How to Get MC Authority: Steps, $300 Fee, and Timeline
How to get MC authority in Motus: Login.gov, the $300 fee per authority, BOC-3, insurance, and the 10-day protest period.
Read the How to Get MC Authority: Steps, $300 Fee, and Timeline guide2026 edition
How to Start a Trucking Company: 15 Steps in Order (With Government Fees)
Do the steps in this order: plan the operation and the CDL, form the company, get an EIN, open a bank account, get a USDOT number, apply for operating authority, file a BOC-3, have the insurer file BMC-91 or BMC-91X, wait out the protest period, register for UCR, file Form 2290 only if a vehicle is heavy enough, then IRP, IFTA, drug and alcohol testing, and the new-entrant records. FMCSA states there is no charge for a USDOT number; operating authority is $300 per authority type and is not refundable; the 2027 UCR fee for 0–2 vehicles is $55; the state sets the LLC fee; Form 2290 applies only at a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more.
Fast Filing Group LLC is a private company and is not affiliated with FMCSA, USDOT, IRS, the UCR Plan, or any government agency.
Most of these steps can be completed directly with the agency for the government fee only; a BOC-3 must be filed by a process agent (brokers/freight forwarders without trucks may self-file), and FMCSA charges no fee for it.
Reviewed by Korey Sharp-Paar · Updated
Government fees
Every dollar in this table is a government charge or a statement that the state sets the charge. Service fees are not in the table. They are stated next to the two filings we still offer, further down.
| Filing | Government fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number | No FMCSA charge for the number itself | FMCSA registration guidance; see the 360.3 note under the table |
| Operating authority | $300 per authority type, not refundable | FMCSA operating-authority fee FAQ |
| BOC-3 process-agent designation | $0 | 49 CFR 360.3 |
| UCR, 2027, 0–2 vehicles (also brokers and leasing companies) | $55 | 91 FR 56063, effective October 1, 2026 |
| EIN | $0 | IRS EIN application |
| Form 2290 | $100 per year, plus $22 for each 1,000 pounds (or fraction) over 55,000 pounds. Over 75,000 pounds, the tax is $550. | 26 USC 4481; 26 CFR 41.4481-1 |
| LLC | Set by the state | State filing office |
| IRP and IFTA | Set by the base jurisdiction | IRP, Inc. and IFTA, Inc. |
| Biennial update of registration | $0 | 49 CFR 360.3 |
The insurer’s financial-responsibility filing and Form BOC-3 are both due within 90 days after notice of the application is published in the FMCSA Register (49 CFR 365.109). FMCSA’s September 2025 OP-1 instructions say the application is dismissed, and the fee is not refunded, if either filing misses that window (OP-1 instructions). Those instructions say FMCSA sends a warning letter if the documents are not in within 20 days. The warning is not a separate deadline.
Footnote on the USDOT line: 49 CFR 360.3 lists $300 for “an application for USDOT Registration pursuant to 49 CFR part 390, subpart E.” FMCSA’s public pages state what a new applicant pays: no charge for a USDOT number, and $300 per operating authority. Pay the amount Pay.gov shows.
1. Plan the operation and confirm the CDL
- What
- Decide whether you will haul for hire across state lines, haul your own goods, or arrange transportation as a broker. That choice decides whether you need operating authority or only a USDOT number. A driver who needs a new CDL must finish entry-level driver training before the state will issue the license.
- Government fee
- No federal fee for this planning step. CDL fees are set by the state that issues the license.
- Typical time
- Depends on the state CDL process and on whether entry-level driver training applies.
- Common mistake
- Applying for the wrong kind of authority. FMCSA does not refund the application fee.
2. Form the company with the state
- What
- File the company with the secretary of state (or equivalent office) where you will form it. Use that exact legal name on every later federal filing. A sole proprietorship can register, but the legal name on the FMCSA application has to match the name you file under.
- Government fee
- Set by the state. There is no federal LLC fee.
- Typical time
- Set by the state. Some states return a filing the same day; others take longer.
- Common mistake
- Sending FMCSA a name that does not match the state filing, including leaving “LLC” off.
3. Get an EIN from the IRS
- What
- An Employer Identification Number identifies the business on tax filings. The IRS issues it online at no charge.
- Government fee
- $0.
- Typical time
- The IRS online application issues the EIN when the application is accepted.
- Common mistake
- Paying a third party for an EIN the IRS issues at no charge.
4. Open a business bank account
- What
- Open an account in the company’s legal name before you pay filing fees and insurance. Banks typically ask for the formation document and the EIN. This is not a government filing.
- Where
- Your bank. There is no federal form for this step.
- Government fee
- No government fee. The bank sets any account fee.
- Typical time
- Depends on the bank.
- Common mistake
- Paying FMCSA or insurance from a personal account and then having the name on the payment not match the application.
5. Get a USDOT number
- What
- Starting May 14, 2026, FMCSA moved new USDOT and operating-authority registration from the legacy systems to Motus at motus.dot.gov. FMCSA requires a Login.gov account. There is no charge for a USDOT number. A for-hire applicant usually requests the number and the authority in the same Motus application.
- Where
- Government fee
- $0 for the USDOT number. Operating authority requested in the same application is $300 per authority type and is not refundable.
- Typical time
- FMCSA does not publish a guaranteed processing time.
- Common mistake
- Treating the USDOT number as permission to haul for hire. For-hire interstate transportation also needs operating authority.
7. File the BOC-3
- What
- Form BOC-3 designates agents for service of process. FMCSA’s BOC-3 page states that only a process agent may file the form for a carrier, and that a broker or freight forwarder applicant without commercial motor vehicles may file it on their own behalf. FMCSA charges no fee for the designation.
- Where
- Government fee
- $0. 49 CFR 360.3 lists designation of a process agent at $0.
- Typical time
- Inside the 90-day window stated above the step list. File as soon as the application is published.
- Common mistake
- Waiting out the outer deadline. File as soon as the application is published.
We can help with this filing. FMCSA’s fee is $0. Fast BOC-3 Filing’s service fee is $75. File a BOC-3 at fastboc3filing.com.
8. Have the insurer file BMC-91 or BMC-91X
- What
- You buy the policy from an insurer. The insurer, not you, files the proof with FMCSA. For-hire property carriers at 10,001 pounds GVWR or more need at least $750,000 for nonhazardous property. Oil and the hazardous materials in row 3 of the same table require $1,000,000. The highest-risk hazardous materials in that table require $5,000,000. Passenger service is $5,000,000 for a vehicle seating 16 or more including the driver, and $1,500,000 for 15 or fewer. A property broker needs a $75,000 surety bond (BMC-84) or trust fund (BMC-85). Household-goods carriers and household-goods freight forwarders also need a cargo filing, Form BMC-34 or a BMC-83 bond, on the same 90-day clock. Cargo security for household goods is $5,000 on any one vehicle and $10,000 for loss at any one time and place. The premium is not a government fee.
- Where
- Government fee
- No FMCSA application fee for the carrier. The insurer files the certificate. The premium is set by the insurer.
- Typical time
- Inside the same 90-day window as the BOC-3, stated above the step list. The insurer’s quote time is separate from that dismissal date.
- Common mistake
- Trying to file the insurance form yourself. FMCSA’s OP-1 instructions say applicants may not file insurance forms on their own behalf.
9. Wait out the protest period
- What
- After FMCSA publishes the application in the FMCSA Register, a protest must be filed within 10 days (49 CFR 365.203). Section 365.115(a) states the same 10 days and points to that subpart. Publishing the application starts the window. It does not grant authority.
- Government fee
- $0.
- Typical time
- 10 days after the FMCSA Register notice, plus whatever time the insurance and BOC-3 filings take.
- Common mistake
- Hauling for hire while the authority is still unpublished or still inside the protest window.
10. Register for UCR
- What
- Interstate carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies register under the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement. The 2027 fee for 0–2 commercial motor vehicles is $55. Brokers and leasing companies pay the same $55. The final rule was effective October 1, 2026, and the UCR Plan says the 2027 portal opened that day. You can register directly at ucr.gov for the government fee only.
- Government fee
- $55 for the 2027 registration year at 0–2 vehicles, and $55 for a broker or leasing company. Larger fleets pay the higher brackets in the same rule.
- Typical time
- The UCR Plan says an operation must register and pay before January 1 of the registration year to keep operating legally. After that date the fee is still due, and a state may enforce. The 2027 portal opened October 1, 2026.
- Common mistake
- Paying a service fee and thinking it is the government fee. The $55 is the government fee for the smallest bracket. A filing service charges extra.
You can register directly at ucr.gov for the government fee only. Fast UCR Filing’s service fee for a 0–2 vehicle registration is $35, separate from the $55 government fee. Register UCR online.
11. File Form 2290 only if a vehicle is heavy enough
- What
- IRS Form 2290 is the Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax. It applies to a highway motor vehicle with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. Vehicles under that weight are not on this form. This step is information only. We do not take Form 2290 orders from this page.
- Government fee
- $100 per year, plus $22 for each 1,000 pounds (or fraction) over 55,000 pounds. Over 75,000 pounds, the tax is $550. There is no separate FMCSA fee.
- Typical time
- The IRS instructions set the filing deadline for the July 1–June 30 period and the partial-period rule for a vehicle first used later in the year.
- Common mistake
- Filing Form 2290 for a truck under 55,000 pounds taxable gross weight, or skipping it on a truck that meets the weight.
12. Register for IRP if the vehicle qualifies
- What
- The International Registration Plan apportions registration fees among the jurisdictions where the vehicle travels. It is a state base-jurisdiction filing, not an FMCSA filing. Fees are set by the base jurisdiction and by where you declare miles.
- Where
- Government fee
- Set by the base jurisdiction. There is no single federal IRP price.
- Typical time
- Set by the base jurisdiction.
- Common mistake
- Budgeting a national “IRP fee.” The base state calculates it from declared weight and miles.
13. Register for IFTA if the vehicle qualifies
- What
- The International Fuel Tax Agreement is how an interstate carrier reports fuel tax to a base jurisdiction. It applies to qualified motor vehicles operating in more than one member jurisdiction. The base jurisdiction sets the credential fee.
- Where
- Government fee
- Set by the base jurisdiction. Fuel tax itself is settled on the quarterly return.
- Typical time
- Set by the base jurisdiction. Quarterly returns follow the IFTA calendar.
- Common mistake
- Confusing IFTA with UCR. They are different programs, filed with different offices.
14. Set up drug and alcohol testing and the Clearinghouse
- What
- Carriers who operate commercial motor vehicles under 49 CFR Part 382 need a drug and alcohol testing program, including a pre-employment test and random testing. A one-driver company joins a consortium. Queries to the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse are part of that program. This page does not sell screening packages.
- Government fee
- No FMCSA fee is listed here. The consortium and the collection site set their own charges.
- Typical time
- The pre-employment test and the Clearinghouse query have to be done before a driver performs a safety-sensitive function.
- Common mistake
- Dispatching a CDL driver who is not in a testing program and has not cleared the required Clearinghouse query.
15. Keep ELD, driver, and maintenance records for the new-entrant period
- What
- New interstate carriers are in FMCSA’s new entrant safety monitoring program under 49 CFR Part 385 Subpart D. Keep the records that program reviews: hours-of-service records (including an ELD where 49 CFR Part 395 requires one), driver qualification files under Part 391, and vehicle maintenance records under Part 396. The biennial update fee in 49 CFR 360.3 is $0. FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of biennial updates, and inactivation of a USDOT number for missing one, for registrants whose update was due on or after June 1, 2026.
- Where
- Government fee
- $0 for the biennial update of registration, under 49 CFR 360.3.
- Typical time
- The new-entrant monitoring period is 18 months under Part 385 Subpart D. FMCSA has not posted an end date for the biennial-update suspension on the registration page cited here.
- Common mistake
- Building driver and maintenance files after the first audit notice instead of from the first dispatch.
The compliance calculator lists the filings that apply to an operation. The new-entrant audit guide covers the records investigators ask for.
Timeline
FMCSA does not publish a single “weeks to active” number. The written clocks are the 10-day protest window (49 CFR 365.203) and the 90-day dismissal window for insurance and the BOC-3, stated once above the step list. State filings move on their own schedules.
- Plan the operation and confirm the CDL — Depends on the state CDL process and on whether entry-level driver training applies.
- Form the company with the state — Set by the state. Some states return a filing the same day; others take longer.
- Get an EIN from the IRS — The IRS online application issues the EIN when the application is accepted.
- Open a business bank account — Depends on the bank.
- Get a USDOT number — FMCSA does not publish a guaranteed processing time.
- Apply for MC operating authority — FMCSA does not publish a guaranteed processing time. The protest clock in step 9 is 10 days after Register publication.
- File the BOC-3 — Inside the 90-day window stated above the step list. File as soon as the application is published.
- Have the insurer file BMC-91 or BMC-91X — Inside the same 90-day window as the BOC-3, stated above the step list. The insurer’s quote time is separate from that dismissal date.
- Wait out the protest period — 10 days after the FMCSA Register notice, plus whatever time the insurance and BOC-3 filings take.
- Register for UCR — The UCR Plan says an operation must register and pay before January 1 of the registration year to keep operating legally. After that date the fee is still due, and a state may enforce. The 2027 portal opened October 1, 2026.
- File Form 2290 only if a vehicle is heavy enough — The IRS instructions set the filing deadline for the July 1–June 30 period and the partial-period rule for a vehicle first used later in the year.
- Register for IRP if the vehicle qualifies — Set by the base jurisdiction.
- Register for IFTA if the vehicle qualifies — Set by the base jurisdiction. Quarterly returns follow the IFTA calendar.
- Set up drug and alcohol testing and the Clearinghouse — The pre-employment test and the Clearinghouse query have to be done before a driver performs a safety-sensitive function.
- Keep ELD, driver, and maintenance records for the new-entrant period — The new-entrant monitoring period is 18 months under Part 385 Subpart D. FMCSA has not posted an end date for the biennial-update suspension on the registration page cited here.
Questions
What is the difference between a USDOT number and MC authority?
A USDOT number is the safety identifier. FMCSA states there is no charge to get one. MC authority is the for-hire operating registration, and FMCSA charges $300 for each type of authority. Private carriers that haul their own goods generally need the USDOT number and not for-hire authority. For-hire interstate carriers need both.
Can I file these steps myself?
Yes for most of them. You can apply in Motus, get the EIN from the IRS, register at ucr.gov, and file Form 2290 with the IRS, each for the government fee only. A carrier’s BOC-3 has to be filed by a process agent. A broker or freight forwarder without commercial motor vehicles may file the BOC-3 on their own behalf. FMCSA charges no fee for the BOC-3. Your insurer files the insurance proof; you do not file that form yourself.
How long does it take to get authority?
FMCSA does not publish a guaranteed number of days or weeks. A protest must be filed within 10 days after Register publication (49 CFR 365.203). The insurance filing and the BOC-3 are both due within the 90 days stated above the step list.
Fast Filing Group LLC is a private company and is not affiliated with FMCSA, USDOT, IRS, the UCR Plan, or any government agency. Most of these steps can be completed directly with the agency for the government fee only; a BOC-3 must be filed by a process agent (brokers/freight forwarders without trucks may self-file), and FMCSA charges no fee for it. Sources linked in the fee table and in each step were checked on October 14, 2026.