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Trucking Compliance Service
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Which Authority Do I Need?

Answer a few questions about your trucks and get your personal checklist — with the official link for each one.

About your business

Are you a broker only (you arrange loads, no trucks)? Do your trucks cross state lines? Or carry loads that start or end in another state or country. Do you haul other people's freight for pay? For-hire. Say No if you only haul your own company's goods. How heavy is your heaviest truck (or truck + trailer)? The weight rating (GVWR / GCWR) on the door sticker. Does any truck have 3 or more axles? Is any truck 55,000 lbs or more (taxable gross weight)? Truck + trailer + the heaviest load you carry. Do your drivers need a CDL? Do you carry passengers for pay? Do you haul hazmat that needs placards? Are you based in or running in California?

Your checklist (14)

Based on your answers — the official rules are linked.

  1. 1 USDOT number

    Interstate trucks over 10,000 lbs (or carrying 9+ paid passengers, or placarded hazmat) need a USDOT number.

    We set it up →Official source
  2. 2 MCS-150 update every 2 years

    Keep your USDOT record current or it can be deactivated.

    Find your due month →Official source
  3. 3 Operating authority (MC number)

    For-hire interstate carriers of regulated goods or passengers need FMCSA operating authority.

    We file it →Official source
  4. 4 BOC-3 (process agent)

    Required with operating authority.

    Official source
  5. 5 Insurance on file (BMC-91)

    Your insurer files proof of liability insurance before your authority becomes active ($750,000 minimum for general freight).

    Official source
  6. 6 UCR 2027

    Interstate carriers (for-hire and private) pay UCR every year, based on how many trucks they have.

    See your UCR fee →Official source
  7. 7 IFTA fuel tax license + quarterly returns

    Trucks over 26,000 lbs or with 3+ axles that run in 2 or more states report fuel tax every quarter.

    IFTA service →Official source
  8. 8 IRP apportioned plates

    The same trucks need apportioned (IRP) registration for the states they run in.

    Official source
  9. 9 Form 2290 (heavy vehicle use tax)

    Trucks with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more file Form 2290 every year (July–June).

    Estimate your 2290 tax →Official source
  10. 10 Drug & alcohol testing program

    Carriers with CDL drivers need a DOT drug and alcohol testing program (pre-employment and random tests).

    Official source
  11. 11 Clearinghouse queries

    Check every CDL driver in the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse before hiring and once a year.

    Official source
  12. 12 Driver qualification files

    Keep a file for every driver: application, MVR, medical card, road test and more.

    Driver files →Official source
  13. 13 California Motor Carrier Permit (MCP)

    Needed to operate trucks over 10,000 lbs GVWR with 2+ axles in California, or any vehicle hauling property for pay.

    Permits →Official source
  14. 14 California EPN (Employer Pull Notice)

    California employers of CDL drivers enroll them in the DMV's EPN program to get their driving records.

    Official source

We set it all up

USDOT, MC, BOC-3, UCR, IFTA, IRP, 2290 and permits — one company, one call. Leave your number.

888-700-5704

A general guide to federal rules and California, not legal advice. Some states have more requirements. We are not a government agency.

Questions truckers ask

Do I need a USDOT number or an MC number?

Most trucking companies need a USDOT number. You need an MC number (operating authority) too when you haul other people's regulated freight across state lines for pay. Private carriers hauling their own goods need USDOT but not MC.

What is a BOC-3?

A filing that names a process agent in every state for legal papers. Every carrier and broker with FMCSA operating authority needs one.

When do I need IFTA and IRP?

When a truck over 26,000 lbs (or with 3+ axles) runs in two or more states or provinces.

Do California carriers need anything extra?

Yes — a Motor Carrier Permit (MCP) from the DMV for most trucks over 10,000 lbs or anyone hauling property for pay, and EPN enrollment for CDL drivers.

More free trucking tools

MCS-150 Due Date Finder

Type your USDOT number and see the month your biennial update is due.

Form 2290 Tax Calculator

Heavy vehicle use tax by weight and first-use month, with your due date.

UCR 2027 Fee Calculator

Your UCR fee by fleet size, with the full bracket table.

IFTA Fuel Tax Calculator

Miles and gallons by state → MPG and the fuel tax you owe or get back.

Free DOT Compliance Check

See what FMCSA shows for your USDOT number: authority, insurance, safety.