Quick Answer
An MC authority letter is the certificate of operating authority FMCSA issues once your authority is granted: a certificate for motor carriers, a permit for freight forwarders, a license for brokers. It comes only after the 10-day protest period ends and your insurance and BOC-3 are on file. Since May 2026, Motus emails a copy to your company account owner and FMCSA also mails one.
Key Takeaways
- The MC number you get when you apply is not authority. FMCSA's OP-1 instructions say an assigned MC number "does not represent Operating Authority."
- Your application is published in the FMCSA Register, which opens a 10-day protest window (49 CFR 365.115). If nobody protests, the grant becomes effective when FMCSA issues the certificate.
- Motus replaced FMCSA's legacy registration tools. Registration functions in URS, L&I and the FMCSA Portal shut down May 14, 2026, and Motus went live May 19, 2026.
- As of October 2026, you can't search for or re-download old letters inside Motus. FMCSA says letter search is coming in a future release.
- Brokers check your live status, not just the paper. Under Operating Authority Status, your SAFER snapshot should read "AUTHORIZED FOR" followed by Motor Carrier of Property.
- Selling, buying, or leasing an MC or USDOT number outside a legitimate corporate transaction gets the number inactivated and the authority revoked.
“The MC authority letter is FMCSA's certificate of operating authority. It's issued only after the 10-day protest period ends and your insurance and BOC-3 filings are on file. Since May 2026, Motus emails a copy to your company account owner, and FMCSA still mails one. Proof of active authority is your SAFER status.”
What is an MC authority letter?
"MC authority letter" is trucker shorthand. FMCSA calls it the certificate, permit, or license of operating authority, depending on what you applied for.
Two different FMCSA documents get called the "MC letter": the grant letter and the authority itself.
Document | When you get it | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
Grant letter (application confirmation) | Right after FMCSA accepts your application and assigns the MC number | That you applied. It is not authority to haul. |
Certificate of authority (motor carriers) | After the protest period ends with insurance and BOC-3 on file | You may haul regulated freight for hire across state lines |
Permit (freight forwarders) | Same point in the process | You may operate as a freight forwarder |
License (brokers) | Same point in the process | You may arrange freight as a broker |
When a broker asks for your "authority letter," they want the certificate, not the grant letter. If you're still sorting out which number does what, our DOT number vs MC number guide covers that.
How do you get your certificate of authority in 2026?
New applications now run through Motus at motus.dot.gov, which replaced URS. You sign in with Login.gov and complete identity verification the first time. Existing USDOT and MC numbers don't change. New numbers issued in Motus are randomized, and each newly granted authority gets its own docket number.
The path from application to certificate, based on FMCSA's OP-1 instructions:
- Apply for a USDOT number and operating authority in Motus. FMCSA charges $300 for each type of authority you request, and the fee isn't refundable.
- Receive your MC number and the grant letter confirming your application.
- FMCSA publishes your application in the FMCSA Register. That starts the 10-calendar-day protest period.
- Have your insurance company file proof of liability coverage (Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X for property carriers). You can't file it yourself.
- Have your process agent, or you, file Form BOC-3 designating process agents.
- FMCSA issues the certificate once the application, insurance, and BOC-3 are approved and the protest period ends with no protests.
- Confirm the status shows active before you haul your first load.
Steps 4 and 5 can start as soon as you have the MC number.
How do you download your MC authority letter?
Granted in Motus (May 19, 2026 or later). FMCSA says Motus emails copies of its most-requested letters, including certificates, permits, and licenses, straight to the company account owner, in addition to mailing them. Look in the inbox tied to the Login.gov account that owns your Motus company account. As of October 2026, FMCSA says the ability to search for letters in Motus "will be available in a future release." So if you delete that email, you can't pull the letter up in your Motus company account yet.
Granted September 27, 2022 through May 15, 2026. FMCSA's Daily Registration Decisions page still serves this archive for free. Pick the "Certificates of Authority" category and search by date (8 calendar days at most per search). You need a rough idea of your grant date.
Anything outside those dates. Call the FMCSA Registration Customer Service Center at 800-832-5660 or use the ask.fmcsa.dot.gov webform. Inside Motus, the "Contact FMCSA" link at the top of the page reaches an agent by chat, email, or phone, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern.
FMCSA's guidance says operating authority documents are usually mailed within 3 to 4 business days of the grant. If 10 or more business days pass with nothing, call that same number. Some private websites sell copies of old letters. The FMCSA archive above is free.
When does operating authority become effective?
Your authority takes effect when FMCSA issues the certificate. Under 49 CFR 365.115, interested parties get 10 days from FMCSA Register publication to protest. If nobody opposes the application, the grant "will become effective by issuance of a certificate, permit, or license."
The 10 days are the minimum. The certificate also waits on your insurance and BOC-3 filings. The OP-1 instructions give you 90 days from FMCSA Register publication to get both on file, or FMCSA dismisses the application and keeps the fee. FMCSA sends a warning letter if they aren't in after 20 days. The current regulation text, 49 CFR 365.109T, still says 20 days. If you get both filed during the protest window, the difference never matters.
New authority also isn't permanent right away. Under 49 CFR 365.110, it becomes permanent only after you complete the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program. Our first 90 days with new authority guide walks through that period and the safety audit. 49 CFR 387.7 requires you to keep proof of insurance, usually the MCS-90 endorsement, at your principal place of business. File your certificate in the same folder. Our MCS-90 guide explains the endorsement.
How do you check if your MC authority is active?
Brokers check your status online, so check it the same way. Search your USDOT or MC number on the SAFER Company Snapshot at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. As of October 2026, the snapshot's Licensing & Insurance link and its pending-insurance-cancellation link both point to your record in Motus.
Status you see | Where | What it means |
|---|---|---|
AUTHORIZED FOR Property | SAFER, Operating Authority Status | Active authority. You can haul regulated freight for hire. |
NOT AUTHORIZED | SAFER | No active operating authority, for example never granted, revoked, or still pending |
OUT-OF-SERVICE | SAFER | Under an out-of-service order. Do not operate. |
Pending – Financial Responsibility Filings | Motus | Waiting on your insurance filing |
Pending – Process Agent (Form BOC-3) Filings | Motus | Waiting on your BOC-3 |
Pending – FMCSA Review | Motus | FMCSA is still reviewing the application |
The old L&I site stays up for historical records only. Registration actions happen in Motus.
Check your USDOT status on the same SAFER page. SAFER marks a number INACTIVE when the biennial update isn't completed. As of October 2026, FMCSA has temporarily suspended those inactivations in Motus, but don't count on that lasting. Keep up with your MCS-150 biennial update.
What do brokers ask for in a carrier packet?
No regulation defines a carrier packet; each broker sets its own. In common industry practice, it includes:
- Your MC authority letter (the certificate, not the grant letter)
- A W-9 for tax reporting
- A certificate of insurance naming the broker as certificate holder, showing auto liability and cargo coverage
- A Notice of Assignment (NOA) and the factoring company's letter of release or remittance details, if you factor your invoices
- A signed broker-carrier agreement and a voided check or banking form
Brokers also compare your packet against your FMCSA record, so make sure your legal name, address, phone, and email match what's in Motus. If you're about to haul your first loads, set up your ELD now. Here's how Lucid ELD plans work.
How do you protect your MC number from fraud?
FMCSA publishes applicants' contact information, so expect solicitations as soon as you apply. FMCSA's fraud alerts page lists the current scams.
- Fake Motus sites. The real address is motus.dot.gov. FMCSA has flagged lookalike domains such as dot.motuswebresources.com and "Notice of Required Off-Cycle Update" emails that link to a fake "New MOTUS Portal."
- Fake FMCSA emails. FMCSA says real communications come from its website, its contact center, or @dot.gov email addresses.
- Payment requests. FMCSA says it won't use telemarketers or robocalls, won't ask for a credit card number, and doesn't charge for its downloadable forms.
- Selling or leasing authority. In a March 2026 bulletin, FMCSA said operating authority "may not be sold, leased, or rented" outside a legitimate corporate transaction. It will move to inactivate the USDOT number and revoke the related authority. Leasing your truck onto another carrier under 49 CFR Part 376 is a different thing, and it's still allowed.
New authority? Get an FMCSA-registered ELD set up before your first load
Educational content, not legal advice. Confirm requirements against current FMCSA regulations and your state's rules.
FAQ
Is the MC number the same as operating authority?
No. The MC number is the docket number FMCSA assigns when you apply. Authority exists only after FMCSA issues the certificate and your status shows authorized.
How long after applying do I get my certificate of authority?
At least the 10-day protest period, plus however long your insurance and BOC-3 filings take, plus FMCSA review. FMCSA's pre-Motus guidance put new applications at 20 to 25 business days, longer if flagged for extra review. FMCSA hasn't published a Motus-era estimate.
Can I download my MC authority letter from Motus?
As of October 2026, no. Motus emails a copy to your company account owner when the authority is granted. FMCSA says letter search in Motus will come in a future release.
I lost my authority letter. How do I get a new one?
If it was granted between September 27, 2022 and May 15, 2026, download it free from FMCSA's Daily Registration Decisions page. For any other date, call FMCSA at 800-832-5660 or use the Ask FMCSA webform.
Do I need to keep my authority letter in the truck?
No federal rule we found requires a U.S. carrier to carry the certificate in the cab. What 49 CFR 387.7 does require is keeping proof of financial responsibility, such as the MCS-90, at your principal place of business. Most carriers keep a digital copy on their phone for brokers and shippers.
Is my MC number changing to a USDOT number?
Not yet. FMCSA says existing MC numbers won't change and Motus still issues docket numbers with the MC prefix. Eliminating docket numbers is still under consideration and would go through proposed rulemaking first.
