Carrier registration
USDOT Number & MC Authority Help
Getting registered correctly the first time avoids weeks of delay. We help new and existing carriers apply, update, and correct their federal records.
USDOT number vs. operating authority (MC number)
A USDOT number identifies your company in federal safety records. Operating authority — often called an MC number — is permission to haul regulated freight for hire across state lines.
Many carriers need both. Some, such as certain intrastate or private carriers, need only a USDOT number. Which applies depends on what you haul, for whom, and where.
What a new authority application usually involves
- Company, ownership, and operation-classification details.
- Cargo classifications and vehicle information.
- Proof of insurance filed by your insurer.
- A BOC-3 process agent designation on file.
- A federal application fee paid directly to the government, plus a mandatory waiting period before authority becomes active.
Updates and corrections
- Biennial updates are required even when nothing changed and even if you are no longer operating.
- Address, ownership, fleet size, and operating-classification changes should be reported.
- Inactive or revoked records usually need to be corrected before you can be dispatched or insured.
What we do
We review what your operation actually needs, help prepare and submit the paperwork through an independent provider, and keep you informed about required follow-up filings. Federal application fees are paid to the government and are separate from any service fee.
Accuracy notice
Official government resources
Related permits and filings
More permit & compliance services
- Temporary Fuel PermitsShort-term fuel tax permits for trips into states where you don't hold IFTA credentials.
- Annual Oversize PermitsRecurring permits for repeat oversize configurations, and when single-trip still makes sense.
- Superload PermitsState-defined permits for unusually large or heavy moves that need extra route and engineering review.
- Pilot Car & Escort RequirementsWhat can trigger escorts, route surveys, or height poles, and how the rules differ by state.
- Motor Carrier AuthorityUSDOT numbers vs. operating authority, and the filings that usually come with getting started.
- Trucking Compliance ServicesUCR, BOC-3, IFTA, IRP, authority, and recurring compliance and audit-prep referrals in one place.
Request permit help
Send the details and an independent provider will follow up with what is required, timing, and pricing.
Who we are — and who we are not
DOT-Permits.com is an independent commercial information and referral service. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Transportation, FMCSA, or any state DOT.
Any service fee we or a partner provider charge is separate from, and in addition to, government permit fees, taxes, and filing fees charged by state or federal agencies.
Permit requirements, fees, routing rules, and processing times change frequently and vary by state, route, load, and season. Information on this site is general in nature, may not be current, and is not legal or regulatory advice. Always confirm details with the issuing state agency before moving a load.