The questions we get every day about operating authority and working with the FMCSA.

The FMCSA issues four primary types of operating authority. Each one corresponds to a different role in the freight chain, and each carries its own insurance or bond requirement.

• Common carrier authority — Authorization to transport freight for the general public on an on-call basis. Requires BIPD (liability) insurance on file at the FMCSA’s published minimums, plus cargo coverage where required.
• Contract carrier authority — Authorization to enter into oral or written contracts with shippers or brokers to transport a stipulated amount of freight at a stipulated rate over a defined period. Requires BIPD (liability) insurance on file at the FMCSA’s published minimums.
• Broker authority — Authorization to arrange and control freight on behalf of shippers and tender it to motor carriers for transportation. The broker is compensated as a percentage of the freight charges. Requires a surety bond (BMC-84) or trust fund (BMC-85) at the FMCSA’s published minimum.
• Freight forwarder authority — Authorization to provide transportation in the forwarder’s own name, taking responsibility for the shipment from origin to destination. A forwarder assembles and consolidates shipments, handles break-bulk and distribution, issues its own bill of lading, and hires motor carriers for the line haul. Requires a surety bond or trust fund like a broker; liability insurance applies where the forwarder handles pickup, transfer, or delivery with its own vehicles, and cargo coverage where required.

The difference between a broker and a freight forwarder is responsibility, not size: a broker arranges the move and never takes possession of the freight, while a forwarder takes possession and answers for the shipment itself.

Many companies hold more than one type under the same docket. If you’re unsure which applies to you, contact us and we can walk through it.

Your authority service date is the date the FMCSA served — granted — your operating authority. It is the date printed on your MC letter, and it is usually what an insurance underwriter, broker, or shipper is really asking for when they want to know how long you have held authority.

Start with the MOTUS company search. It is free, it needs no account, and MOTUS is the FMCSA’s current registration system.

Treat what you find there as a starting point rather than proof. MOTUS replaced the agency’s older filing systems in May 2026, and its historical record is still incomplete — dates can be missing, delayed, or inconsistent with what SAFER shows for the same docket. If a date matters for insurance or a compliance packet, confirm it against your own MC letter.

It is also our understanding that authority letters themselves are not currently available in any FMCSA system. A lookup can show you a date; it will not hand you the document that proves it.

If your record looks wrong, or you need the document and not just the date, see how DNA is different from FMCSA’s lookup tools.

They’re two separate identifiers, issued by the FMCSA for two different purposes.

• USDOT number — A unique carrier identifier used by the FMCSA to track safety records, audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and inspections. Required for any commercial vehicle operating in interstate commerce above certain weight, passenger, or hazmat thresholds. Most intrastate carriers in states that follow federal rules also need one. See applying for a USDOT number.
• MC (motor carrier) number — The docket number that identifies a company’s operating authority — that is, its legal permission to transport regulated freight or passengers across state lines for compensation, or to arrange that transportation as a broker. MC numbers are issued only when a carrier or broker actually needs operating authority. See getting your own authority.

Some carriers have both. A for-hire interstate trucking company hauling regulated freight will typically need a USDOT number and an MC number (e.g. MC-123456 and USDOT 1234567). Some only have a USDOT number — for example, a private fleet that hauls only its own goods doesn’t need operating authority, so it has no MC number. Brokers and freight forwarders need both: federal law requires them to have a USDOT number, and the FMCSA issues one alongside the docket number.

Plan on a few weeks after the FMCSA accepts your application to reinstate revoked MC operating authority, even when your insurance and BOC-3 process agent filings are already reflected in the FMCSA database.

That timeline can feel slow when you’re losing revenue, so it helps to understand why it isn’t instant:

• The FMCSA has to verify that all required filings (insurance, BOC-3, any penalties) are on record and current.
• The reinstatement decision moves through the FMCSA’s internal review and release queue before the document is served.
• Even when everything is in order on the carrier’s side, the agency’s processing cycle governs the calendar.

DNA can prepare and submit your reinstatement request the same business day we receive your information. After that, the clock is the FMCSA’s, and we watch your docket until the authority shows active again.

See what you need to provide for reinstatement for the document checklist, or tell us what happened to get started.

Reinstatement is the process for restoring MC operating authority the FMCSA revoked. To file the request, you’ll need the following in place:

• Current insurance certificate filed with the FMCSA at the required minimum coverage for your authority type. If your authority was revoked for an insurance lapse, your insurance carrier has to make this filing before reinstatement can proceed.
• BOC-3 process agent filing on record. This designates an agent in each state who can accept legal process on your behalf.
• Signed reinstatement request authorizing DNA to file on your behalf.
• Payment of any outstanding penalties or fees the FMCSA has assessed against your authority.

Once you provide these, DNA handles the filing with the FMCSA, monitors the application through the agency’s review cycle, and watches your docket until your authority shows active on the FMCSA record.

If you’re not sure which of these are already on file for your docket, we can check for you before starting. See the reinstatement service page for the full process and how to start.

Yes. An insurance lapse is the most common reason authority is revoked, and reinstatement is a well-defined process for restoring it.

The sequence is straightforward:

1. New insurance is filed first. Your insurance carrier files the required coverage — BIPD and, where it applies, cargo — directly with the FMCSA. Until that filing posts to your docket, the FMCSA won’t accept a reinstatement application.
2. BOC-3 process agent designation is verified. If your BOC-3 lapsed alongside the insurance, it has to be re-filed.
3. The reinstatement application is submitted. Once insurance and BOC-3 are confirmed on record, DNA files the application.
4. The FMCSA reviews it. See how long reinstatement takes — typically a few weeks from acceptance.
5. Your authority is restored. It shows active on the FMCSA record again. We watch your docket through the agency’s review cycle and tell you as soon as it flips.

Your original MC docket number stays the same throughout. You’re not starting over, and you’re not applying for new authority — you’re restoring the authority you already hold.

To get started, tell us what happened.

A re-entitlement is a decision the FMCSA issues when a carrier or broker changes its legal name on file. It confirms that the authority associated with your existing docket number now belongs to the renamed entity. The re-entitlement covers all authority types held under that docket — common, contract, broker, and household goods — so you don’t need a separate filing for each.

Common triggers for re-entitlement:

• Legal entity name change — DBA filings updated with the state, rebranding, or a corporate rename.
• Restructuring — converting from a sole proprietorship to an LLC, an LLC to a corporation, or similar.
• Marriage, divorce, or inheritance affecting the legal name of a sole proprietor.
• DBA changes that the FMCSA needs to recognize on the authority record.

What re-entitlement is not: it is not a transfer of authority between two unrelated companies (that’s a transfer of authority, a separate process), and it is not required for address changes.

To start a re-entitlement, tell us your new name.

No. This is one of the most common points of confusion, so it’s worth being direct: the FMCSA does not reissue your original authority document when you change your legal name. Your original MC letter — common, contract, broker, or household goods — remains exactly as it was issued, with the original name on it.

What you receive instead is a separate re-entitlement decision. This document is issued upon receipt of your name-change application and confirms the new legal name for the authority on file. It travels alongside your original authority document and, together, the two documents establish your current operating identity under the docket.

In practical terms:

• Keep your original authority document. It is still part of your authority record.
• Add the re-entitlement document to your file. Both should be available for insurance verification, broker setup packets, audits, and shipper qualification.
• Your MC docket number does not change.

See what re-entitlement is and when you need it for the triggers, or the re-entitlement service page to start.

No. Re-entitlement is the FMCSA filing that records a change of name on your operating authority. Address changes do not require it, and the FMCSA does not reissue authority documents when a carrier changes address or state of domicile.

Here’s what actually happens when you change your address:

• The FMCSA updates its database to reflect the new address on your docket. This is typically done by filing Form MCS-150 (the Motor Carrier Identification Report update) and, for entities with operating authority, by submitting the appropriate change-of-address notification.
• Your existing authority document continues to show the original address it was issued under. The FMCSA does not generate a new authority document just because the address on the docket changed.
• Your MC docket number, USDOT number, and operating authority are all unaffected.

This frequently surprises new carriers and brokers who assume any change to their company information triggers a new authority. It doesn’t. Re-entitlement is specifically for name changes — see what re-entitlement is and when you need it.

If you need a current authority document for compliance or shipper verification after an address change, you can order a copy of your existing MC letter through the authority service page — the address on it will be the one in effect on the original service date. Documents issued since May 2026 are a different story; ask us what’s obtainable.

How fast you get your MC letter depends on where the document lives.

• Instant catalog at getmymcletter.com — Minutes. Over 1.7 million MC letters issued between October 2004 and May 2026 are available on demand. If yours is one of them, it reaches you by email as soon as payment clears.
• Archive request through DNA — Typically within two hours. This is the path for what the catalog does not cover: documents issued before October 2004, and Mexican-carrier (MX docket) documents. They come out of DNA’s own archive.

Documents issued since the FMCSA moved filing to MOTUS in May 2026 are in neither place, and they cannot currently be pulled from the agency. Contact us and we will tell you what is obtainable and how long it will take.

One thing worth separating out: reinstatements and name changes are FMCSA filings, not document orders. They run on the agency’s processing cycle, not ours — see how long reinstatement takes.

Not for one-off orders. The fastest path to a single authority document is getmymcletter.com, the instant catalog of MC letters available on demand — no account required, pay by card, delivered by email when available.

You only need a DNA account if you have ongoing or higher-volume needs:

• Insurance agencies, brokers, and law firms ordering authority documents regularly for client work.
• Carriers and fleets that need recurring document orders for compliance, audits, or carrier qualification packets.
• Document service providers and compliance consultants reselling document orders to their own customers.

Account benefits include saved carrier and billing information, consolidated invoicing, and a single point of contact for bulk and recurring requests.

To open a DNA account, reach out through the contact form and let us know your expected volume and use case. We’ll get you set up.

The instant catalog at getmymcletter.com covers authority letters of every type — common, contract, broker, household goods — issued between October 2004 and May 2026. Over 1.7 million documents, delivered in minutes. If yours isn’t there, it’s usually one of these:

• Issued after May 2026. Since the FMCSA moved filing to MOTUS, new documents no longer post to any public document feed. Contact us and we’ll tell you what’s obtainable and how long it will take.
• Issued before October 2004. Older records live in DNA’s archive — the vault — 2.1 million federal records, including microfiche-era documents the agency itself doesn’t have indexed. Request it directly and it’s usually back to you the same day.
• It’s a Mexican-carrier (MX-docket) document. Those aren’t in the self-serve catalog — order directly from DNA.

Whatever the reason, the document isn’t out of reach — it’s just not self-serve. Start with us directly and we’ll tell you what’s obtainable.

A copy of your FMCSA operating authority letter is one of the most frequently requested compliance documents in trucking and brokerage. Common uses:

• Insurance proof. Underwriters and insurance agents request authority documents to verify coverage minimums, authority type, and effective dates when writing or renewing policies.
• Broker and shipper compliance packets. Most shipper and broker qualification processes require a current authority document alongside insurance certificates and W-9s before they will tender freight to a carrier.
• Fleet acquisition due diligence. When buying a trucking company or its assets, the authority record is part of the standard diligence package — confirming what authority types are held, who they’re issued to, and whether they’re active.
• Legal proceedings. Litigation involving freight loss, cargo claims, accidents, or contract disputes routinely requires copies of the parties’ operating authority letters.
• Banking and credit. Lenders and factoring companies sometimes require authority documents as part of new-account or credit-line setup, particularly for owner-operators and small fleets.
• Internal recordkeeping and audits. Many carriers keep copies on file for FMCSA audits and internal compliance reviews.

If you need an authority document for any of the above, you can order online at getmymcletter.com or through the authority service page.

The FMCSA’s free lookups tell you about a carrier’s authority. None of them hand you the document.

Since the FMCSA moved filing to MOTUS in May 2026, there are three places to look, and each one is partial:

• SAFER — free and requires no login, but its registration data may be delayed, missing, or inconsistent with other FMCSA systems.
• MOTUS — the current registration system; its public company search requires no account, but its data is not yet complete or consistently accurate.
• The old Licensing and Insurance (L&I) site — frozen. It still answers for authority history through mid-May 2026, but it accepts no new filings and the FMCSA has been stripping pages out of it.

As of September 2026, no one public source gives a complete and dependable answer for every authority and insurance question.

What none of them do:

• Hand you a document. They show you the record; they do not produce the letter you can give to an insurance underwriter, a shipper, or a court.
• Surface the full document image. DNA maintains an archive of over 2.1 million MC, MX, and FF documents, including many that were never readily retrievable through any public lookup.
• File reinstatements or re-entitlements. These are FMCSA application processes, not lookup operations. DNA prepares the filings, submits them through MOTUS, and follows them through to issuance.
• Cover the gap since May 2026. MOTUS filings never flowed back to L&I, and new documents no longer post to any public document feed.

DNA has been doing this work for over 60 years. We know how the FMCSA systems actually behave, how to cross-check a fragmented record, and what trips up a filing. A lookup is a snapshot; DNA is a service.

UCR — Unified Carrier Registration — is a federal annual fee program for businesses that operate in interstate commerce: for-hire and private motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. It is not the same thing as your operating authority, your USDOT number, or your MCS-150 biennial update — it is a separate yearly registration and fee that sits alongside them.

How it works:

• Your fee is based on the size of your fleet — the more vehicles you run, the higher the bracket.
• You file and pay through your base state, which collects on behalf of every participating state.
• It renews every year — registration for the coming year opens in the fall, and enforcement begins January 1.

Skip it and you can be stopped, fined, or flagged at a roadside inspection. It is also easy to overpay when your vehicle count is off, and just as easy to forget in the fall rush — which is why many carriers have us file the UCR and set it to renew automatically each year.

Generally, no. UCR is an interstate program. If your operation is purely intrastate — you never cross state lines and you do not haul freight that is moving in interstate commerce — you typically do not owe UCR.

The catch is in the word purely. A few things pull carriers into UCR even when the work feels local:

• Any interstate movement counts. If you cross a state line, or you haul a load that is part of an interstate shipment (even the in-state leg of it), you are operating in interstate commerce and UCR applies.
• Interstate authority or registration. If you hold interstate operating authority, or a USDOT number registered for interstate operation, expect UCR to apply.
• State rules vary. UCR itself is interstate, but some states have their own intrastate registration requirements that are separate from UCR. Being exempt from UCR does not automatically mean you have no state-level registration to keep up.

If you are not sure which side of the line you are on, tell us how and where you run and we will tell you straight whether you owe UCR — before you pay for a registration you do not need.