MC number for single-truck owner-operators
Reviewed by Korey Sharp-Paar · Updated
You're ready to leave the leased-on arrangement and operate under your own banner. The first step is your own MC number. Form OP-1 is prepared for you for a $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; your MC number becomes active once FMCSA grants the authority.
Why owner-operators get their own MC
The trade-off is straightforward: leased-on lets you run someone else's authority, take their compliance overhead, and accept their rate structure. Your own MC means you set rates, choose customers, and own the compliance - §391 driver qualification, §382 drug & alcohol program, §395 hours of service, MCS-150 biennial update, UCR annual, BOC-3 lifetime, and the new-entrant safety audit FMCSA schedules during your first 12 months. Read MC vs USDOT and our MC vs DOT comparison for the deep dive.
The owner-operator stack
- USDOT number - free, registered alongside the OP-1
- MC number via OP-1 - $199 service fee + $300 FMCSA fee
- BOC-3 process agent - $75 one-time (order a BOC-3)
- BMC-91 insurance - your insurer files; premium varies by insurer and operation
- UCR Tier 1 - $90 ($55 UCR government fee + $35 service fee), or $80/year on auto-renew ($55 UCR government fee + $25 service fee) (UCR registration)
- Form 2290 HVUT - annual $550 at top weight class (Form 2290)
What our service covers
- USDOT registration prepared together with the OP-1
- 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 - we flag FMCSA correspondence
- Confirmation when FMCSA grants the authority
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).
Owner-operator authority questions
I'm running one truck - do I need a full MC number?
Yes, if you want to operate interstate under your own banner. The MC number is the operating authority for interstate freight. A single-truck owner-operator running interstate without their own MC has to lease on to another carrier (operating under that carrier's authority). Once you have your own MC, you set your own rates, your own customers, and your own freight network - but you also carry the §391 / §382 / §395 compliance load directly.
What's the difference between an MC and a USDOT?
The USDOT is the safety and compliance ID - it's how FMCSA tracks your safety record (BASIC scores, inspection events, crashes). Every interstate CMV operation needs a USDOT, and 38 states plus Puerto Rico require one for some intrastate operations. The MC number is operating authority - it's the legal permission to haul interstate freight. Most owner-operators need both. The OP-1 application produces the MC; the USDOT is generated alongside (free) when you complete the registration.
How does the BOC-3 fit my owner-operator stack?
BOC-3 is the process-agent designation under 49 CFR Part 366. It names a registered agent in every state who can accept legal service for you. Required for every MC. One-time $75 filing at Fast Trucking Compliance (cannot be done as a single-truck self-designation - motor carriers cannot self-designate). Under 49 CFR §365.109T the BOC-3 is due within 20 days of the application notice publishing in the FMCSA Register, and authority is not granted until it is on file.
Other authority contexts
You might also need
- BOC-3 - Order a BOC-3
- Form 2290 HVUT - Form 2290 filing
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.