US

How to get a USDOT number and MC authority

Last reviewed October 2, 2026 · 6 min read

The USDOT number identifies your company with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). It's the number on your trucks, your inspections and your safety record. Getting it right at the start saves months of headaches later.

Do you need a USDOT number?

You generally need one if you operate in interstate commerce (including trips into the US from Canada) with a vehicle over 10,000 lb, if you haul placarded hazardous materials, or if you transport passengers for hire. Many states also require a USDOT number for carriers that only operate within the state (intrastate).

USDOT number vs. MC authority

• USDOT number: required for almost every commercial carrier covered by FMCSA.
• MC number (operating authority): additionally required if you haul regulated freight for hire across state lines, that is, you're paid to move other people's goods interstate.
• Private carriers hauling their own goods usually need a USDOT number but not MC authority.

Step by step

1. Gather your information: legal business name and address, EIN (or Canadian business number for Canadian carriers), company officers, type of operation, cargo you'll haul, and number of trucks and drivers.
2. Register online with FMCSA. FMCSA has been modernizing its registration system with added identity verification, so follow the current instructions on fmcsa.dot.gov; the owner or an officer usually has to complete the identity steps personally.
3. If you need MC authority, pay the application fee and wait for the protest period to pass before your authority becomes active.
4. File a BOC-3 (designation of process agents) through a process-agent company.
5. Have your insurance company file proof of insurance with FMCSA. For general freight in trucks over 10,001 lb, the federal minimum liability is $750,000; hazmat and other operations need more.
6. Register for UCR (Unified Carrier Registration) for the year.
7. Set up your DOT drug & alcohol testing program and register in the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse before your CDL drivers start driving.

After you're registered

• New Entrant Safety Audit: FMCSA audits new carriers, usually within the first 12 months. Driver qualification files, hours of service, maintenance records and drug & alcohol records must be in order.
• MCS-150 update: every 2 years, on a schedule set by the last two digits of your USDOT number, even if nothing changed.
• Keep driver qualification files for every driver: application, MVRs, road test, medical certificate and annual review.

Fees, forms and timelines change. Always confirm on fmcsa.dot.gov before you apply. CanAm sets up new US authorities from start to finish and prepares carriers for the New Entrant audit.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules, fees and forms change; confirm with the regulator before you act.