Written by the America’s Driving Force team · Reviewed by Joel Curtis, retired professional truck driver · Published September 29, 2026 · Last reviewed September 29, 2026 · Sources are listed at the end
A USDOT number identifies a company that operates commercial vehicles and lets FMCSA track its safety record. An MC number is operating authority, required in addition to a USDOT number for companies that haul regulated freight for hire or carry passengers for a fee in interstate commerce. Private carriers that haul their own cargo may need a USDOT number but not an MC number.
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What a USDOT number is and who needs one
A USDOT number is the identifier the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) assigns to a company that operates commercial vehicles. According to FMCSA’s registration guidance, companies that operate commercial vehicles transporting passengers or hauling cargo in interstate commerce must be registered with FMCSA and must have a USDOT number. The number works as a unique identifier: FMCSA uses it to collect and monitor a company’s safety information from audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations and inspections.
FMCSA says you are required to obtain a USDOT number if you have a vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or an actual weight, of 10,001 pounds (4,536 kilograms) or more, whichever is greater, and is involved in interstate commerce. Some passenger-carrying vehicles also qualify, and commercial intrastate carriers of hazardous materials in types and quantities that require a safety permit must register for a USDOT number too.
Interstate commerce is broader than driving across a state line. FMCSA defines it to include trade, traffic or transportation between a place in a state and a place outside that state, between two places in a state through another state or a place outside the United States, and between two places in a state as part of trade, traffic or transportation that originates or terminates outside the state or the United States.
Some states also require a USDOT number for companies that operate only within the state. FMCSA lists the states that do and advises operators to check with their responsible state agency for intrastate registration.
What an MC number is and who needs one
An MC number is different. It identifies operating authority, which is the commercial registration FMCSA requires of certain companies on top of the USDOT number. FMCSA explains that, in general, companies that operate as for-hire carriers, transport passengers or arrange their transport in interstate commerce, or transport federally regulated commodities or arrange their transport in interstate commerce are required to have interstate operating authority (an MC number) in addition to a USDOT number.
FMCSA operating authority is also referred to as an MC, FF or MX number, depending on the type of authority granted. Unlike the USDOT number, a company may need more than one operating authority to support its planned business. FMCSA notes that operating authority dictates the type of operation a company may run and the cargo it may carry, and that it also determines the level of insurance and financial responsibility the company must maintain.
In short, the USDOT number answers “who is this company, and what is its safety record?” The MC number answers “is this company registered to haul freight or carry passengers for hire, and what kind of authority does it hold?”
USDOT number vs MC number at a glance
| Question | USDOT number | MC number (operating authority) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A unique identifier for a company’s operations | Registration of the type of for-hire operation a company may run |
| Who needs it | Companies operating covered commercial vehicles in interstate commerce, and some intrastate hazmat carriers | For-hire carriers, passenger carriers and carriers of federally regulated freight in interstate commerce |
| What FMCSA uses it for | Tracking safety information from audits, compliance reviews, crashes and inspections | Tracking the operating authority registration and setting insurance requirements |
| Can a company hold more than one? | A company has one | A company may need several authorities |
Every company that holds an MC number also holds a USDOT number, but a company can hold a USDOT number without an MC number.
Who does not need an MC number
Not every company that runs trucks needs operating authority. According to FMCSA’s operating authority page, carriers that do not need it include:
- Private carriers, which transport their own cargo.
- For-hire carriers that exclusively haul exempt commodities, meaning cargo that is not federally regulated.
- Carriers that operate exclusively within a federally designated commercial zone that is exempt from interstate authority rules, such as the territory around a major metropolitan area that spans several states.
These carriers can still need a USDOT number if their vehicles and operations meet the USDOT requirements described above. This is why some companies in the federal records have a USDOT number and no MC number.
How to apply, what it costs and how long it takes
FMCSA’s registration overview asks companies to define their type of business operation first: motor carrier, broker, intermodal equipment provider, cargo tank facility or freight forwarder. The steps are to determine registration needs, complete the application, meet insurance requirements, determine state notification and registration requirements, begin the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program, and then maintain and update the registration.
First-time applicants who have never registered with FMCSA apply through the Unified Registration System, and are issued a USDOT number along with an MC, MX or FF number for the authority they request, as described in FMCSA’s FAQ. Companies that already hold a USDOT number and want an additional authority apply separately using their existing number.
FMCSA’s operating authority page lists the following filing fees, with a separate fee required for each kind of authority sought and no refunds for mistaken applications:
- Permanent authority: $300
- Notice of name change: $14
- Reinstate authority: $80
The same page says applications through the Unified Registration System from new applicants may take 20 to 25 business days, unless they are subject to further review, in which case they could take an additional 8 weeks or longer. Paper applications from existing carriers may take 45 to 60 business days. Fees and processing times can change, so confirm them on FMCSA’s page before you apply.
How to check a carrier's USDOT and MC numbers
Anyone can verify a company’s numbers. The FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot shows a carrier’s USDOT number, operating status and safety information. To confirm that operating authority has been granted, FMCSA says to use the Licensing and Insurance website: enter the MC or USDOT number, run the carrier search, open the HTML result and choose Authority History, which shows the date the authority was granted.
Every carrier in our directory of trucking companies in all 50 states links to its federal record by USDOT number, so you can check its status before you apply for a job or hire it. Our directories list for-hire carriers that hold an MC number.
Will MC numbers be phased out?
MC numbers may not last forever. In a FAQ that FMCSA last updated in May 2026, the agency says that if it stops issuing MC numbers, existing MC numbers will not be replaced by USDOT numbers. It explains that MC numbers were never a statutory or regulatory requirement and were historically used to track proceedings related to a single operating authority registration. Instead of replacing them, FMCSA says it is considering phasing out MC numbers, with each type of operating authority indicated by a suffix to the USDOT number.
Because this is only under consideration, treat your MC number and USDOT number as separate requirements for now and check FMCSA’s pages for the current rules.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both a USDOT number and an MC number?
Only if you operate as a for-hire carrier, carry passengers for a fee, or transport federally regulated freight in interstate commerce. Those companies need an MC number in addition to a USDOT number. Private carriers that haul their own cargo generally do not need an MC number.
What does an MC number cost?
FMCSA lists a $300 filing fee for permanent authority, $14 for a name change notice and $80 to reinstate authority, with a separate fee for each kind of authority. Confirm current fees on the FMCSA operating authority page.
How long does it take to get operating authority?
FMCSA says Unified Registration System applications from new applicants may take 20 to 25 business days unless they need further review, which can add 8 weeks or longer. Paper applications from existing carriers may take 45 to 60 business days.
Are MC numbers going away?
FMCSA says it is considering phasing out MC numbers and indicating each type of operating authority with a suffix to the USDOT number. It has stated that existing MC numbers would not be replaced by USDOT numbers. This is under consideration, so check FMCSA for the current rules.
Related guides
- Trucking companies in all 50 states
- How to choose a trucking company to work for
- Commercial truck insurance companies compared
About the reviewer
Joel Curtis is a retired professional truck driver with more than 30 years of over-the-road experience in Canada and the United States. He reviews our guides for practical accuracy from a driver’s point of view. Every guide is built from the official sources listed below.
Sources
- Do I Need a USDOT Number?, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- What is Operating Authority (MC number) and who needs it?, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Get Operating Authority (Docket Number), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Getting Started with Registration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- If FMCSA stops issuing MC Numbers, will existing MC Numbers be replaced by USDOT Numbers?, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- SAFER Company Snapshot, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Licensing and Insurance (L&I) public search, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules, fees and requirements change, so confirm current details with the agencies listed above and your state before you act.