New Trucking Authority Checklist

Your checklist

Five stages from idea to first load

Open each stage, check off what's done, and come back anytime. Steps marked with a shield are ones we handle for our trucking clients.

Your filing deadlines

FMCSA Register publication date

Haven't applied yet? Leave this blank. Once FMCSA publishes your application, enter the date and we'll count the days. Calendar days, weekends included.

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- Form the company and get your numbersRegister the LLC or corporation, get an EIN from the IRS and a Washington UBI number. Use the exact same legal name everywhere: FMCSA, your insurance and your EIN letter must match character for character, or filings get rejected.
- Decide what authority you needHauling other people's freight across state lines takes a USDOT number plus for-hire operating authority. Hazmat and household goods have their own registrations and higher insurance minimums. Hauling only inside Washington follows different rules, so ask before you file.
- Line up insurance quotes before you fileThis is where most new carriers lose time. Fewer insurers write brand-new authorities, and getting quotes back takes days, not hours. Have quotes ready so you can bind the moment your application publishes. Many insurers want at least two years of Class A experience, a clean MVR and a clear picture of your freight and radius. We handle this for our trucking clients
- Gather your truck and driver detailsYear, make, VIN and value for each truck and trailer, where they're parked, who will drive (license numbers and dates of birth), what you'll haul and how far. Underwriters price on exactly these things.
- Budget for the first-year costsPlan for the insurance down payment, the FMCSA fee, BOC-3, UCR, plates and fuel permits, a drug and alcohol consortium, an ELD and a cash cushion while brokers pay on 30-day terms.
- Create your Motus accountMotus replaced the old FMCSA Portal and URS on May 14, 2026. Expect identity checks: scanning your ID and taking a selfie, plus verification of the business.
- Apply for your USDOT number and operating authorityThe authority fee is $300 per authority type. As of now FMCSA still assigns an MC docket number with motor carrier authority. It has proposed moving to the USDOT number alone later, so keep both handy.
- Watch for your FMCSA Register publication dateYour clocks start when the application is published in the FMCSA Register, not when you pay. Publication often takes a few weeks. Put the date in the tool above and it will count the deadlines for you.
- Days 0–10: protest periodAnyone can protest your application during the 10 days after publication. You can't haul under your authority yet. Use this time to finish the filings below.
- File your BOC-3A blanket process-agent company files it for you for a small fee, usually the same day. It names someone in each state who can accept legal papers for your company.
- Bind insurance and have the insurer file the BMC-91 or BMC-91XOnly your insurance company can file this with FMCSA; you can't upload it yourself. The federal minimum for general freight is $750,000 of liability, with more for hazmat. Most brokers and shippers want $1,000,000 auto liability and $100,000 cargo, so quote those limits. We handle this for our trucking clients
- Day 20: both filings on recordThe insurance filing and BOC-3 are due within 20 days of publication. If they're late, FMCSA sends a notice, and if they're still missing after 60 days the application is dismissed and you lose the $300.
- Confirm your authority shows activeOnce the protest period has passed and both filings are on record, FMCSA grants the authority, usually within a few business days. Check FMCSA's public lookup before you book a load.
- Register for UCRUnified Carrier Registration is an annual fee based on the size of your fleet, and it's checked at roadside.
- Apportioned plates (IRP) and IFTA, if you cross state linesTrucks over 26,000 lbs, or with three or more axles, that run in more than one state generally need IRP plates and an IFTA fuel license. In Washington both go through the Department of Licensing.
- File the heavy vehicle use tax (Form 2290)Required for trucks with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more. You'll need the stamped Schedule 1 to register.
- Set up drug and alcohol testingJoin a consortium (owner-operators must), register in the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, and complete a pre-employment test and Clearinghouse query before anyone drives.
- Driver file, ELD and annual inspectionsBuild a driver qualification file with the medical card, MVR and application. Install a registered ELD unless an exemption applies, and keep a current annual inspection for each truck and trailer.
- Build your broker packetYour authority letter, W-9, a certificate of insurance naming the broker, and a notice of assignment if you factor. Brokers check that your authority and insurance are active before they release a load. We handle this for our trucking clients
- Keep the records the auditor will ask forFMCSA audits new entrants within the first 12 months and monitors them for 18. Keep logs, inspection reports, maintenance records, driver files, drug-test records and an accident register from day one.
- Call your agent before adding a truck or driverA truck or driver that isn't on the policy can mean a denied claim. Add them before the first trip, not after. We handle this for our trucking clients
- Never let the policy lapseIf your insurance cancels, the insurer notifies FMCSA and your authority can be revoked. Set payments on autopay and call us the minute money gets tight.
- Keep your FMCSA record currentUpdate your registration (MCS-150) every two years and whenever your address, fleet size or mileage changes.
- Plan your first renewalA clean first year is what opens up better markets. Clean inspections, no preventable accidents and timely payments are what underwriters look for at renewal. We handle this for our trucking clients

Most new carriers lose weeks waiting on insurance.

Get your quotes lined up before your application publishes, so you can bind and file on day one. We work with insurers that write new authorities.

Call (800) 800-9644

Why insurance is the bottleneck

New authorities are harder to insure. That's our specialty.

Fewer insurers, slower quotes

Many insurers won't write a carrier with no operating history. The ones that do want full detail on drivers, equipment and freight, and that takes time. Starting quotes before you file keeps the 20-day window from catching you.

Insurers that write new ventures

We work with insurers that write brand-new authorities, including owner-operators with their first truck. We know which ones fit which freight, radius and driver history.

Filings and certificates handled

Once you bind, we make sure the BMC-91 or BMC-91X is filed, and we turn around certificates for brokers and shippers quickly so you can book loads.

What to have ready

What we'll ask for your quote

Drivers

Name, date of birth, license number, years of Class A experience and any tickets or accidents.

Equipment

Year, make, VIN and value of each truck and trailer, and where they're parked.

Freight

What you'll haul, the most valuable load and whether any of it is refrigerated or hazmat.

Where you'll run

Your typical radius, the states you'll run in and your expected annual miles.

Questions

New authority questions

Do I need insurance before I apply for authority?

No, but you need it filed within 20 days of your application being published in the FMCSA Register. Since quotes for new authorities take time, start them before you apply so you can bind as soon as you're published.

Is the MC number going away?

FMCSA has proposed using the USDOT number as the only identifier. When Motus launched in May 2026, it kept issuing MC docket numbers, so for now you'll have both. Brokers still ask for your MC number.

How much liability insurance do I need?

The federal minimum for general freight is $750,000. Most brokers and shippers require $1,000,000 auto liability and $100,000 cargo, and some loads need more. We quote to what your customers will actually ask for.

What happens if I miss day 20?

FMCSA sends a notice. If the insurance filing and BOC-3 still aren't on record within 60 days, the application is dismissed and you lose the $300 fee. If you're past day 20, call us today.

Can I lease onto another carrier first?

Yes. Many drivers run under another carrier's authority for a year or two to build a record before getting their own. You'll still want non-trucking liability and physical damage on your truck. We can quote both paths.

What does the new-entrant audit look at?

Your driver files, drug and alcohol program, hours of service, vehicle maintenance and inspections, and your accident register. FMCSA audits new carriers within the first 12 months. Keeping records from day one is the easiest way to pass.

Get your new-authority quotes started

Tell us about your truck, your drivers and your freight. We'll come back with options from insurers that write new authorities, so you're ready to bind when your application publishes.

Start a truck insurance quote Call (800) 800-9644

This checklist is general information current as of November 2026, not legal or regulatory advice. FMCSA rules, fees and deadlines change; check FMCSA's own guidance for your situation. Insurance is subject to underwriting and approval.

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