How to Get an MC Number in 2026: Step by Step

To get an MC number, you apply for operating authority in Motus, FMCSA's registration system, and pay $300 per authority. The USDOT number is free. Your MC number shows up early, but it doesn't go active until your insurance company files proof of coverage, a process agent files your BOC-3, and FMCSA finishes its review. Plan on about a month.

Updated Nov 7, 2026 · fact-checked Nov 5, 2026 · sources: FMCSA, First Load's own FMCSA data.

Getting the number is the easy part. Getting it active is where most new carriers lose weeks, and it's almost always the insurance step that holds them up. Here's the whole path in order, with what each step costs and how long it tends to take.

Do you need an MC number at all?

You need one if you'll haul freight owned by someone else across state lines for pay. FMCSA calls it operating authority, and it's issued as an MC, MX or FF number depending on the type.

FMCSA says you don't need authority if you're a private carrier hauling your own goods, a for-hire carrier hauling only exempt commodities, or you run only inside a federally designated commercial zone. Most of those operations still need a USDOT number. Here's how the DOT and MC numbers differ.

What are the steps to get an MC number?

There are seven, and steps 5 and 6 can happen at the same time.

1. Create your Motus user profile. Go to motus.dot.gov, set up your profile and complete identity verification. FMCSA says each profile belongs to one person.
2. Create your company account. If your company already has a USDOT number from before Motus, claim it instead of starting over.
3. Apply for your USDOT number and operating authority. New applicants do both in the same Motus application. Pick only the authority types you'll actually use, because each one costs $300 and FMCSA doesn't refund mistakes.
4. Wait out the protest period. FMCSA publishes your application in the FMCSA Register, and there's a 10-calendar-day protest period.
5. Get your insurance filed. Your insurance company files proof of coverage with FMCSA electronically, usually a BMC-91 or BMC-91X. You can't file it yourself.
6. Get your BOC-3 filed. A process agent company files your BOC-3, the form that names an agent in each state who can accept legal papers for you.
7. Wait for the grant. Once insurance and the BOC-3 are on file and FMCSA's review is done, your authority is granted and you can haul for hire.

FMCSA says insurance companies and process agents can make their filings during the protest period, so don't wait for it to end before you shop for coverage.

How much does an MC number cost?

The FMCSA fee is $300 for each authority you apply for, and it's non-refundable. The USDOT number is free. The filings around it are cheap too. Insurance is the cost that decides whether you can start.

The BOC-3 range comes from First Load's own survey of filing services. Prices vary, and FMCSA doesn't set them. For the full startup ledger, including plates, Form 2290 and a cash reserve, see what it really costs to start a trucking company.

Do you need insurance to get an MC number?

You can apply and receive an MC number before you have insurance. You can't get it active without insurance. FMCSA won't grant authority until your insurer's filing is on its record.

Timing matters here. FMCSA says that if your insurance isn't filed within 20 days of your application's publication in the FMCSA Register, it sends a decision saying the application will be dismissed unless you comply within 60 days. Its FAQ puts the dismissal point at roughly 90 days without proof of insurance and a BOC-3. A dismissed application means starting over and paying again.

In other words, the carriers stuck in pending mostly aren't stuck on FMCSA. They're stuck on insurance. Here's how much coverage FMCSA requires, and if you want quotes lined up for your start date, you can request new authority insurance quotes.

What are the requirements for an MC number?

To go from application to active authority, you'll need all of these on file:

• A Motus user profile with identity verification, and a company account.
• A completed USDOT and operating authority application, with the $300 fee for each authority.
• Proof of insurance filed by your insurer at the level your authority type requires. See BMC-91 vs BMC-91X.
• A BOC-3 filed by a process agent. See what a BOC-3 is.
• No successful protest, and FMCSA's review completed, including any extra vetting.

How long does it take to get an MC number?

About a month for most new carriers. FMCSA says new applications may take 20 to 25 business days, and one selected for further review could take another 8 weeks or longer. In First Load's data as of Nov 7, 2026, carriers that went active in the last four weeks took a median of 23 days from application.

The full breakdown, including waits by state, is in how long MC authority takes. If yours is dragging, here's why an MC stays pending.

What should you do once your MC is active?

Register for UCR if it applies to you, line up a way to get paid, and find brokers that will take a new MC. Here's the list of what to do when your MC number goes active, plus which brokers take a new authority.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to get an MC number?

FMCSA charges $300 for each operating authority, and the fee isn't refundable. The USDOT number itself is free. Most of what you'll actually spend to start goes to insurance, not the filing.

Can I get an MC number without insurance?

You can apply and get the number without insurance, but it won't go active. FMCSA grants authority only after your insurer files proof of coverage, and it dismisses applications that go roughly 90 days without insurance and a BOC-3 on file.

Is my MC number active as soon as I get it?

No. The number is assigned early in the application. It only becomes active authority after the protest period, your insurance and BOC-3 filings, and FMCSA's review. You can check your MC status on the public record any time.

Can I apply for an MC number by mail?

FMCSA's mail option is for companies already registered with it that want to add an authority, and FMCSA says mailed applications may take 45 to 60 business days. First-time applicants apply online in Motus.

Do I need a separate DOT number and MC number application?

Not as a new applicant. You request the USDOT number and operating authority in the same Motus application, and the USDOT number usually shows up first.

Sources

• FMCSA: Get Operating Authority (Docket Number) (who needs authority, $300 fee, no refunds, processing times, mail applications; last updated April 20, 2026, checked November 5, 2026)
• FMCSA: Motus, USDOT Registration System (user profile and identity verification, company account, registering for a USDOT number and authority; last updated May 18, 2026)
• FMCSA: Do I Need a USDOT Number? (who needs a USDOT number)
• FMCSA: Insurance Filing Requirements (20-day filing warning and 60 days to comply)
• FMCSA FAQ: Dismissed operating authority applications (dismissal after roughly 90 days without insurance and BOC-3)
• First Load data: FMCSA's public authority and insurance records, stored nightly by First Load since July 1, 2026. Counts as of November 5, 2026.

First Load is a private company, not FMCSA.

Last verified 2026-11-05 · First Load editorial, with First Load data · First Load is a private company, not FMCSA. The public record can lag and other requirements or holds may not show in it.