Last reviewed: November 1, 2026 · By VetCarrier
What you get from one MC number
An MC number is the docket number FMCSA issues when it grants a company authority for interstate operations; before 1996 the Interstate Commerce Commission issued it. One lookup returns the record behind it:
- The legal name and any DBA name, the USDOT number and the physical address FMCSA lists.
- The authority status and which kinds are active, for example common or broker authority.
- The liability insurance amount FMCSA has on file and the amount it requires.
- The safety rating on file, any out-of-service order, and inspection out-of-service rates next to the national average.
- Red flags in plain English at the top, and a one-page PDF with the date and time of the lookup.
Want the definition first? See MC number in the glossary.
MC number only: what this lookup does not search
This lookup takes MC numbers only. It does not search by company name, USDOT number, phone number, email or state. When all you have is a name or a USDOT number, use FMCSA’s SAFER Company Snapshot, which accepts a USDOT number, an MC/MX number or a company name. Then bring the MC number back here for the one-page check.
Each company should have only one active USDOT number, and SAFER describes that number as a sequential census number with no coded structure. A carrier can also hold more than one docket number, and SAFER lists MC, MX and freight forwarder numbers in the same field.
Reading the result in thirty seconds
- Red flags first. Anything red means stop and find out why before you go further.
- The status line. It appears only when the authority or the USDOT number is not active.
- Authority. You want Active and a carrier type; “Broker only” means the company cannot haul the load itself. What a broker MC number means.
- Name and address. They should match the paperwork you were sent. A difference is a reason to call the carrier on a number you found yourself.
- Insurance on file against the amount required, then the safety rating and out-of-service history.
Will MC numbers keep working?
Yes, for now. In April 2026 FMCSA said its new registration system, Motus, would not eliminate MC and freight forwarder numbers in its Phase II release, and that the USDOT number stays each company’s unique identifier. The details and what to watch for are in Are MC numbers going away?.
Common questions
Is the MC number lookup really free?
The first 3 lookups in a browser are free and need no signup. Unlimited lookups cost $99/month per brokerage. FMCSA’s SAFER Company Snapshot is free with no limit, one company at a time.
Can I look up a carrier by name or by USDOT number here?
No. This lookup accepts MC numbers only. SAFER accepts a company name, a USDOT number or an MC number.
Does the lookup show the carrier’s phone number or email?
No. FMCSA’s data service does not provide them, so confirm contact details another way, using a number you found yourself.
How current is the result?
Each lookup reads FMCSA’s data service when you run it, or a copy at most 10 minutes old, and shows when the data was retrieved.
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.