Are MC Numbers Going Away? Status as of October 2026

The October 1, 2025 date came and went. FMCSA still issues MC numbers, existing numbers don't change, and ending them would need a proposed rule first. Here's the sourced status.

No, not yet. As of October 13, 2026, FMCSA still issues MC numbers through Motus, its new registration system, and existing MC and USDOT numbers don't change. Ending MC numbers is only under consideration. FMCSA says it would first go out for public comment in a proposed rule, and no such proposal has been published.

Updated October 13, 2026: we rechecked FMCSA's registration pages and the Federal Register today. Many articles from 2024 and 2025 said MC numbers would end on October 1, 2025. That date passed, and FMCSA kept issuing MC numbers.

What's confirmed right now?

Motus replaced the old registration system, and it changed how new numbers are issued. It didn't remove the MC number. Here's what FMCSA has actually said, and where.

Is there a date when MC numbers end?

No. FMCSA hasn't published one. Its April 29, 2026 Federal Register notice announcing Motus said the full launch wouldn't include eliminating MC and FF numbers, and that FMCSA would take a measured approach to those changes in later releases.

A change like this would come as a proposed rule with a comment period. We searched the Federal Register on October 13, 2026: FMCSA hasn't published a proposed rule on docket numbers, MC numbers or registration since January 1, 2025. Its most recent proposed rule, from August 10, 2026, was about English language proficiency.

The same notice said FMCSA expected a rulemaking in spring 2026 to require Motus for all registrants and retire the old paper forms. That proposal hasn't appeared in the Federal Register either. So anyone giving you a firm end date for MC numbers today is guessing.

Where did the October 1, 2025 date come from?

From early plans that didn't hold. In March 2024, trade press reported FMCSA's plan to end MC numbers and bring a new registration system online at the start of a federal fiscal year in October. Vendor and broker blogs later repeated October 1, 2025 as the day MC numbers would end, and many of those pages still rank.

What actually happened is slower. The Federal Register notice says Motus opened on December 8, 2025 for supporting companies only: insurance filers, BOC-3 blanket companies and service providers. FMCSA's FAQs say the old system went offline on May 14, 2026, and Motus then opened to everyone else. MC numbers came through that switch intact.

What would change if FMCSA does drop MC numbers?

Your USDOT number would become your only FMCSA identifier. FMCSA's Registration Modernization FAQs say that under the proposal, each type of authority you hold would show as a suffix on your USDOT number instead of a separate MC number.

The same FAQs say existing MC numbers wouldn't be "replaced" by USDOT numbers, and existing registrants keep their current USDOT number. FMCSA also points out that MC numbers were never a statutory or regulatory requirement. They began as tracking numbers for authority proceedings. If you're still fuzzy on the two numbers, here's how a DOT number and an MC number differ.

Is FMCSA still issuing new MC numbers?

Yes, at a steady clip. First Load stores FMCSA's public authority history every night. From July 1 to September 30, 2026, it shows 25,828 new MC dockets applied for, and every one was "MC" followed by eight digits. In the same window, 12,235 MC authorities were granted.

In the 13 full weeks from July 6 to October 4, 2026, new MC applications ran between 1,730 and 2,434 a week, about 1,972 on average. That doesn't look like a number on its way out.

What should a new carrier do today?

Keep your MC number and USDOT number and keep using both. There's nothing to file about an MC phase-out unless FMCSA announces one.

1. Put both numbers on your paperwork. Brokers, factoring companies and insurers still ask for your MC number in setup packets. If you don't have it handy, look up your MC number by company name.
2. Don't pay anyone to "convert" your MC number. As of today FMCSA has no conversion step and no deadline. If those calls are piling up, here's why the calls start after you file.
3. Use Motus for changes. FMCSA's FAQs say existing registrants will complete identity and business verification before making transactions in Motus. That's where name and address changes and MCS-150 updates go now.
4. Watch your own status, and skip the rumor mill. Motus now gives a reason next to each authority status. Here's how to check if your MC number is active.

If FMCSA does publish a proposed rule, it'll be in the Federal Register with a comment period before anything takes effect. We'll update this page when that happens.

Frequently asked questions

Did MC numbers end on October 1, 2025?

No. That date came from early plans and got repeated by blogs, but FMCSA never put it into effect. As of October 13, 2026, FMCSA still issues MC numbers through Motus. Ending them is still only under consideration.

Will my MC number change because of Motus?

No. FMCSA says existing USDOT and docket numbers won't change. Only newly issued numbers are randomized. If you hold more than one existing authority, they keep sharing the same docket number.

What is a USDOT number suffix?

It's a short code Motus shows after a new USDOT number to identify the type of company and the registrations FMCSA granted. Companies registering for the first time in Motus see it in their company account. FMCSA says it isn't a vehicle marking requirement, so it doesn't go on your truck.

Do I need to do anything before MC numbers go away?

You don't, as of today. FMCSA hasn't set a date or asked carriers to file anything. If it moves ahead, it says the change would be proposed in a rulemaking open for public comment first, so you'd see it coming.

First Load is a private company, not FMCSA.

Sources

• FMCSA: About FMCSA Registration Changes (randomized numbers, one docket per new authority, MC/MX/FF prefixes stay, existing numbers don't change, USDOT suffixes, docket elimination under consideration; checked October 13, 2026)
• FMCSA: Registration Modernization FAQs ("Will FMCSA stop issuing MC Numbers?", USDOT as sole identifier under the proposal, URS offline after May 14, 2026, verification for existing registrants; checked October 13, 2026)
• Federal Register: Availability of Motus, FMCSA's New Registration System (April 29, 2026; Phase I December 8, 2025; Phase II excludes eliminating MC/FF numbers). Federal Register search of FMCSA proposed rules since January 1, 2025, run October 13, 2026.
• First Load data: FMCSA public authority history, stored nightly by First Load since July 2026. MC dockets with an application or grant dated July 1 to September 30, 2026; weekly counts for July 6 to October 4, 2026. Counts as of October 13, 2026.

Last verified 2026-10-13 · First Load editorial · First Load is a private company, not FMCSA. The public record can lag and other requirements or holds may not show in it.