Household goods MC authority
Reviewed by Korey Sharp-Paar · Updated
Household goods (HHG) movers running interstate moves apply for MC authority via the OP-1 with the HHG designation checked. The application is prepared for you for $199 service fee plus the $300 FMCSA fee; it is submitted to FMCSA in Motus by you or a filer you authorize. FMCSA controls how long review takes. The federal authority is granted under 49 USC §13902 the same way as general-freight MC, but HHG carriers operate under the additional 49 CFR Part 375 consumer-protection rules from day one.
What HHG authority covers
An HHG MC lets you legally accept interstate household goods moves under your own banner. The federal authority is the same application (with the HHG designation), the same FMCSA review under 49 CFR §365.109T, and the same $300 FMCSA fee. What scales is everything operationally: every HHG move triggers Part 375 obligations including a binding or non-binding estimate, the FMCSA “Your Rights and Responsibilities” pamphlet, written documentation of the inventory, weight tickets at origin and destination if billing by weight, and access to a dispute-settlement program.
See our HHG authority guide for the full breakdown of Part 375 obligations and the common-vs-contract carrier comparison for the broader authority-type framing.
Federal stack for HHG
- USDOT number - registered alongside the OP-1
- MC number with HHG designation - $199 service fee + $300 FMCSA fee
- BOC-3 process agent - $75 one-time
- BMC-91 cargo + auto liability insurance - $750K minimum primary, plus HHG cargo coverage
- UCR registration - annual fleet-size based
- Tariff filing if mover sets standardized rates per Part 375 §375.401
What our service covers
- USDOT registration if needed
- Form OP-1 with HHG designation prepared for you, with the $300 FMCSA fee itemized as its own line
- Submitted to FMCSA in Motus by you or a filer you authorize.
- BOC-3 + insurance coordination guidance
- Monitoring of FMCSA's records (Motus public search) during review
- Confirmation when FMCSA grants the authority
- Part 375 compliance reading list for the new-mover ramp
How the timing works
Your application is prepared for you once your information is complete; it is submitted to FMCSA in Motus by you or a filer you authorize. FMCSA controls the timing; no filing service can shorten it. There is no FMCSA expedite path.
Pricing
$199 service fee + $300 FMCSA fee = $499 total for the OP-1 leg. The FMCSA fee is its own line, paid to FMCSA.
| Item | Paid to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Service feePreparing your USDOT and MC operating-authority application. | Fast Filing Group LLC | $199 |
| FMCSA application feeSet by FMCSA (49 CFR 360.3T), per authority type. Charged as its own line and paid to FMCSA with the application. | FMCSA | $300 |
| Total (service fee + FMCSA fee) | $499 | |
| Motus account setup help (optional)Added only if you choose it in the order form. | Fast Filing Group LLC | +$150 |
FMCSA charges a $300 application fee for each operating authority type (49 CFR 360.3T); a USDOT number is free. Our $199 service fee and the $300 FMCSA fee are itemized as two separate amounts before you pay ($499 total).
HHG authority questions
How is HHG authority different from regular MC?
Household goods (HHG) authority is a subtype of motor carrier authority - same OP-1 application but with the HHG box checked. The substantive difference is on the operations side: 49 CFR Part 375 layers consumer-protection rules on every HHG move (binding/non-binding estimates, rights-and-responsibilities pamphlet, dispute settlement program, weight tickets). The federal authority itself is granted under 49 USC §13902 the same way; the compliance overhead during operations is heavier than general freight.
Do I need separate authority for storage and warehousing?
No, federal HHG authority covers carriage. Storage-in-transit (the moving company holding goods between pickup and delivery) is part of HHG carriage and falls under the same MC. Long-term storage (separate warehouse business, goods sitting indefinitely) is a state-regulated warehousing activity, separate from FMCSA. Most household-goods movers do both - the storage portion is licensed by the home state, the carriage portion by the FMCSA.
What's the §387.7 insurance minimum for HHG?
HHG carriers carry the same $750,000 minimum primary auto liability as general freight under 49 CFR §387.7 - the cargo class itself doesn't scale insurance minimums (that's for hazmat under §387.9). What's different is HHG cargo coverage: most HHG movers add either a cargo certificate or a tariff-based valuation system to cover the household goods themselves separately from the auto-liability insurance. Customers can usually buy "full value" or "released value" cargo coverage at the time of booking.
Other authority contexts
You might also need
- BOC-3 process agent - Order a BOC-3
- Driver MVR & CDLIS - FastDriverScreening
Start your USDOT and MC authority application
We prepare your USDOT number and MC operating-authority application; it is submitted to FMCSA in Motus by you or a filer you authorize. FMCSA charges a $300 application fee for each operating authority type (49 CFR 360.3T); a USDOT number is free. Our $199 service fee and the $300 FMCSA fee are itemized as two separate amounts before you pay ($499 total).
Submitted to FMCSA in Motus by you or a filer you authorize.
Independent filing service operated by Fast Filing Group LLC. Not affiliated with FMCSA, USDOT or any government agency.