Before delegating your truck drivers to complete routes on the open road, you must ensure that your trucking company has the appropriate operating authority to transport specific goods and travel beyond your state. Once you obtain the authority your company needs, you’ll receive an operating authority letter from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Federal Motor Carrier Authority Filings can help you obtain your letter through our streamlined process.
The operating authority letter contains pertinent details about a carrier or driver and what they can legally do within the commercial trucking industry. Some information these letters contain includes:
Most carriers request their letters after completing the other basic steps required of new motor carrier number applicants. The letter allows you to book loads with shippers interested in hiring your services. You will present the letter to the shipper’s representative to prove you have the appropriate operating authority.
Your operating authority allows you to legally transport qualifying goods throughout the country. Operating authority ensures your company has the equipment, talent, and training to safely transfer goods or passengers to their predetermined destinations.
If you don’t obtain operating authority, you will considerably limit your company’s ability to carry out numerous tasks. Additionally, you might struggle to find clients willing to hire your services. Most shipping companies need truckers with extensive authority to travel interstate and intrastate with diverse goods. If your company operates without the proper authority, it will incur penalties such as:
Conversely, obtaining the correct authority allows your drivers more freedom during transport and opens new opportunities to increase your business prospects.
The most common authority type is motor carrier authority. If your company ships commodities or goods to multiple states, you need motor carrier (MC) authority. Your MC authority comes with an MC number to identify your trucking company from state to state.
When you apply for MC authority, you must provide the following information:
Additionally, you must update your MC information whenever your company information changes or every two years.
A trucking broker performs as a go-between for motor carriers and the entities who receive or send shipments via a motor carrier’s service. Although brokers have no responsibility over transportation services or cargo, they assist carriers and service buyers with effective communication. Therefore, they must obtain broker authority to offer their services effectively and legally.
This is separate from securing an operating authority letter for motor carriers.
The final type of trucking authority that comes with an operator authority letter is freight forwarder trucking authority. Freight forwarders manage and organize shipments. A forwarder helps trucking companies consolidate loads into fewer shipments, keeping operations less expensive for companies and services affordable for manufacturers.
First, ensure you have an active USDOT number. This number stays with your company whether it operates or offers services.
Use your USDOT number to request the operating authority letter through the Federal Motor Carrier Authority Filings’ user portal. You can request a copy of the letter to arrive at your company’s physical address.
This letter provides details about:
The trucking authority checklist helps determine what documents you should obtain and which authority type you need. Some of its items include:
Once you properly submit these items with help from an FMCA Filings agent, you should receive your authority letter by mail. Then, you can obtain your UCR permit if you don’t have one or recently started your trucking company.
What if you lost your operating authority? Perhaps you failed to update and submit permit documents by the submission date, causing your number to deactivate. You can reapply for your number using the same application process as before.
A digital filing service that maintains your company’s records can significantly streamline this process. FMCA Filing’s service keeps pertinent documents, such as your BOC-3 and O-1 information, available, no matter your status.
Ready to take the last step in securing your authority as a driver or carrier? Choose FMCA Filings’ services. Our DOT portal provides simple, streamlined access to your information, permits, and other required documents. Request your operating authority letter or replace a lost one today via our portal.