Does Your Company Need DOT or MC Number? What’s the Difference Between an MC Number and a DOT Number?

A carrier license in the United States is required in certain cases. What are these cases? What are USDOT and MC numbers? Why should they be received and how? We will analyze all this in the article.

Table of Contents

What is a DOT number?
What is an MC number?
- Do I need a DOT and MC number?
- How to get a DOT and MC number?
MC number vs. DOT number?

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Opening MC&DOT number — $250 plus a $300 federal fee
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Closing MC — $100
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What is a DOT number?

The DOT (Department of Transportation) number is a mandatory number for any company that transports goods in the United States. This allows you to identify the driver and allows you to quickly access the company’s papers and make sure that the goods transported are safe, verify the accuracy of the documents provided and, in general, secure the customer. The customer can check the status of the cargo and make sure it is safe.

The USDOT number (United States Department of Transportation Number) is an interstate operating entity and a unique identifier. The FMCSA (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration) assigns this number to any transportation company that performs interstate transportation.

The DOT number is also used by government organizations to track shipments for the safety of the shipping company. With DOT, the customer can check registration status, compliance checks, ratings, inspections, accident investigations, and more. You can acces this information on the FMCSA website.

This number will protect the client and avoid fines from the company itself, since all roads in America are tolled and have certain restrictions. Consequently, a loaded car running without a permit will be stopped and, if all the necessary documentation is not provided, will be fined, and further passage will be prohibited. To avoid negative consequences, each vehicle that meets the criteria must be registered with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration or FMCSA with a unique number that will be displayed on the plates of the vehicle owned by the carrier company.

As a general rule, all vehicles that weigh more than what is defined in the Act must be registered with the FMCSA. This rule also applies to vehicles that carry a certain number of passengers or that travel both within the country and abroad.

In addition to federal regulations, some states also require mandatory registration with the FMCSA and obtaining a USDOT number. Only 37 states out of 51 have such a requirement. The most popular of them:

California
Nevada
Wyoming
New York
Florida
New Jersey

What is an MC number?

The MC number (Motor Carrier number) is also a unique code with an identification function. It is assigned by the FMCSA to companies operating in the commercial freight industry. To obtain an MC number, a logistics company must be licensed to carry goods between states.

The purpose of obtaining an MC type number is to be able to legally cross state lines. Neither the recommendations nor the law specify the obligatory display of this number on the license plates of cars, but when crossing the border with any state there is a direct need to have a number of this type.

An MC number (Motor Carrier number) is also an interstate operating authority and unique identifier assigned by the FMCSA to moving companies operating in interstate commerce, in other words hauling cargo across state lines. However, not all logistics companies require a USDOT number, even though most commercial carriers generally have one. So what’s the difference between MC and DOT numbers?

Do I need a DOT and MC number?

As a general rule, companies that meet the following criteria are required to obtain an MC number in addition to a DOT number:

companies that act as hired carriers on a paid basis (for a fee or other compensation);
companies that carry passengers or arrange transportation for interstate commerce.
transporting federally regulated goods or arranging for them to be transported in interstate commerce.

How to get a DOT and MC number?

If you, after analyzing the activities of the company, have determined that you need a carrier license in the United States, you should submit a form to obtain these numbers. As a general rule, USDOT, in case of a positive decision, is issued within one hour after the submission of all relevant documents. If we consider the MC number, then it will take a little longer to receive it, about 20-25 days. The whole procedure does not require your personal presence.

When submitting an application, you will need:

Employer Identification Number (EIN);
Name of the company officer;
Dun & Bradstreet number (if you have any).

After receiving the numbers, the most important stage remains – this is the direction of insurance to activate the numbers. When FMCSA numbers first come in, they will not be active: even if you use them, they will not give you a legal basis for doing business. A prerequisite is activation – the direction of the current insurance.

Insurance must be applied for directly by an insurance company in US providing insurance for this type of activity. FMCSA will not accept insurance copies or any other documents.

A carrier license in the United States is required in some instances. What are these cases? What are USDOT and MC numbers? Why should they be received, and how? We will analyze all this in the article.

MC number vs. DOT number?

It depends on the type of activity you are going to do. If this is a commercial shipment, you should get an MC number. Each state has different rules, so to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings, go to fmcsa.dot.gov for all the information you need.

The USDOT number is a unique interstate operating entity assigned by the FMCSA to all interstate carriers. The MC number is also an interstate body that complements the DOT number. You must have an MC number if you are in the transportation business of federally regulated goods across state lines.

Some interstate moving companies need an MC Number and a USDOT number. Moving companies for-hire carriers transporting passengers or federally regulated commodities across state lines must also obtain an interstate operating authority MC number. For-hire carriers that only haul cargo that is not federally regulated typically aren’t required to have an MC number.

Transportation companies moving goods across state lines typically have a USDOT number, an MC Number, or both.