A trucking authority package bundles the registrations a new for-hire carrier needs before its first load: a USDOT number, interstate operating authority (the MC number), a BOC-3 process agent filing, and Unified Carrier Registration.
Our team files them in the right order, helps you line up the insurance filing FMCSA needs before it grants authority, and handles state authority if you never leave your state.
What is in a trucking authority package?
Our interstate trucking authority package covers five items: the USDOT number, the motor carrier (MC) operating authority, the BOC-3 designation of process agents, the authority letter, and UCR for fleets of 0 to 2 vehicles. Each one answers a different federal requirement.
| Item | What it is | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number | FMCSA’s identifier for your company’s safety record: audits, inspections, and crashes | Required for interstate vehicles of 10,001 lb or more, certain passenger vehicles, and intrastate hazmat carriers that need a safety permit |
| Operating authority (MC number) | Permission to haul federally regulated freight owned by others for pay across state lines | FMCSA charges $300 for each type of authority, with no refunds for mistaken applications |
| BOC-3 | Names a process agent to accept legal papers for you | An agent for each state you are authorized to run in or travel through, filed by a process agent within 20 days of your application notice |
| Authority letter | The operating authority document FMCSA issues once the authority is granted | FMCSA normally sends it within 3 to 4 business days of the grant |
| UCR | An annual registration and fee paid through your base state | Due before January 1; the 2027 fee is $55 for 0 to 2 vehicles |
Insurance is the piece no package can file for you. Your insurance company files proof of liability coverage (Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X) directly with FMCSA, and FMCSA will not grant authority until it is on file. If you still need a policy, see our trucking insurance coverage options.
Who needs trucking authority, and who needs only a DOT number?
You need operating authority in addition to a USDOT number if you haul federally regulated commodities owned by others, or arrange their transport, for pay in interstate commerce, or if you carry passengers interstate for pay. That is why most new for-hire carriers ask for a DOT and MC number package.
A USDOT number alone is enough for:
- Private carriers that haul only their own cargo.
- For-hire carriers of exempt commodities only, meaning cargo that is not federally regulated.
- Carriers that stay inside a federally designated commercial zone that is exempt from interstate authority rules.
Operating authority is identified by an MC, FF, or MX docket number, and you may need more than one type. Since FMCSA moved registration to its Motus system in May 2026, every new USDOT and docket number is randomized to fight fraud, and each newly granted authority gets its own docket number, even when you request several in one application. The MC, MX, and FF prefixes stay the same (FMCSA fact sheet).
How to get trucking authority, step by step
Getting trucking authority takes five steps, and the order matters: FMCSA publishes your application, then waits for your insurance and BOC-3 filings and a protest period before it grants the authority. Use this as your trucking authority checklist.
Step 1: Set up the business
Form your company with your state first, then get a free EIN from the IRS. The legal name and address in your state filings must match your FMCSA application exactly; FMCSA warns that any mismatch delays the grant.
Step 2: Apply in Motus
New registrants create a user profile, pass identity verification, open a company account, and then apply for the USDOT number and operating authority in Motus. Pick only the authority types your business needs: each one carries its own $300 fee and sets the insurance level you must carry.
Step 3: File insurance and the BOC-3 within 20 days
Once FMCSA publishes notice of your application in the FMCSA Register, your insurer’s liability filing and your BOC-3 are both due within 20 days (49 CFR 365.109T). If the insurance filing is late, FMCSA serves a decision giving you 60 more days before it dismisses the application. Our BOC-3 filing guide explains who can file it.
- General freight, vehicles of 10,001 lb or more: $750,000 in liability coverage.
- Certain hazardous materials: $1,000,000.
- Explosives, poison gas, or radioactive materials: $5,000,000.
- Household goods movers: $750,000 plus $5,000 in cargo coverage.
Step 4: Wait out the protest period
The public has 10 days from publication to protest. If no one does, the grant becomes effective when FMCSA issues the certificate (49 CFR 365.115). Motus shows why an application is still pending, for example “Pending – Process Agent (Form BOC-3) Filings” or “Pending – Financial Responsibility Filings.”
Step 5: Register for UCR and your state credentials
Register for UCR through your base state; the fee is due before January 1 of each registration year. Depending on your trucks and routes, you may also need IRP apportioned plates, an IFTA license, Form 2290 for trucks of 55,000 lb or more, and state permits. Our trucking permits team covers those, and our start your trucking business page puts every step in one place.
What comes after your authority is active?
Your authority is not permanent yet. It becomes permanent only after you complete FMCSA’s New Entrant Safety Assurance Program (49 CFR 365.110).
- 18 months of monitoring: FMCSA watches your roadside performance and runs a safety audit once you have enough records, generally after at least 3 months (49 CFR 385.307). By law, property carriers must be reviewed within 12 months of starting operations (49 U.S.C. 31144(g)). Our new entrant safety audit checklist shows what the auditor samples.
- Keep filings current: FMCSA requires granted carriers to keep proof of insurance and a BOC-3 on file to avoid revocation.
- Update the MCS-150 every 24 months on the schedule set by your USDOT number (49 CFR 390.19T). During the Motus transition, FMCSA has temporarily stopped inactivating USDOT numbers for updates due on or after June 1, 2026. Our MCS-150 biennial update guide has the deadlines.
Some shippers set their own bar on top of FMCSA’s. Our guide to Amazon Relay requirements for new carriers is one example.
Intrastate authority packages in Texas, California, and other states
If you never cross a state line, you don’t need FMCSA operating authority, but your state may require its own. FMCSA lists 38 states plus Puerto Rico that require intrastate carriers to get a USDOT number, including Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Texas: the TxDMV number
Texas-only carriers register with the TxDMV Motor Carrier Division if they run a vehicle over 26,000 lb, haul placarded hazmat, carry more than 15 passengers, or move household goods for pay. Get a USDOT number registered as intrastate first, apply in TxMCCS, and have your insurer file Form E. The minimum for most vehicles over 26,000 lb is $500,000. See our Texas DOT compliance page.
California: the motor carrier permit
California carriers that haul property for pay or run commercial vehicles of 10,001 lb or more, among others, need a motor carrier permit from the DMV. It requires a CA number from the California Highway Patrol, the MC 706 M application, and proof of insurance. Our California motor carrier permits page covers fees and renewals.
How our trucking authority packages work
We handle the trucking paperwork so you can get ready to haul. We offer interstate packages and intrastate packages, and we can keep supporting you after the authority is granted:
- Before you launch: the USDOT number, MC authority, BOC-3, authority letter, and UCR, or your state’s intrastate registration.
- Insurance: quotes for new ventures, so the filing FMCSA needs is in place on time.
- Your first audit: new entrant safety audit support, then ongoing compliance programs.
- Taxes and permits: filings such as the heavy vehicle use tax, New York HUT, New Mexico weight-distance tax, and IRP.
An honest caveat: FMCSA controls the review and the protest period, and it is still settling its move to Motus, so no one can promise a grant date. What we control is a complete, matching application and filings that arrive on time.
Use the form below with your USDOT number (or tell us you don’t have one yet), how many trucks you plan to run, and your state. Our team will recommend the right package and the next step.
Frequently asked questions
What is a trucking authority package?
A bundle of the federal registrations a new for-hire carrier needs before hauling: a USDOT number, MC operating authority, a BOC-3 process agent filing, and UCR. Ours also includes the authority letter, and we offer intrastate packages for carriers that stay in one state.
Do I need both a DOT number and an MC number?
If you haul regulated freight owned by others for pay across state lines, yes. Private carriers, carriers of exempt commodities only, and carriers that stay in an exempt commercial zone need only the USDOT number.
How long does it take to get trucking authority?
It depends on FMCSA’s review, but the rules set the minimum path: your insurance and BOC-3 are due within 20 days of the application notice, the public has 10 days to protest, and FMCSA normally sends the authority document 3 to 4 business days after the grant.
How much does trucking authority cost in government fees?
FMCSA charges $300 for each type of operating authority. UCR for 2027 is $55 for 0 to 2 vehicles. Insurance premiums and any state registration fees are separate.
Can I get my own trucking authority without a service?
Yes. Anyone can apply in FMCSA’s Motus system. A service saves time and helps avoid the mistakes that delay a grant, such as a business name that doesn’t match your state filing or a late insurance or BOC-3 filing.
Sources
The rules and figures on this page come from these official sources, checked on October 5, 2026.
- FMCSA: Get Operating Authority: Who needs operating authority, who doesn’t, MC/FF/MX numbers, the $300 fee, and when authority documents are sent.
- FMCSA: Do I Need a USDOT Number?: USDOT number thresholds and the states that require one for intrastate carriers.
- FMCSA: Insurance Filing Requirements: No grant without insurance on file, the 20-day and 60-day windows, name matching, and minimum coverage by carrier type.
- FMCSA: Move into Motus: How new registrants create a profile, verify identity, and apply for a USDOT number and authority.
- eCFR: 49 CFR 365.109T: Insurance and BOC-3 filings due within 20 days of the FMCSA Register notice.
- UCR Plan: Fee Brackets: Annual registration before January 1 and the 2027 fees ($55 for 0 to 2 vehicles).
- TxDMV: TxDMV Number: Who must register as a Texas intrastate carrier, the TxMCCS steps, and insurance minimums.
- California DMV: Motor Carrier Permits: Who needs a California MCP and what the application requires.