Trucking and Trucking Insurance FAQs

To check whether your operating authority has been issued, you should visit www.li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov. If you do not have access to the Internet, contact the 24- hour automated system at 202-358-7000 or call the status line at 202-366-9805 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. We will only fax your operating authority if 10 or more working days have passed since the service date and you have not yet received the operating authority.

A common carrier of property must file a Form OP-1, the Application for Motor Property Carrier and Broker Authority, while a common carrier of passengers must file a Form OP-1(P), the Application for Motor Passenger Carrier Authority. You can file for operating authority over the Internet at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov or you can download a copy of the application forms at this site. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may call the toll free number at 1-800-832-5660 and request an application be mailed or faxed to you. You are also required to file an MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report) and an MCS-150A (Safety Certification Application) to obtain a USDOT number. You can file for a USDOT number over the Internet at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov or call the toll-free number at 1-800-832-5660 and request the form be mailed or faxed to you.

Because that is an MC number for a Broker, and Brokers are not listed online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov since they are not assigned USDOT numbers. However, MC numbers for Brokers will appear online at www.li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Yes, leasing is permissible if you comply with the requirements under Section 376.11.

A freight forwarder is a company that arranges for the truck transportation of cargo belonging to others, utilizing for-hire carriers to provide the actual truck transportation. In the ordinary course of its business, a freight forwarder usually assembles and consolidates less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments at origin and also disassembles and distributes truckload (TL) shipments at destination. The freight forwarder assumes responsibility for the transportation from its origin to its destination, but it uses a for-hire carrier for the line-haul movement. Freight forwarders must register with FMCSA by filing a Form OP-1(FF), Application for Freight Forwarder Authority. You can file for this authority or download a copy of the application online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. You also can call the toll-free number at 1-800-832-5660 and request a copy be mailed or faxed to you.

No. License plates and stickers are State matters, and you should contact your State department of motor vehicles for the requirements.

You may change the name of your operation only if there is no change in the ownership, management, or control of the company. The information can be changed online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Select Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; FMCSA Registration Applications; and Name Change. There is a $14 fee for the name change. (Note: If there is a change in ownership, management, or control of the company you must file a Transfer Application.) If you would like to mail your name change (legal or trade name) and are paying with a check or money order, a letter must be sent to the FMCSA at P. O. Box 409934, Atlanta, GA 30384-9934. The letter must contain the current name and the new name, and the statement that there is no change in ownership, control, or management of the company. If you have incorporated, you must send a copy of the Articles of Incorporation. If you prefer to put the fee on a credit card but do not have access to the Internet, you may mail your request to FMCSA, Licensing Team, 4007th Street, SW, Room 8214, Washington, DC 20590. The letter must contain the current name and the new name, and the statement that there is no change in ownership, control, or management of the company. If you have incorporated, you must send a copy of the Articles of Incorporation. The following types of requests for name changes can be processed online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov but will need additional documents for verification.

Interstate commerce is trade, traffic, or transportation involving the crossing of a State boundary. Either the vehicle, its passengers, or cargo must cross a State boundary, or there must be the intent to cross a State boundary to be considered an interstate carrier. Intrastate commerce is trade, traffic, or transportation within a single State. If your operations include interstate commerce, you must comply with the applicable Federal safety regulations and operating authority rules, in addition to State and local requirements. You must notify the State in which you plan to register your vehicle(s) of your intentions to operate in interstate commerce to ensure that the vehicle is properly registered for purposes of the International Registration Plan (IRP), and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). The base State will help you by collecting the appropriate fees and distributing a portion of those fees to the other States in which you operate commercial motor vehicles. If you operate exclusively in intrastate commerce, you must comply with applicable State and local regulations. The only Federal regulations that are applicable to intrastate operations are the commercial driver’s license (CDL), for drivers operating commercial motor vehicles as defined in 49 CFR 383.5; controlled substances and alcohol testing for all persons required to possess a CDL; and minimum levels of financial responsibility for the intrastate transportation of certain quantities of hazardous materials and substances.

Address changes can be accomplished by visiting www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. If you do not have access to the Internet you may submit a letter to the FMCSA Licensing Division, Room 8214, 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590 or fax to 202-366-3477. In your letter, please reference the MC number and include the former and current addresses and telephone numbers. The letter must be signed by the applicant or applicant’s representative. The address change will be updated for both the MC number and the USDOT number. No fee is required.

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 that should be attached to your original operating authority.

If you have the MC number, USDOT number, or name for search purposes, you can check on safety ratings at http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.

The information can be obtained at www.li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov under carrier search. If you do not have access to the internet, you can call the 24-hour automated system at 202-358-7000, call the toll free number at 1-800-832-5660 or call the status line at 202-366-9805 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time.

You can call the toll-free number at 1-800-832-5660 to have the information corrected.

You can update your USDOT number over the Internet at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov by filing an MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report). To update your record online you will need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) but the good news is that you can also apply for your PIN online at www.www.mchqecom.com/nu_cc/cc_pin.asp. You may also update your USDOT record by filing an MCS-150 by mail. You may mail the forms to FMCSA, MCMIS Team, Room 8214, 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. Please put “update” on the MCS-150 form and make all necessary changes. You can also call the toll free number at 1-800-832-5660 to have an MCS-150 form mailed to you.

If you operate any of the following types of commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce you must comply with the applicable U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) safety regulations concerning: CDL: controlled substances and alcohol testing for all persons required to possess a CDL: driver qualifications (including medical exams); driving of commercial motor vehicles; parts and accessories necessary for safe operations; hours of service; and inspection, repair, and maintenance. (1) A vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 4,537 kg (10,001 lb) or more, whichever is greater; (2) A vehicle designed or used to transport between 9 and 15 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; (3) A vehicle designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers; or (4) Any size vehicle used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR chapter I, subchapter C).

It depends on the type of authority you apply for with FMCSA. If you apply for common carrier authority, you are required to have on file evidence of both liability (BI & PD) and cargo insurance. If you apply for contract authority, you are only required to have evidence of liability (BI & PD) insurance on file. Common carriers hauling low-value goods as specified at 49 CFR 387.301(b) may request an exemption from cargo insurance requirements by calling 202-366-9805 and asking that they be sent a cargo exemption form.

The regulations do not allow for voluntary suspension of operating authority; however, voluntary revocation of your operating authority is allowed. To accomplish a voluntary revocation, you must (1) complete a Form OCE-46, Request for Revocation of Registration; (2) have it notarized; and (3) mail it back to the FMCSA, Insurance Compliance Division at 400 Virginia Avenue, SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. Upon receipt of the form, the information will be coded into the system, and the date that occurs is when your operating authority will be voluntarily revoked. The telephone number to request this form is 202-385-2423 or 2424. The operating authority can be reinstated at any time in the future if you so desire by requesting reinstatement of the authority and paying an $80 fee.

The form BMC-91 or BMC-91X are both used to make liability insurance filings with the FMCSA. We do not provide these forms. The insurance company making the filing maintains its own supply of forms. In fact, many insurance carriers are set up to make the required insurance filings with us electronically.

Your insurance company must provide the Form BMC-84 Property Broker’s Surety Bond.

You may obtain a copy of Form BMC-85, Property Broker’s Trust Fund Agreement by contacting the FMCSA Insurance Compliance Division at 400 Virginia Avenue, SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. The telephone number is 202-385-2423. You may also download an image of the Form at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/BMC-85.pdf.

The RS-1, RS-2, and RS-3 are for single State registration and must be obtained through your State Department of Motor Vehicles.

Pursuant to Title 49 CFR Part 107, Subpart G (107.601 – 107.620), certain offerors and transporters of hazardous materials, including hazardous waste, are required to file an annual registration statement with the U.S. Department of Transportation and to pay a fee. For more information, visit www.hazmat.dot.gov/register.htm.

Yes. That information can be found at www.dot.gov/ost/dapc/regulations.

Licensing Team’s Mailing Address & Phone Numbers Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Licensing Team 400 7th Street, SW, Room 8214 Washington, DC 20590 Phone: (202) 366-9805 Fax: (202) 366-3477.

Insurance Division’s Mailing Address & Phone Numbers Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Commercial Enforcement Division 400 Virginia Avenue, SW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20024 Phone: (202) 385-2423 Fax: (202) 385-2422.

Temporary authority is only issued for national disasters or emergency situations.

If you are transporting exempt commodities and have a USDOT number, you may operate as an exempt for-hire interstate motor carrier without an MC number. You cannot transport regulated commodities in interstate commerce until you have obtained operating authority (Certificate and/or Permit) and received your single state registration. Simply applying for operating authority is not sufficient. You must wait until the Certificate and/or Permit has been issued.

Online at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsrhome.htm you will find Administrative Ruling No. 119 which is a guide on what is or is not exempt. The booklet is no longer in print, but the information is still correct. The list of exempt commodities is ever-changing, but this can be used as a general guide. Also, a list of commodities that are not exempt can be found in the FMCSR at Section 372.115.

A process agent is a representative upon whom court papers may be served in any proceeding brought against a motor carrier and is one of the pre-licensing requirements that must be met by the carrier before authority is issued. A list of the process agent services can be found in the instruction packet accompanying an application or online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Common Carrier provides for-hire truck transportation to the general public. Common carriers must file both liability (BI & PD) insurance and cargo insurance. Contract Carrier provides for-hire truck transportation to specific, individual shippers that are based on contracts. Contract carriers must file only liability (BI & PD) insurance. Broker authority is a company that, for compensation, arranges for the truck transportation of cargo belonging to others, utilizing for-hire carriers to provide the actual truck transportation. Brokers must file either a surety bond or trust fund agreement.

The common carrier authority requires liability and cargo insurance. The contract carrier authority only requires liability insurance. Some shippers prefer common carriers while some prefer to contract.

No. A contract carrier cannot broker loads without first applying for and receiving a license to operate as a broker of freight.

If you request a USDOT number online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov you will receive your USDOT number immediately and a notification letter will be mailed by the FMCSA confirming your USDOT number. If you mailed your MCS-150 and MCS-150A forms to receive a USDOT number you can go to www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and search by the motor carrier name to see if the application has been processed. Additionally, you can call the toll-free number at 1-800-832-5660.

No. Transfer applications can be faxed directly to you by calling 202-366-0643 from your fax machine. (Note: You must pick up the phone on your fax machine, call 202-366-0643, listen for the prompt and hit the end/receive button, and then hang up your phone.) If you do not have a fax machine you may obtain a Transfer application by calling 202-366-9805, and one will be mailed to you.

No, USDOT numbers are not transferable. You can file for your own USDOT number online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov or call the toll-free number at 1-800-832-5660 to request a copy of the MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report) and an MCS-150A (Safety Certification Application).

If you are transporting Regulated property “for-hire” from one State to another, you are required to have both a USDOT number (MCS-150 and MCS-150A) and operating authority (active MC number – OP-1). You may apply for the USDOT number online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and you may apply for the MC number online at http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.

The definition of a “for-hire” carrier is a person or company that provides transportation of cargo or passengers 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).

To purchase a complete copy of the FMCSRs, Parts 300-399, contact the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, telephone: (202) 512-1800 or at www.access.gpo.gov.

You can either complete the appropriate OP-1 application online at http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and pay the required filing fee with a credit card or you can download a copy of the application form at this site, or request a copy of the OP-1 application by calling 1-800-832-5660 to have an application mailed to you. The filing fee is $300.00 for each type of authority requested. No insurance information can be submitted until the carrier has been assigned its MC number.

Once the application is received and accepted, you will be assigned your MC (motor carrier) number. You will receive a letter informing you of this MC number and telling you any additional information needed to get into compliance. Once your insurance company has filed the correct insurance form, and the process agent has filed the BOC-3 Designation of Process Agent form, you will receive your official operating authority in the form of a Certificate and/or Permit. You will not be able to operate until this information has been submitted and the Certificate and/or Permit is officially issued.

A USDOT number is required if you have vehicles that are over 10,000 lbs, if you transport between 9 and 15 passengers (including the driver) for compensation, if you transport 16 or more passengers, or haul hazardous materials in interstate commerce. No fee is required. You must complete the MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report) and an MCS-150A (Safety Certification Application) to obtain a USDOT number. The forms can be found online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. The MCS-150 and MCS-150A can be completed online or you can print out a copy of the forms, complete and mail them to the address indicated. If you do not have access to the Internet, you can call our toll-free number at 1-800-832-5660 to have one mailed to you. Generally, if you are operating as a “for-hire” motor carrier of regulated commodities or passengers in interstate commerce, you must also obtain interstate operating authority (MC number) unless your “for-hire” operation is limited to the transportation of exempt commodities, or you operate within a commercial zone, exempt from the interstate operating authority rules. Information about commercial zone exemptions may be found at 49 CFR 372. Administrative Ruling No. 119 provides additional guidance for identifying exempt commodities, which can be found online at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/adminrule.pdf. A list of commodities, which are NOT exempt from the operating authority rules, can be found at 49 CFR 372.115 or online at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregulations/administration/fmcsr/372.115.htm.

Yes. There are two options: 1) You may request a name change for the existing MC number by submitting a notarized letter requesting the partner be removed from the existing authority along with a $14 name change fee payable by check, money order, VISA, or MASTERCARD. The partner being removed from the existing authority would then file a new application along with the required fee to receive his or her own MC number; or 2) If the partners cannot agree on 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 also request that the existing MC number be voluntarily revoked.

You can reinstate your operating authority by requesting reinstatement of the authority and paying the $80 fee. This can be done over the Internet at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and paying with a credit card. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may send a written request for reinstatement of the operating authority, listing the “MC” number, the legal name of the carrier, and include an $80.00 fee by check, money order, or credit card payable to FMCSA. The mailing address for a check or money order is FMCSA, P.O. Box 409934, Atlanta, Georgia 30384-9934. You must make sure your insurance company files the BMC-91 or 91X and/or BMC-34 (if necessary) to meet the proof of insurance requirement. You must also be certain that you have a valid Designation of Process Agents (BOC-3) filing in effect. Your operating authority will not be reactivated until updated insurance filings have been received and accepted. You will receive a Reinstatement notification from the FMCSA after the operating authority has been reinstated.

You may submit your operating authority requests online at www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. To submit your request, click on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), then click on FMCSA Registration Application, type of authority requested (Motor Property Carrier and Broker, Motor Passenger Carrier, etc), fill in the required information, and click submit. You will be given an OMC number for tracking purposes. Two days after you file your application you will be able to see the status of your application online at www.li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov. To obtain your MC number, just click on “Continue”, select “Carrier Search” from the drop-down menu and enter your last name or company name and the State abbreviation where the carrier is located, and then click on “Search”. From this point, to see the status, click on “Screen” under view carrier details. The operating authority will be granted a minimum of 10 days later and only after insurance and Designation of Process Agent documents are on file with the FMCSA. You will receive your Certificate, Permit, or License by mail. We encourage many of our applicants to use this online data entry option. This allows us to provide an immediate response to carriers who require it and reduce processing delays for all applicants. In contrast, applications filed by mail can take an additional 7 to 14 days to process.

The Form OP-1, Application for Motor Property Carrier and Broker Authority, is required for a motor carrier of property and a Form OP-1(P), Application for Motor Passenger Carrier Authority, is required for a motor carrier of passengers. If you are a for-hire carrier you must acquire operating authority (MC number). You must (1) complete and file the appropriate OP-1 application along with the filing fee ($300 for each type of authority you are requesting); (2) have your insurance company file the appropriate insurance forms for the type of authority you are requesting with the FMCSA; and (3) submit or have a Process Agent Service submit a BOC-3, Designation of Process Agent form. Note: Passenger carriers who are Federal Transit Administration Grantees (Transit Benefit Operators) under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 5310, or 5311 are required to maintain liability insurance at least at the highest level required for any of the States in which the transit service area is located. The $300 filing fee will be waived for the Transit Benefit Operator application.