Who needs a USDOT number
You need a USDOT number if you operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce and any of the following applies:
- The vehicle, or vehicle and trailer together, has a gross vehicle or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more.
- You transport hazardous materials in quantities that require placards.
- You carry nine or more passengers, including the driver, for compensation, or sixteen or more not for compensation.
A number of states also require a USDOT number for carriers that only operate inside the state. If you are not sure whether your operation counts as interstate commerce (it often does, even when the truck never crosses a state line, if the freight does), tell us what you haul and where it comes from and we will confirm.
What we do
- Confirm whether a USDOT number is required for your operation, and whether you also need MC operating authority, UCR or state registrations.
- Prepare and submit the registration through FMCSA’s online registration system, including the MCS-150 details: operation classification, cargo types, vehicle and driver counts and mileage.
- Check names, addresses and EIN against your formation documents so the record matches everything else you will file later.
- Send you your number and a copy of the filing, and explain the biennial MCS-150 update and the new entrant safety audit that follows.
What you will need
- Legal business name and any DBA, plus your EIN (sole proprietors can use an SSN)
- Principal place of business and mailing address
- Name and title of the company official signing the filing
- Whether you are for-hire or private, interstate or intrastate
- Number of power units and drivers, including CDL drivers
- Cargo you carry and whether any of it is hazardous material
How long it takes
When filed online with complete information, FMCSA generally issues the USDOT number at the end of the filing. If you are also applying for operating authority, that part takes longer; see MC operating authority. We do not control agency processing times and we will not promise a turnaround we cannot deliver.
Agency fee: FMCSA does not charge a fee for the USDOT number itself. Our service fee is quoted before we prepare anything.
Common questions
Is a USDOT number the same as an MC number?
No. The USDOT number identifies your company for safety and registration purposes. The MC number is operating authority, which for-hire carriers of regulated freight need in addition to the USDOT number. Private carriers hauling their own goods usually need only the USDOT number.
Does a USDOT number expire?
It does not expire, but you must update your MCS-150 information at least every two years, in the month and year set by the last two digits of your number. Missing the update can lead to deactivation and civil penalties.
I only drive inside my state. Do I still need one?
Possibly. Several states require a USDOT number for intrastate carriers above certain weights, and moving freight that started or will end in another state counts as interstate commerce even if your truck stays inside state lines. We check this for your state and your freight.
Next step: Tell us about your operation and we will confirm whether a USDOT number is all you need or whether authority and other registrations apply too.
Think and Thank LLC is an independent, privately owned service provider. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with FMCSA, USDOT, the IRS or any state agency.