Yes. You can dissolve a partnership with an existing MC number by submitting a notarized letter signed by both partners requesting that the partner be removed from the existing authority. 

If the partners cannot agree who should keep the existing MC number:

• They should both file a new application with the required fees and get new MC numbers
• They should request that the existing MC number be voluntarily revoked. See the FAQ “How can I suspend or put my operating authority (MC number) on hold?”

If the amount of insurance on file with FMCSA needs to be raised or lowered, please create a ticket. Include the following information (preferably on company letterhead):

    USDOT#
    MC#
    Name of company
    Request to raise or lower the insurance, and the desired amount
    Signature of the requestor

Once that change has been requested, FMCSA insurance specialists will process it in our systems, provided that it reflects the amount of insurance you are required to have on file based on your type of operation.

For more information about FMCSA insurance requirements, click here.

A broker or freight forwarder who knowingly engages in interstate brokerage or freight forwarding operations without the required operating authority is liable to the United States for a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 and can be liable to any injured third party for all valid claims regardless of the amount (49 U.S.C. 14916(c)). The penalties and liability to injured parties apply jointly and severally to all corporations or partnerships involved in the transportation and individually to all officers, directors, and principals of these business forms (49 U.S.C. 14916(d)). Under 49 U.S.C. 14901(d)(3), a broker of household goods (HHG) who engages in interstate operations without the required operating authority is liable to the United States for a civil penalty of not less than $25,000 for each violation. Source: 78 FR 54720.

To report such a violation, click here to contact the National Consumer Complaint Database.

An exempt for-hire motor carrier transports exempt (unregulated) property owned by others for compensation. The exempt commodities usually include unprocessed or unmanufactured goods, fruits and vegetables, and other items of little or no value. 

For a partial listing of exempt and non-exempt commodities, please refer to Administrative Ruling 119.

For information about who needs an MC number, click here.

If you are a motor carrier based in Mexico and plan to operate beyond the commercial zone in the United States, you must register with FMCSA by completing the appropriate forms: MCS-150, OP-1MX and BOC-3 Forms.

To download the forms, click here. 

Please note the online FMCSA registration process is not available for these type of operations at this time. 

More guidance for Mexican carriers is here.

After a new entrant satisfies all applicable preoperational requirements, it will be subject to the new entrant safety monitoring procedures for a period of 18 months. During this 18-month period:

• The new entrant’s roadside safety performance will be closely monitored to ensure the new entrant has basic safety management controls that are operating effectively
• A safety audit will be conducted on the new entrant, once it has been in operation for enough time to have sufficient records to allow the agency to evaluate the adequacy of its basic safety management controls
• Failure to demonstrate basic safety management controls may result in the carrier having its new entrant registration revoked

Insurance companies that wish to file insurance (BMC-91, 91X, 34 and 84) online need to set up a filer account with FMCSA. There is a $10 fee for each filing filed with FMCSA.

Please send us a filer account request letter on company letterhead with the following information:

• Indicate the insurance type(s) to be filed (BIPD, Cargo, Surety Bond or Trust Fund coverage)
• Home office address of the insurance company
• Billing address (if different from the home office address)
• Name of a contact person with that insurance company
• Contact person's telephone and fax numbers
• Contact person's billing telephone and fax number (if different than above)
• Copy of the insurance company's state license
• E-mail address of the contact person (if available)
• Preferred user name for the account (if any)
• Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service
  • Please provide the EIN in this format: XX-XXXXXXX

Please note that filer accounts are only available for the insurers, NOT for insurance agents. 

Submit your request online by creating a ticket.

The Unified Registration System (URS) is a new electronic on-line registration system that will streamline and simplify the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) registration process and serve as a clearinghouse and depository of information on all entities regulated by the Agency, including motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, intermodal equipment providers (IEPs), hazardous materials safety permit (HMSP) applicants/holders, and cargo tank manufacturing and repair facilities. The URS will combine multiple registration processes, information technology systems and forms into a single, electronic online registration process.

Note: The initial phase of URS affected only new registrants (Dec. 12, 2015). Later phases  will affect all regulated entities.

For more information, please see the October 21, 2015 Federal Register Notice.

On January 17, 2017, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice suspending the January 14 and April 14, 2017 URS effectiveness dates.

We updated SAFER to clarify how information is displayed on the website. These updates include how the Company Snapshot defines the operating authority statuses in SAFER. The “NOT AUTHORIZED” message linked to the USDOT Number status resulted in misunderstandings about the statuses of entities. 

 The current operating authority statuses will now be correctly displayed in the Company Snapshot. Operating authority statuses are defined as the following: 

 Operating Authority Status 

•  AUTHORIZED FOR (Passenger, Property, Household Goods [HHG]): This will list the specific operating authorities the carrier (or broker) is allowed to operate. 

• NOT AUTHORIZED: The entity does not have any operating authority and/or is not authorized to engage in interstate, for-hire operations. 

• OUT-OF-SERVICE: Carrier is under any type of out-of-service order and is not authorized to operate. 

To update the company’s Legal/DBA name or phone number associated with your USDOT Number record, you can use one of the following options. Updating your USDOT Number record is free of charge. 

Option 1: Online Update

Complete the process online using your USDOT PIN. You can find detailed instructions for the online process attached to this FAQ.

Option 2: Submit a Form

Download the appropriate MCS-150 form: MCS-150 (Motor Carriers), MCS-150B (Motor Carriers with HazMat Permit), or MCS-150C (Intermodal Equipment Providers). Once completed and signed, submit the form using one of the options below:

• Submit a ticket through our website at ask.fmcsa.dot.gov (scroll to the bottom of the page, complete the required fields, and upload your documents). This is the fastest option, and you will receive a confirmation number by email.
• Fax the form to 202-366-3477 or 606-330-3802.
• Mail the form using the instructions provided on the form. Please note that this option may result in a delay in processing, and we recommend using one of the first two options.

In some cases, a legal name change, ownership change, or change in form of business may require a new USDOT number. For more information on this, click here.

Please note that if you change the name associated with your USDOT number, it will not automatically update your MC number. You will need to go through the MC number name change procedure separately. However, if you change the name associated with your MC number, it will also be updated for your USDOT number. There is a $14 fee for an MC number name change.

Please send your CAP to the appropriate FMCSA Office:

Western: AK, American Samoa, AZ, CA, CO, Guam, HI, ID, , MT, ND, NM, NV, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY, Northern Mariana Is.

E-mail: WSCCAP@dot.gov      
Phone: 303-407-2347
Fax: 877-547-0383

Midwestern: IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, OH, WI
E-mail: MSCCAP@dot.gov  
Phone: 708-283-3564
Fax: 877-547-0381

Southern: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN
E-mail: SSCCAP@dot.gov 
Phone: 404-327-7351
Fax: 877-547-0380

Eastern: CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, PR, RI, VA, VI, VT, WV
E-mail: ESCCAP@dot.gov 
Phone: 443-703-2269
Fax: 877-547-0379

Insurance forms must be filed by the insurance company, not the carrier or broker. For information on how insurance companies can make these filings online, click here. 

• Form MCS-82, Motor Carrier Public Liability Surety Bond under Sections 29 and 30 of the Motor Carrier Act of 1980
• Form MCS-82B, Motor Carrier Public Liability Surety Bond under Section 18 of the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982
• Form MCS-90, Endorsement for Motor Carrier Policies of Insurance for Public Liability under Sections 29 and 30 of the Motor Carrier Act of 1980
• Form MCS-90B, Endorsement for Motor Carrier Policies of Insurance for Public Liability under Section 18 of the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982
• Form BMC-34 for proof of cargo liability insurance is used to make cargo insurance filings for household goods carriers with FMCSA. FMCSA do not provide these forms. The insurance company making the filing maintains their own supply of forms. Many insurance carriers are set up to make the required insurance filings with FMCSA electronically
• Form BMC-84 for broker surety bonds is used to make the bond insurance filing for the broker authority with the FMCSA. FMCSA does not provide these forms. The insurance company making the filing maintains their own supply of forms. Many insurance carriers are set up to make the required insurance filings with FMCSA electronically
• Form BMC-85 for broker trust fund agreements is used to make the trust agreement for the broker authority with the FMCSA. This form can only be completed by a financial institution (insured bank, commercial bank or trust company, agency or branch of a foreign bank in the U.S., insured institution of the National Housing Act, a thrift institution, a loan or finance company).
• Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X for proof of bodily injury and property damage (BI & PD) insurance are both used to make liability filings with the FMCSA. FMCSA does not provide these forms. The insurance company making the filing maintains their own supply of forms. Many insurance carriers are set up to make the required insurance filings with FMCSA electronically

For more information about insurance requirements and filings, click here.

An authorized for-hire motor carrier transports passengers, regulated property or household goods owned by others for compensation. If you are a for-hire carrier, in addition to the USDOT number you will also need to obtain operating authority (MC number).

You can review the different types of authority by clicking here.

For information on how to apply for for-hire authority, click here.

A USDOT number usually applies to the company, not a particular branch office or vehicle. Generally the corporate office or headquarters should register the company, and should inform its branches of the USDOT number. For companies with multiple branches, maintaining proper registration with the FMCSA requires good communication between the corporate headquarters and the terminal offices. The company's headquarters then can then interact with the FMCSA to ensure that all of its branches are properly accounted for.

You are no longer licensed to drive a commercial motor vehicle. Your SDLA will notify you that you are no longer medically certified to operate a CMV in non-excepted interstate commerce.

You can find contact information for your state’s driver licensing agency on the USA.gov website.

For more information, click here. 

Yes. If you transport hazardous materials in commerce, you are required to register with the FMCSA. This includes both intrastate and interstate transportation of hazardous materials. In addition to registration, you may also need to obtain specific permits or certifications, depending on the nature of the hazardous materials you are transporting. Please refer to the FMCSA website or contact our Hazardous Materials Division for more information on registration requirements and applicable regulations.

If FMCSA determines the safety audit discloses the new entrant has adequate basic safety management controls, the Agency will provide the new entrant written notice as soon as practicable, but not later than 45 days after completion of the safety audit, that it has adequate basic safety management controls. The new entrant’s safety performance will continue to be closely monitored for the remainder of the 18-month period of new entrant registration.

A broker must maintain a surety bond or a trust fund agreement in the amount of $75,000 to comply with FMCSA’s financial security requirements.

For more information about insurance requirements and filings, click here.

No, you are not considered a Motor Carrier of Household Goods (HHG), and do not need HHG Operating Authority registration. The term “Motor Carrier of Household Goods” does not include any motor carrier that delivers furniture, appliances, or other furnishings between a factory or a store and an individual's household.  If you are not a moving company, you are not considered a Motor Carrier of Household Goods (HHG).

A Motor Carrier of Household Goods (HHG) is an authorized for-hire Motor Carrier that transports only household goods for the public in exchange for payment based on published tariff rates.  HHG carriers are paid to transport/move someone’s possessions from one “dwelling/office” location to another “dwelling/office” location.
HHG motor carriers also offer some or all the following additional services:  binding and nonbinding estimates; inventorying; protective packing and unpacking of individual items at personal residences; and/or loading and unloading at personal residences.  

Note: Motor Carriers of Household Goods must file proof of both public liability (BI & PD) and cargo insurance with FMCSA to obtain interstate Operating Authority.

Yes, you will keep the same MC number if you change your name. However, you will not receive a new certificate or permit, but you will receive a re-entitlement decision which should be attached to your original operating authority.

For information on how to change the name on your operating authority, click here.

There are situations where a legal name change, ownership change or form of business change may require a new USDOT number. For more information, click here.