MC number
An MC number is the motor carrier operating authority number issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to a company authorized to transport regulated freight or to arrange it for others.
Updated
It is not the same as a USDOT number. The USDOT number identifies the company
for safety reporting, and most commercial vehicles need one. The MC number
grants the authority to operate for hire across state lines. FMCSA has been
consolidating identification toward the USDOT number, so the MC number's role
has narrowed over time [SOURCE NEEDED].
In practice. You check a counterparty's MC number before working with them. The record shows whether the authority is active, pending, or revoked, what type of authority it is, and whether the required insurance and surety bond are on file. Brokers must carry a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund under 49 CFR 387.307.
An entity holding broker authority and an entity holding carrier authority are doing different jobs, and one company can hold both. Which authority applies to your load changes who owes you.
Example. A load board posting lists a company name. The MC number on the rate confirmation resolves to a different name in the FMCSA record. That mismatch is the single most reliable sign that something is wrong with the load.
Why it matters for your cash flow. Authority status decides whether a bond claim is even possible. A revoked or never-issued authority means no bond, no recourse, and no realistic path to collect.
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Movik Editorial
Freight finance desk
The Movik editorial desk covers freight payment, factoring and carrier compliance. Posts are reviewed against the underwriting and document-processing work the team does daily.
Written and fact-checked by the team that underwrites carrier funding applications at Movik.