Glossary · Trucking / FMCSA
What is a USDOT number?
A USDOT number is a unique identifier the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) assigns to a commercial motor carrier, used to track its safety record, inspections, crashes, and operating authority.
Companies operating commercial vehicles in interstate commerce (and many intrastate operations) must register with FMCSA and receive a USDOT number. It is the primary key for a carrier across FMCSA systems — the company census, safety measurement, inspections and authority.
A separate MC (Motor Carrier) number authorizes for-hire operation of regulated commodities. A brand-new carrier appears in the FMCSA census the moment its USDOT number is issued — the first-appearance record used as a new-carrier lead.
Operating authority can be granted, revoked, or reinstated, and those changes are dated public events usable for prospecting and risk monitoring.
Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
FAQ
Common questions
What is the difference between a USDOT number and an MC number?
A USDOT number identifies and tracks a carrier's safety record across FMCSA systems; an MC number authorizes for-hire interstate operation of regulated commodities. Many carriers need both.
Is FMCSA carrier data public?
Yes. The FMCSA company census, safety records and operating-authority status are public and are the substrate behind most carrier-vetting and new-carrier lead products.
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Turn USDOT number into a lead feed
ParseData watches this record and alerts you when a new one appears — self-serve, observational, dated.