Glossary · updated October 31, 2026
OP-1
Also known as: OP-1 Application, Application for Motor Property Carrier Authority, Form OP-1
By Korey Sharp-Paar · Reviewed by the Fast Trucking Compliance team
Definition
The OP-1 is the FMCSA application a motor carrier completes to obtain operating authority, with a $300 FMCSA fee per authority type (49 CFR 360.3T). Since May 2026 the application is completed in FMCSA’s Motus registration system (motus.dot.gov), signing in with Login.gov, but it is still widely called "the OP-1." Once FMCSA accepts it, the application publishes in the FMCSA Register as a preliminary grant; the BOC-3 and BMC-91 insurance filings must be on file within 20 days of that notice (49 CFR §365.109T), and the authority is granted after the 10-day protest period. FMCSA controls that timing.
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What Is the FMCSA OP-1 Form?The FMCSA OP-1 form is the Application for Motor Property Carrier and Broker Authority. First-time applicants do not file it - they register through Motus.
Related terms
- Operating Authority
- URS(Unified Registration System)
- Protest Period(10-Day Protest Window)
- BOC-3(Designation of Process Agents)
- BMC-91 / BMC-91X