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Trucking authority: the filing order from application to active

Updated

Trucking authority, also called MC or operating authority, is FMCSA's permission to haul other people's freight for pay across state lines. You apply in Motus for $300 per authority type, then your insurer and a process agent file proof before FMCSA issues the grant. You can haul once the authority shows active.

At a glance

Application fee
$300 per authority type, nonrefundable
Protest window
10 days after publication in the FMCSA Register
Insurance filing
Within 20 days of publication
Older FMCSA processing estimate
20 to 25 business days online, 8 weeks or more with further review

Authority filing steps in order

  1. Set up Motus. Create your user profile through Login.gov, verify your identity and set up the business account. A company that already has a USDOT number claims its existing record.
  2. Apply. Request your USDOT number, which costs $0, and MC authority at $300 per authority type. The fee is nonrefundable.
  3. FMCSA reviews and publishes. Your application appears in the FMCSA Register. Anyone can protest it within 10 days after publication.
  4. File insurance and the BOC-3. Your insurer files proof of liability, a BMC-91 or BMC-91X, within 20 days of publication. A process agent files your BOC-3. FMCSA won't grant authority until the required filings are in effect.
  5. Get the grant. FMCSA issues it, and your authority goes active. Pending authority can't haul, so check the status before you take a load.
  6. Finish the rest. Register for UCR, then set up the plates, fuel tax and testing your truck needs.

Ready for Loads is not affiliated with FMCSA. Reach Motus by typing motus.dot.gov into your browser yourself, since FMCSA has warned about fake Motus emails.

Check your authority status. Enter your DOT number to see your authority status and the insurance filing FMCSA has for you. Check your status

How to choose

  • Getting a USDOT number. The USDOT number page covers who needs one, how to apply in Motus and what it costs.
  • Applying for MC authority. The MC number page covers the $300 application, the protest window and the insurance deadline.
  • Waiting on a pending authority. Authority still pending covers what holds a pending authority and who fixes each part.
  • Deciding whether to lease on. Lease on or own authority covers what each costs and how long brokers make a new MC wait.
  • Staying compliant once you're active. The compliance pages cover UCR, the MCS-150 update and the new entrant audit.
  • Pricing the whole start. How to start a trucking company shows what the whole start costs for your truck.

Frequently asked questions

How much does MC authority cost?

FMCSA charges $300 per authority type, and the fee is nonrefundable. The USDOT number costs $0.

How long does it take to get MC authority?

Older FMCSA guidance estimated 20 to 25 business days for an online application and eight weeks or more with further review. Your authority goes active once FMCSA issues the grant.

Who files the insurance and the BOC-3?

Your insurer files proof of liability, a BMC-91 or BMC-91X, within 20 days of publication. A process agent files your BOC-3.

Can I haul while my authority is pending?

No. Pending authority can't haul, so check that your status shows active before you take a load.