What Is a Docket Number for Trucking?

You’ve applied for a USDOT number for your trucking company, so you’re good to go, right? Hit the brakes. In addition to completing USDOT number registration, you may also need to apply for a docket number, known as operating authority.

What is a docket number for trucking? Discover the answer below. FMCA Filings covers the purpose of docket numbers, who needs to apply for one, and how to apply.

Docket Numbers: What They Are and Why You Need Them

Docket numbers vs. USDOT numbers: How do they compare? While USDOT numbers identify carriers who transport goods across state lines, docket numbers identify those who transport regulated commodities. The docket number, your operating authority designation, dictates the type of cargo your trucking company is allowed to carry.

You will likely need a docket number if your company transports federally regulated commodities (or arranges for their transport) across state lines in exchange for compensation. Transporting passengers for interstate commerce also requires operating authority.

Carriers who operate only in a federally designated commercial zone do not need to follow interstate authority regulations. Commercial zones are geographic territories that include more than one state. For example, the FMCSA considers Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia to be commercial zones.

Other exempt carriers from docket numbers include:

• For-hire carriers: Only transport non-federally-regulated, exempt cargo.
• Private carriers: Exclusively move their own cargo.

Do you qualify for one of these exemptions? If so, you only need a USDOT number. If you aren’t sure, you could just ask FMCA Filings about whether to apply for a docket number and how to do it.

Different Types of Operating Authority To Apply For

What is a docket number for trucking? You may be asking after seeing designations like:

• MX: For carriers based in Mexico that transport cargo into the U.S.
• FF: For freight forwarders. 
• MC: For those who don’t fit into either of the two categories above.

There are a few different categories beyond these top-level designations, and the requirements for a docket number vary for each category. Some common types of operating authority include:

• Carriers of household goods (moving companies): Moving companies require cargo insurance. They file proof of liability with the FMCSA for operating authority.
• Carriers of property, excluding household goods: These carriers require bodily injury and property damage coverage for operating authority from the FMCSA.
• United States-based carriers of international cargo: Trucking companies with U.S. headquarters controlled or owned by a resident alien or Mexican citizen get operating authority if their cargo is destined for or originated in a foreign country.

In all cases, you will have to complete an application and pay a fee to obtain a docket number.

How To Apply for a Docket Number

The application fee is around $300, with an $80 fee for MC number renewal. Usually, it takes 20 to 25 business days for the authority to process applications for docket numbers. It may take up to eight weeks if your application needs further review by the FMCSA.

Be prepared for a lot of red tape and complex language to cut through when applying for carrier identification. Trying to figure out what it all means can take hours if not days. That's why many trucking companies ask FMCA Filings to handle their entire application process.

This service can answer questions like "What is a docket number for trucking?" and anything else that comes up during the application process. FMCA Filings submits the required paperwork to the FMCSA on your behalf. After that, it's easy to manage your application and monitor its status through the dedicated portal.

Are Docket Numbers Going Away?

If you’ve been in the trucking business for ages, you know that the FMCSA passed a rule to establish a Universal Registration System back in 2013. Under the new rule, the FMCSA planned to discontinue docket numbers in 2023 but faced some delays. The FMCSA later announced a rollout by October 2025.

This new system will tie your operating authority to your DOT number. You’ll likely no longer need to apply for a separate docket number.

Need Help With FMCSA Registration or Licensing and Insurance Requirements? Reach Out to FMCA Filings

What is a docket number for trucking? Now that you know, you might need help applying for operating authority to comply with the FMCSA’s strict regulations. If so, know that FMCA Filings can make your docket number application process easy and stress-free.

Reach out to FMCA Filings today. You can also keep reading to learn the difference between DOT and MC numbers and other important topics on the road.