From leased-on to your own MC
Reviewed by Korey Sharp-Paar · Updated
You've run a year or two leased on to another carrier's authority. The numbers say it's time to run your own MC - keep more of the line haul, set your own rates, choose your own freight network. Your 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. Your MC number becomes active once FMCSA grants the authority, which requires your BOC-3 and insurance filings to be on record (49 CFR §365.109T).
When the math says convert
Leased-on operators give the carrier a share of the line haul in exchange for their authority, insurance umbrella, customer relationships, dispatcher, and back-office compliance. On your own MC you keep 100% of the line haul but absorb every cost that was previously bundled - primary insurance (instead of bobtail/non-trucking liability), BOC-3 ($75 one-time), UCR (Tier 1 $90 ($55 UCR government fee + $35 service fee)), MCS-150 (free, biennial), Form 2290 ($550/year top weight class), §391 driver-qualification recordkeeping, §382 drug-and-alcohol program, §395 hours-of-service ELD compliance, and the new-entrant safety audit FMCSA schedules in your first 12 months.
Whether your own MC comes out ahead depends on your utilization, lanes, and insurance quote. See our operating-authority cost breakdown and the cost FAQ for the math detail.
Timing the conversion
FMCSA controls the timing. Authority is granted once the BOC-3 and insurance are on file and the 10-day protest period after the application's FMCSA Register notice has passed (49 CFR 365.203T). Secure your own primary insurance right away so the BMC-91 lands within 20 days of the FMCSA Register notice (49 CFR §365.109T), and check your lease's termination notice period so you can give notice once FMCSA grants your authority.
What our service covers
- USDOT registration if you don't already have one
- Form OP-1 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
- Conversion-timing guidance against your current lease termination clause
How the timing works
Your application is prepared for you once your order and documents are in; it is submitted to FMCSA in Motus by you or a filer you authorize. FMCSA controls the timing; no filing service can shorten it, and there is no 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).
Conversion authority questions
When does it make sense to convert from leased-on to your own MC?
When the math on rate per mile after costs (insurance, BOC-3, UCR, MCS-150 admin, fuel cards, ELD subscription) puts you ahead of the percentage you're paying to your current carrier. Run that math with your own lanes, a real insurance quote, and your actual utilization before you decide - the answer differs from operator to operator.
What happens to my current lease while my MC is processing?
Check the termination notice period in your current lease. FMCSA controls the timing of the grant: authority is granted once the BOC-3 and insurance are on file and the 10-day protest period after the application's FMCSA Register notice has passed (49 CFR 365.203T). Because you can't predict the exact date, plan your notice around the grant rather than a fixed date.
Will my insurance jump when I convert?
Usually, yes. As a leased-on operator, your insurance is usually wrapped into the carrier's primary coverage with you carrying only bobtail/non-trucking liability. On your own MC, you carry primary auto liability (at least $750,000 for non-hazardous freight under 49 CFR §387.9, filed by your insurer on a BMC-91 or BMC-91X) and usually cargo coverage. Get a real quote and include it in your breakeven math.
Other authority contexts
You might also need
- BOC-3 - Order a BOC-3
- Driver screening - 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.