MC Number Search

An MC number isn't just one big blanket license. Think of it more like a filing cabinet that holds specific authority grants. Figuring out what those grants actually let a company do is the whole game when you're vetting. Here's the breakdown on authority types, when to run an MC vs. a DOT, how to check a broker's bond, and what's happening with the FMCSA trying to phase out docket numbers.

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Authority types MC or DOT? Vetting brokers MC retirement FAQ

Authority types: what each grant actually permits

When the FMCSA gives a company the green light to haul freight for money across state lines, they open a docket (like MC-XXXXXX, FF-XXXXXX, or MX-XXXXXX) and toss one or more grants of authority inside. The docket is just the folder; the grants tell you what the business is actually allowed to do:

Motor carrier of property

This is your bread and butter. It lets them haul regulated freight for money. It requires an active BMC-91 or BMC-91X liability policy to stay active. Don't worry about the old "common" or "contract" labels on older dockets — they got collapsed into one category years ago.

Motor carrier of household goods

This is strictly for moving personal household stuff and comes with a ton of consumer protection rules. If a regular freight carrier tries to book a household move without this specific grant, they are breaking the law. It's a huge issue in the moving-scam world.

Motor passenger carrier

Charter buses and shuttles. They carry people, so their insurance minimums are massive ($1.5M to $5M depending on seating).

Broker of property (and broker of HHG)

This lets them arrange freight. They do not have trucks. They need a $75,000 bond or trust fund on file, not liability insurance. If the guy emailing you only has broker authority, he's never touching your freight. Someone else is.

Freight forwarder

The FF docket. Forwarders actually take responsibility for the shipment — consolidating it and issuing their own BOLs — even if they hire carriers to physically move it.

Mexico-domiciled carrier

The MX docket. You'll mostly just run into these doing border-zone drayage.

Key vetting habit: one docket can hold several grants in different states of health. Always check the status of the specific grant that covers your transaction, not just whether "the MC is active."

MC or DOT: which number should you search?

Honestly, if you punch either number into MC Look Up, we'll pull the exact same profile. But knowing which number does what makes you a much sharper dispatcher.

Here is the golden rule: The DOT number tells you how they run their trucks; the MC number tells you what they're legally licensed to charge you for.

  • Want to see their crash history, safety scores, or what's legally required to be printed on the side of their cab? Look at the DOT number.
  • Need to confirm their for-hire licensing, check a broker's bond, or see their insurance filings? That's all tied to the MC docket.
  • Dealing with a private fleet (like a grocery chain hauling its own food)? They only need a DOT number. If they aren't strictly for-hire, they probably don't even have an MC docket.

Full verification requires reading both, which is why our profiles just merge them into one screen. For the safety-side reading order, our DOT number check workflow has you covered.

Vetting a broker's MC: the bond is the story

When you vet a carrier, you're looking at safety. When you vet a broker, you're looking at money. A broker is holding your paycheck, not your freight, so you need to look closely at their solvency and the bond that backs them up:

1

Check the actual broker grant

Make sure the "broker of property" line is specifically active. Scammers love to operate with revoked broker authority while leaning on an active carrier authority to look legitimate.

2

Verify the $75,000 security

Every broker has to have a BMC-84 (surety bond) or a BMC-85 (trust fund) on file. If it lapses, the FMCSA shuts them down in 30 days. No active bond, no load.

3

Look at who issued it

A BMC-84 means a real surety company is backing them and will investigate claims. A BMC-85 just means they parked assets with a trustee. Historically, BMC-85s get incredibly messy when a shady broker collapses.

4

Watch for bond-hopping

If a broker is replacing their bond every few months or has random gaps in coverage, sureties are probably dropping them. Pair that with a brand-new MC number, and you're staring right at a classic double-brokering setup.

Watch out for companies that have both carrier and broker grants. They can accept your load as a "carrier" and then quietly re-broker it out the back door. Cross-checking who actually hauls is part of the verification checklist, and our chameleon screening flags the re-registration games.

MC number retirement and FMCSA's registration modernization

The whole MC docket system is a dinosaur left over from the old Interstate Commerce Commission days. The FMCSA has been trying for years to modernize this and move everything over to just the USDOT number as the only identifier you'll need.

What this actually means for you:

  • Nothing is changing tomorrow. The MC numbers aren't vanishing overnight, and the government's timeline keeps getting pushed back. Expect to deal with both numbers for a long time.
  • Start keying your internal records to the DOT number. It's permanent, every entity has one, and it's where the safety data lives anyway.
  • Don't freak out at newer entities. Eventually, you're going to see newer companies popping up with just a USDOT number on their paperwork. That won't automatically mean they're sketchy.
  • Scammers love transitions. Whenever the feds change the rules, fraud spikes. Verifying against the live federal database matters more now than ever.

MC Look Up already treats the USDOT as the primary key and the docket as an attribute, so searches keep working regardless of which identifier you start from — today and after the changeover. You can also browse licensed carriers by geography in the carrier directory.

Frequently asked questions

Can a company be both a carrier and a broker at the same time?

Yep, happens all the time. A single docket can hold carrier, broker, and forwarder grants all at once. Just make sure you know which hat they are wearing for your specific load. If they quote you under their broker authority, they are putting it on someone else's truck, and your claim goes to their bond, not their cargo insurance.

Is the MC number actually going away?

That's the government's plan. The DOT number will eventually be the single ID that matters. But don't hold your breath — it's been delayed repeatedly. For now, keep tracking both numbers.

What kind of bond does a freight broker actually need?

They need $75,000 in financial security. It used to be $10k before MAP-21 passed back in 2013. Just remember, if a massive broker goes bankrupt, that $75k gets drained instantly by the first few claims. It's a ceiling on what you can recover, not a guarantee.

Does it matter if they have a BMC-84 or a BMC-85?

Legally, no. Practically, yes. A BMC-84 involves a surety company that actually underwrites the broker's financials. A BMC-85 is just assets sitting with a trustee, which can be much looser. A brand new broker using a BMC-85 usually means you should tighten up your credit terms with them.

What does "reinstated" mean when looking at an authority?

It means they got shut down — usually for letting their insurance or bond lapse — and then they paid the fee to get it turned back on. If it happened once five years ago, it's no big deal. If they are bouncing between revoked and reinstated every six months, they are hanging on by a thread financially.

What if they have a DOT number but no MC?

If they are trying to haul your regulated freight for money, hang up the phone. They aren't legally allowed to. But if it's a private fleet (like a big-box retailer's trucks) or they only haul exempt stuff like raw grain, having no MC docket is perfectly normal. Our DOT check workflow shows how to read the entity type field that settles it.

Keep going: our field guide to verifying a freight broker's MC number and $75K bond walks the broker checks in booking order, and pairs with the 60-second DOT number lookup walkthrough.

Verify the authority, not just the number

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