Moving industry know-how
FMCSA, USDOT and MC numbers
Who the FMCSA is, what a USDOT number and MC operating authority are, when a mover needs them, and where they must appear — including in MoveBoard.
- 2 min read
- Checked against MoveBoard
- For owners & admins
The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) is the part of the US Department of Transportation that registers interstate motor carriers and enforces the household-goods rules (49 CFR Part 375) and the safety rules (hours of service, drivers, vehicles).
USDOT number
A USDOT number identifies a company's safety record. A mover needs one when it runs commercial vehicles in interstate commerce — and many states require one for intrastate work too. The number must be shown:
- on both sides of each commercial vehicle,
- on the bill of lading and estimates,
- in advertising, including the company's website (49 CFR 375.207).
MC number (operating authority)
An MC number is the operating authority to carry household goods for hire across state lines. A mover applies to the FMCSA, files proof of insurance, names a process agent in each state, and joins an arbitration program before it can move interstate shipments. Brokers — companies that sell moves but don't carry them — need their own broker authority.
Keep them current
- Update your registration every two years (the biennial update), and when your fleet or business changes.
- Keep your insurance filings active — a lapse can revoke your operating authority.
- Customers can look any mover up on the FMCSA's website by USDOT or MC number and check its registration and safety record.
In MoveBoard
- Type your numbers in Settings › Company & branches › Company info, the Licenses card: US DOT license, MC license and Local license (your state or local license number).
- They print on your documents — the long-distance bill of lading names the carrier and its US DOT number, as 49 CFR 375.505 asks.
- A Canadian company types its National Safety Code number in Local license instead — see Moving in Canada.
Related guides
- SettingsCompany infoYour company's name, contact, addresses, time zone, licenses, units and the move types you take — what each field does and where it shows.
- Moving industry know-howLocal, intrastate and interstate movesThe three kinds of move in the moving business, who regulates each, and how MoveBoard tells them apart.
- Moving industry know-how"Your Rights and Responsibilities" and "Ready to Move"The two federal booklets every interstate household-goods customer must get, the other notices that go with them, and when to give them.
- Moving industry know-howThe bill of ladingWhat a bill of lading is, what an interstate household-goods bill must contain under 49 CFR 375.505, and how MoveBoard produces it.
- Moving industry know-howHours of service for driversThe federal driving-time limits for truck drivers — 11 hours driving, the 14-hour window, the 30-minute break, the 60/70-hour week and the 34-hour restart — and how MoveBoard plans around them.
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