Authority
How to apply for an MC number: the $300 application, step by step
Updated
MC authority costs $300 per authority type, nonrefundable, and you apply for it in FMCSA's Motus system. After FMCSA reviews and publishes the application, your insurer and process agent file proof and FMCSA issues the grant. You can haul for pay across state lines once the authority shows active.
At a glance
- Fee
- $300 per authority type, nonrefundable
- Protest window
- 10 days after publication in the FMCSA Register
- Insurance filing due
- Within 20 days of publication
- If insurance is late
- FMCSA serves a decision with 60 days to comply
Who needs MC authority
Any carrier hauling other people's regulated freight across state lines for pay needs it. Hauling your own goods, hauling only exempt commodities and running only inside an exempt commercial zone can fall outside it.
The rule applies at any weight, so a cargo van hauling for-hire interstate freight needs MC authority the same as a semi.
Each authority type is its own application, with its own $300 fee and its own docket number. Motus keeps the MC prefix, and new numbers are assigned at random.
What it costs in total
| Item | Cost | Who you pay |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number | $0 | FMCSA |
| MC authority | $300 per authority type, nonrefundable | FMCSA |
| BOC-3 | $20 one-time to $125 a year (three published prices) | A process agent |
| Liability filing | Your premium, for at least $750,000 in coverage, or $300,000 if every vehicle is under 10,001 lb | Your insurer |
| UCR | $46 for 2026, $55 for 2027 at zero to two power units | The UCR program |
| Reinstatement, if authority is revoked later | $80 | FMCSA |
| Name change on the authority | $14 | FMCSA |
Fees are as of October 2026. FMCSA's fees for a basic property-carrier start come to $300, and UCR adds $46 or $55.
Insurance is the large number, and brokers set the limits that matter for freight, with 20 of the 21 that publish a liability minimum on their own pages asking for $1 million or more. If you plan to haul broker freight, get quotes at that level.
How to apply in Motus
- Create your Motus profile through Login.gov, verify your identity and set up the business account.
- Apply for MC authority and pay $300 per authority type.
- FMCSA reviews the application and publishes it in the FMCSA Register.
- Publication opens a 10-day window for anyone to protest.
- Your insurer files your liability proof, a BMC-91 or BMC-91X, with FMCSA. A certificate of insurance sent to a broker doesn't count as this filing.
- A process agent files your BOC-3, covering the states you run in or travel through. Only one complete BOC-3 should be on file, and you keep a copy at your place of business.
- FMCSA issues the grant once the filings are in effect, and your authority goes active.
- Before you haul, check that it shows active.
You file the application yourself in Motus by typing motus.dot.gov into your browser.
How long it takes
| Stage | Clock |
|---|---|
| FMCSA review | Older FMCSA guidance estimated 20 to 25 business days for an online application, and eight weeks or longer with more review. FMCSA doesn't promise these times in Motus |
| Protest window | 10 days after publication |
| Insurance filing | Within 20 days of publication |
| Late insurance | FMCSA serves a decision giving 60 days to comply before it dismisses the application. Go by the date in your decision |
Your authority goes active when FMCSA issues the grant with your filings in place. Day 10 and day 20 are deadlines, and neither one switches your authority on. If your application has been pending past the usual window, see what holds a pending authority.
Paying someone to file
You can file the USDOT and MC applications yourself, since Motus takes the $300 directly. Two filings are made for you. Your insurer files your liability proof, and a process agent files your BOC-3.
FMCSA describes process-agent fees as normal and keeps a directory of process agents (opens in a new tab). The BOC-3 page compares published prices, and the insurance filings page covers what your insurer sends FMCSA.
Check where your application stands. Type in your DOT number to see your authority status, plus the insurance filing FMCSA has for you. Check your status
Frequently asked questions
How much does an MC number cost?
FMCSA charges $300 per authority type, nonrefundable. UCR adds $46 for 2026 or $55 for 2027, and insurance is the large number.
How long does it take to get an MC number?
Older FMCSA guidance put it at 20 to 25 business days for an online application, or eight weeks or longer with more review. FMCSA doesn't promise these times in Motus, and your authority goes active only when FMCSA issues the grant.
What happens if my insurance isn't filed within 20 days?
FMCSA serves a decision giving you 60 days to comply before it dismisses the application. Go by the date in your decision.
Does a cargo van need an MC number?
Yes, if it hauls other people's regulated freight across state lines for pay, since MC authority applies at any weight.