What Is an MC Number?
An MC number is the docket number FMCSA assigns with operating authority: the permission to transport regulated freight or passengers for hire across state lines, or to arrange that transport as a broker. Freight forwarders receive an FF number and Mexico-domiciled carriers an MX number.
The MC number sits next to the USDOT number, not in place of it. The USDOT number registers the company; the docket number carries its authority. One docket can hold several authorities at once. A company can be licensed as a motor carrier of property and as a broker of property under the same MC number, and each authority has its own status. An MC number lookup on CallerTracer lists every authority under the docket, so you can see whether the company you are about to hire is a carrier, a broker or both.
| USDOT number | MC, FF or MX number | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued for | Registering to operate commercial vehicles | Operating authority for for-hire interstate transport or brokering |
| Who needs it | Interstate operators of commercial vehicles and many intrastate carriers | For-hire carriers of regulated freight or passengers between states, brokers and freight forwarders |
| One per | Company | Docket, which can hold several authorities |
| Statuses | Active, inactive or pending | Pending, active, inactive or withdrawn |
| Filings tied to it | Census details from the MCS-150 | Liability and cargo insurance, broker bond, process agent (BOC-3) |
The pace of change is high. In the last 30 days FMCSA recorded 8,544 new applications for authority and granted 6,386 authorities (CallerTracer count of FMCSA records, data as of Nov 3, 2026). Every one of those dockets turns up in the MC number lookup within a day of FMCSA publishing it.
How to Do an MC Number Lookup
- Enter the docket number. Type the MC number into the search box at the top of this page, with or without the MC prefix. For a freight forwarder or a Mexico-domiciled carrier, add the FF or MX prefix.
- Open the carrier or broker profile. The MC number lookup finds the USDOT number behind the docket and opens that company’s profile, with every authority it holds under the docket.
- Read the authority and insurance sections. Check that the authority you need is active, that the liability insurance or broker bond on file meets the requirement and that no cancellation is pending.
The MC number lookup accepts the formats you see on bills of lading, rate confirmations and truck doors: MC-123456, MC 123456, MC123456 or just 123456, which is read as an MC number. Freight forwarder and Mexico-domiciled dockets need their prefix, such as FF12345 or MX12345. You can also link straight to a docket: callertracer.com/mc/123456 redirects to the carrier’s profile.
If you have a USDOT number instead, use the DOT number lookup; both open the same profile.
How to Read an Authority Status
An MC number lookup is only useful if you read the status correctly. FMCSA records each authority as it moves through these stages, and our profiles show the date of every change in the FMCSA history.
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pending: applied | The application is filed but not granted | Do not book; the company is not authorized yet |
| Pending: published in the FMCSA Register | The application is public and the 10-day protest window is open (49 CFR 365.203T) | Still not authorized |
| Active: granted | FMCSA granted the authority after the required insurance and process agent filings arrived | Check the insurance amount and the history |
| Inactive: insurance | The required insurance was cancelled and no replacement was filed | Do not book until it is reinstated |
| Inactive: process agent (BOC-3) | The process agent filing was cancelled | Do not book until it is reinstated |
| Inactive: voluntary | The carrier asked FMCSA to suspend its authority | Ask why before you book |
| Reinstated | The missing filing was replaced and the authority is active again | Check how often this has happened |
| Withdrawn | The application was withdrawn before a grant | Not authorized |
Suspensions are common. In the last 30 days FMCSA suspended 2,767 authorities because the required insurance lapsed, and reinstated 2,480 authorities after the missing filing came back. A carrier that cycles through suspension and reinstatement several times a year is telling you something about how it pays its bills.
How to Check a Broker’s MC Number
Carriers run an MC number lookup on brokers as often as brokers run one on carriers. Three things matter:
- Broker authority is active. In the MC number lookup result, look for "Broker of Property" with an active status. A company with only carrier authority is not licensed to arrange freight for others.
- The bond or trust fund is on file. A property broker must keep a $75,000 surety bond (Form BMC-84) or trust fund (Form BMC-85) in effect under 49 CFR 387.307. Our profiles show whether one is on file for each broker or forwarder authority.
- The broker is who it says it is. Double brokering often starts with someone posing as a real broker or carrier. Call the phone number on the FMCSA record, not the one in the email, before you accept the load.
How to Check a New Carrier’s MC Number
New authorities are a large share of every MC number lookup: thousands of carriers are granted authority each month. A new carrier is not a bad carrier, but it has less history for you to judge, so use the MC number lookup to look at what is there:
- The grant date. The FMCSA history shows when the authority was granted. FMCSA monitors new entrants for 18 months under 49 CFR 385.307 and generally conducts a safety audit after at least three months of operation.
- The insurance effective date. A policy that took effect the week the authority was granted is normal; a policy with a cancellation already filed is not.
- The fleet and cargo. A one-truck carrier with a box-truck cargo list is a poor match for a load that needs a reefer.
- The contacts. New carriers are a common target for identity theft, so compare the phone and email you were given with the record.
If you sell to trucking companies rather than hire them, these new authorities are exactly the carriers you want to reach first; see new authority leads.
Did FMCSA Get Rid of MC Numbers?
No. FMCSA moved carrier registration to its new Motus system in May 2026 and kept the MC, FF and MX docket numbers; removing them would require a formal rulemaking with public comment (DAT). What did change is how new numbers look. FMCSA now randomizes newly issued USDOT and docket numbers to make fraud harder, while existing numbers stay the same (NGWA, citing FMCSA). An eight-digit MC number on a carrier granted authority this year is expected.
Both old and new numbers work in the MC number lookup on this page.
MC Number Lookup vs FMCSA SAFER
FMCSA’s SAFER Company Snapshot is the official record, and every CallerTracer profile links to it. Our MC number lookup puts the authority, insurance and history that FMCSA spreads across several pages onto one page.
| FMCSA SAFER | CallerTracer MC number lookup | |
|---|---|---|
| Search by | USDOT, MC or MX number, name | MC, FF or MX number, USDOT number, part of the name |
| All authorities under the docket | On separate FMCSA pages | Listed on the profile with each status |
| Liability required vs on file | On separate FMCSA pages | Side by side for each authority |
| Broker bond on file | On separate FMCSA pages | Shown for each broker or forwarder authority |
| Authority history | On separate FMCSA pages | One dated timeline |
| Inspections and crashes | Yes | Yes, on the carrier profile |
When a decision has legal weight, rely on FMCSA’s own record. For a quick check before you book or accept a load, the MC number lookup gives you the same core facts in one place.
MC Number Lookup FAQ
How do I find a USDOT number from an MC number?
Enter the MC number in the search box above. The MC number lookup opens the company’s profile, with the USDOT number at the top next to every docket number it holds.
Why can’t I find an MC number?
Check the format first: MC-123456 and 123456 both work, and FF or MX numbers need their prefix. Profiles cover companies that are active or pending in FMCSA’s census, so a docket whose company has been inactive for a long time may not appear; look it up on FMCSA’s SAFER site.
What is the difference between MC, FF and MX numbers?
All three are FMCSA docket numbers for operating authority. MC numbers go to motor carriers and property brokers, FF numbers to freight forwarders and MX numbers to Mexico-domiciled carriers that operate in the United States.
Does an active MC number mean the carrier is insured?
An authority stays active only while the required insurance is on file, so an active status is a good sign. Still compare the amount on file with your load, and look for a pending cancellation, which our profiles flag at the top.
Is the MC number lookup free?
Yes. The MC number lookup and the full carrier profile are free, with no account and no daily limit. Only a carrier’s email, cell phone and officer names cost 1 credit, unless your plan covers the carrier’s state.
What happens between applying for MC authority and getting it?
FMCSA publishes the application in the FMCSA Register, which opens a 10-day window for protests under 49 CFR 365.203T. The authority is granted once that window has passed and the required insurance and process agent (BOC-3) filings are on record.
Did FMCSA get rid of MC numbers?
No. When FMCSA moved registration to Motus in May 2026, it kept MC, FF and MX docket numbers; removing them would require a formal rulemaking. New docket numbers are now issued at random, so new ones can look unfamiliar.