOT number during registration. FMCSA lists a $300 filing fee for each type of authority and does not refund fees for mistaken applications.
4. Designate process agents. MC number requirements say carriers must have a process agent in every state where they conduct business or a single process agent that covers the United States. (Freight brokers are required to select process agents as part of the freight broker licensing process.)
5. Keep required insurance on file. FMCSA can suspend or revoke authority if the filing lapses, and its insurance filing requirements page lists what each authority type needs.
6. Check your authority status. The Licensing and Insurance website shows when your operating authority is granted.

New carriers also take part in the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program, an 18-month monitoring period.

Our step-by-step guide to getting trucking authority covers the same process in more detail.

Forms FMCSA still accepts

FMCSA is moving its registration forms into online fields in Motus, but it still accepts these forms until a rule change:

• Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150): for motor carriers and brokers
• Combined Motor Carrier Identification Report and HM Permit Application (MCS-150B): for motor carriers that transport hazardous materials
• Intermodal Equipment Provider Identification Report (MCS-150C): for businesses that provide motor carrier equipment for interchange

If you already have your operating authority but want to apply for a different type of authority, you would use a form in the OP-1 Series, or request it in Motus.

How do you check an MC number?

Having an MC number does not mean the authority is active today. FMCSA can suspend or revoke authority when required insurance lapses, and it reports a significant increase in fraud involving registration records, including hijacked accounts and sold MC numbers.

To see what FMCSA lists right now, search the number in its Licensing and Insurance tool. The record shows whether the authority is active and what insurance is on file. The SAFER Company Snapshot adds safety and operating status, and Motus public search lets you look up a company by USDOT number, legal name, or DBA.

Brokers usually pair these with other free MC and DOT lookup tools before booking a carrier.

How often do you update your MC number?

You update your MC number and USDOT number every two years. The FMCSA requires all authority-holders to complete this biennial update, whether or not their information changed, and you file it in Motus.

As of October 2026, FMCSA has temporarily paused enforcement of the biennial update. Companies whose update was due on or after June 1, 2026 get extra time and will not have a USDOT number inactivated for missing it.

FMCSA has said it will share more guidance, so filing on schedule is still the safer path.

Most updates, including name changes, address changes, and requests to reinstate authority or reactivate a USDOT number, now run through Motus. Some changes, such as an EIN or SSN update, may still need supporting documents sent to FMCSA.

You also have to update your authority any time your information changes. So, if you move to a new home, you have to change your address with the FMCSA, even if it’s not time for the biennial update. A new business name or business structure counts too.

What happens if you do not update your MC number?

A missed biennial update can lead to USDOT number inactivation, which you would then have to reactivate through Motus. FMCSA has paused inactivation for now, so check its current guidance before relying on that pause.

A lapse in your insurance filing is a separate risk, because FMCSA can suspend or revoke operating authority when required coverage is not on file. Either problem means you may not be legally able to conduct business until FMCSA resolves it.

How scammers target MC number holders

FMCSA reports a significant increase in presumed fraud involving registration records, including identity theft, hijacked FMCSA accounts, and the sale of MC numbers.

Brokers and carriers should be on the lookout for phishing emails that allegedly come from the FMCSA. These emails may ask for payments, contain fake invoices, or request sensitive personal or business information.

FMCSA’s fraud alerts page lists fake Motus portals and emails urging carriers to click a link to update their profile. Go to motus.dot.gov directly instead of using a link in an email.

Keep your MC authority and FMCSA filings current, and question any message that asks for money or login details.

What to do after you get your MC number

Most brokers and carriers need an MC number, and you get one by applying in Motus. Keeping it takes required insurance on file and a biennial update every two years, and checking the record before you book or haul a load shows whether the authority is still active.

Getting an MC number is only the first step. Once your authority is active and your filings are current, you need freight to haul.

The Truckstop load board works for both sides. Carriers can search loads by lane and equipment type and see how much competition a load has, and brokers can post loads and reach carriers who are looking for freight.

Once your authority is active, the only thing left is putting it to work, whether that means booking your first load or covering your first shipment.

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