Motor Carrier Authority

Motor carrier authority – formally known as operating authority – is the license issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that permits a company to operate as a for-hire carrier, broker, or freight forwarder in interstate commerce. Without active authority, a company cannot legally haul freight for compensation across state lines. It's the foundational credential that separates a legitimate carrier from an unlicensed operator.

There are several types of operating authority, each tied to a specific role. Motor carrier authority (MC number) covers companies that transport regulated commodities for hire. Broker authority covers intermediaries who arrange transportation without operating trucks. Freight forwarder authority covers companies that arrange international shipments. A single company can hold multiple authority types – many large carriers also hold broker authority, and some brokers maintain carrier authority for loads they choose to haul directly. Each authority type requires a separate application, a BOC-3 process agent filing, and proof of financial responsibility – either a surety bond or trust fund.

For shippers and brokers, verifying a carrier's motor carrier authority is the first step in any compliance check. You're confirming that the authority is active (not revoked, suspended, or pending), that the carrier's insurance filings are current, and that their USDOT number and MC number match the entity you're contracting with. Double-brokering schemes – where a broker illegally re-brokers your load to an unvetted carrier – often involve carriers operating under someone else's authority or with lapsed credentials.

FMCSA's SAFER system and Licensing & Insurance database are the authoritative sources for verifying authority status. Any carrier in your network should be checked against these systems during onboarding and monitored continuously thereafter, since authority status can change without notice.