USDOT Numbers are issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
("FMCSA"), a division of the United States Department of Transportation ("USDOT"). You may obtain a USDOT
Number for your commercial motor vehicle over 10,000 pounds through this website. DOTNumber.us is a private, third-party provider
offering services for a fee. This is a commercial solicitation
and advertisement. DOTNumber.us is NOT affiliated with any government authority. You may apply online or by calling our representatives:
(888) 414-1874.
(888) 414-1874
Interstate Motor Carrier Operating Authority is essentially a business license issued by the USDOT. The main purpose of operating
authority is to regulate insurance for the protection of the public and shippers. Common motor carriers (those open to the
public) must file both vehicle liability (bodily injury and property damage protection) and cargo liability insurance.
Contract motor carriers, which only operate
under contract with select shippers, need only vehicle liability insurance. There is a
significant difference between the minimum levels of insurance imposed by the government and the levels expected by
the industry. So, $750,000 vehicle liability insurance will get you your authority... but it won't
get you loads!
Please see the chart below:
VEHICLE LIABILITY INSURANCE
Vehicle is a...
Government Requires Industry Expects
Truck 10,000 lbs
or
under $300,000
$300,000
Truck
Over 10,000 lbs
Non-hazmat
$750,000
$1 million
Truck
Over 10,000 lbs
Low level hazmat
$1 million
$1 million
Truck
Over 10,000 lbs
High level
hazmat $5 million $5
million
Van under 16 passengers
$1.5 million
$1.5 million
Bus
over 16 passengers $5 million
$5 million
CARGO LIABILITY INSURANCE
Cargo
Government Requires Industry Expects
General Commodities $0
$100,000
Household Goods
$10,000
$10,000
Special Commodities
$5,000
Varies.
(i.e. cars)
PROCESS AGENTS
All motor carrier authority applicants must file a legal point of
contact for all 48 Continental states. You must have someone designated in each state to receive legal process on your behalf
and forward legal papers to your official address of record. Your agents will be assigned for you when you apply for authority
through this site. Form BOC-3 will be issued to you and the government listing your individual agents for each state. Your
BOC-3 will be filed with USDOT for you under your MC or FF Number.
EXAMINATION,
EXPERIENCE & FITNESS
There is no examination or experience required for Interstate Motor Carrier
Operating Authority. Fitness is no longer regulated due to the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act of 1995, which
de-regulated the trucking industry on January 1st, 1996.
APPLICATION PROCESSING TIME
Usual application processing time for
independent owner-operator, trucking company and freight brokerage applications electronically filed through this site is
3-4 weeks. Usual processing time for moving company and passenger carrier applications filed through this site is 3-6
months, due to an extensive background investigation policy. There is a 10 business day public notice and comment period
so authority cannot be issued sooner than 3 weeks.
DISMISSALS
& PETITIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION
Authority will be granted upon compliance with the financial
security and process agent requirements as long as you comply within 90 days of submission of your application. Applicants
who do not comply within 90 days will have their applications dismissed. Applicants may then petition the USDOT for reconsideration
up to one year, after which, a new motor carrier authority application must be submitted. If you need to petition USDOT
for reconsideration, Click Here to email support
REINSTATEMENTS
2. Who needs Operating Authority?
Companies that operate as “for-hire”
motor carriers (for a fee or other compensation) that transport passengers or federally-regulated commodities across state
lines ("in interstate commerce") are required to have interstate motor carrier operating authority.
For-hire carriers must secure BOTH a USDOT safety tracking number and an MC Number (formerly know
as an "ICC/MC Number"). You will get both by filing through this site.
If you operate for-hire solely within the following 28
states, you must secure intrastate motor carrier authority.
Alabama, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico,
New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,
Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
NOTE: Interstate Operating Authority does NOT give you rights to
operate point-to-point within any state. It is only permission to cross state lines. Do not confuse intrastate operating
authority with making a stop off on an interstate run. The bill of lading which lists points of origin and destination determine
whether a load constitutes INTERstate or INTRAstate operations. If you operate without intrastate authority, you may be
liable for fines up to $5,000 in certain states. Most small and medium-sized motor carriers get INTERstate Operating Authority
and INTRAstate Operating Authority for the state in which they are based. Large motor carriers with big fleets
secure federal interstate and state intrastate operating authority for all applicable states.
3. How do I
get Operating Authority?
You may secure Operating Authority online through this website.
Click
on the applicable state below if operating point-to-point within that state to apply for the state's intrastate motor
carrier authority online or through paper form.
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
4. What happens after I get Operating Authority?
You must file for Unified Carrier
Registration ("UCR"). This is the registration of your federal authority with the states. Your UCR fee will be
calculated at check out and submitted for you. Fee includes state and third-party processing fees. You must then renew your UCR annually.
If you are a moving company, you must publish an interstate Tariff which lists your rates and charges
and the rules that apply to the transportation of residential household goods. Movers must publish a Tariff before they
operate and make their Tariff available to the USDOT and the public upon request but do not need to file their Tariffs. All
rates and charges collected without a Tariff in place are illegal. You may be ordered to refund these unlawful rates
and charges to consumers for any moves performed without a duly published Tariff in place. Trucking companies no longer
need tariffs. Tariffs are regulated by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board ("STB"). Click Here to be directed to a Tariff Publisher to learn more about the mover Tariff publishing requirement.
5. What
are the Costs?The $700 Fee you will pay through
this website includes:
The Official $300 Federal Filing Fee
due upon filing your Electronic Application;
Your USDOT Number;
Your MC Number;
A
$400 service fee that includes your Electronic BOC-3 Filing which is a listing of Process Agents for all 50 States and Licensed
Transportation Practitioner Representation.
We accept VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS & DISCOVER.
NOTICE:
DOTNumber.us
is a private, third-party filing assistance service that charges a consulting fee to secure registrants'
MC and/or USDOT numbers from the United States Government and UCR. Free Interstate USDOT offer applies to online
self-service orders only. Unified Carrier Registration is a mandatory filing for interstate carriers but is not required
to place free DOT Number self-service order. If you decline UCR filing offer, you will receive further instructions at
no additional charge on how to complete the USDOT Number application via email. This service is independently offered
and operated by AuthorityRegistration.com. It is not the Department of Transportation or any state
agency and is not endorsed by or affiliated with any United States Government or state agency. By using this website,
you agree to hold AuthorityRegistration.com, DOTNumber.us and its owners free from any and all litigation that may
arise from the use of this website. You will be billed by On-Line Registration. All sales are final. Once an order number
has been assigned, no refund will be issued. Fees for Unified Carrier Registration are based on actual number
of vehicles in carrier's fleet. Example advertised is for one truck. Change in definition notice: effective 2010 a tractor-trailer
counts as just one vehicle subject to UCR filing requirements. Process Agent BOC-3
filing fee is included on all Interstate Motor Carrier Authority and Freight Broker License orders.
REFUND
POLICY: ONCE AN ORDER IS PLACED THERE ARE NO CANCELLATIONS OR REFUNDS.
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2010-2019. DOTNumber.us. All Rights Reserved.
Mailing Address: PO Box 480360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33348
