Operating authority
Glossary · Last reviewed: November 1, 2026 · By VetCarrier
Operating authority is the registration FMCSA grants that allows a company to work as a for-hire motor carrier, a property broker or a freight forwarder in interstate commerce; each grant comes with a docket number such as an MC number. Holding a USDOT number alone is not authority to haul regulated freight for hire across state lines.
The types
- Motor carrier authority, applied for as a common or contract carrier of property or passengers. SAFER lists it as authorized for Property, Passenger or household goods (HHG).
- Broker authority: a license to arrange transportation by an authorized motor carrier for compensation.
- Freight forwarder authority: a permit for companies that assemble and consolidate shipments and take responsibility for them from receipt to destination.
Contract carriage means service under an agreement made under 49 U.S.C. 14101(b). One company can hold more than one type, and SAFER lists each type it is authorized for.
Statuses and why authority ends
SAFER’s operating status shows AUTHORIZED FOR with the types, NOT AUTHORIZED when the USDOT number is active but there is no operating authority, or OUT-OF-SERVICE. FMCSA may amend or revoke a registration at the registrant’s own request, and may suspend, amend or revoke it after notice for reasons that include willful failure to comply with the rules or failure to pay a civil penalty. If a company fails to keep the required insurance on file, its authority is revoked or suspended involuntarily.
What it looks like in a carrier check
The Authority row in a VetCarrier check reads Active, Inactive, Broker only or None on record, with the active types listed under it, for example “Common, Broker authority.” Active authority is the only green item in the check. Broker only, Inactive and None on record each open the check with a red flag.
Check an MC number (3 free checks, no signup)
Criminals copy real carrier records, so a clean check does not prove the caller is that carrier: always confirm their phone, email and address another way. A VetCarrier check is not a guarantee that a carrier is safe or legitimate.
This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice.
Sources
- FMCSA, Availability of Motus, FMCSA’s New Registration System, Federal Register, April 29, 2026 (govinfo) (read 2026)
- FMCSA SAFER, Company Snapshot help (field definitions) (read 2026)
- 49 CFR 365.101T, Applications for operating authority (eCFR) (read 2026)
- 49 CFR Part 371, Brokers of Property (eCFR) (read 2026)
- 49 U.S.C. 13102, Definitions (govinfo) (read 2026)
- 49 U.S.C. 13905, Effective periods of registration (govinfo) (read 2026)