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Free checklist for new motor carriersNew Authority Checklist: what to do after you get your USDOT number
You got your USDOT number. Here is what the next 30 days look like. A plain checklist for new motor carriers, in the order the deadlines actually hit. Free, no sign-up. If you want insurance or factoring quotes, there is a short form at the bottom; it is optional.
The checklist
- Before you haul for hire across state lines
Operating authority (MC number) and the insurance filing behind it
Your insurer files proof of liability (form BMC-91 or BMC-91X) with FMCSA. Authority is not granted until that filing and your BOC-3 are on record. Minimum liability is $750,000 for most general freight; many shippers and brokers require $1,000,000, and many brokers ask for cargo coverage of $100,000. - Before authority is granted
BOC-3 process agent designation
A blanket process agent covering every state, filed with FMCSA by the agent company. Small flat fee, one time, but authority will not activate without it. - Within the first weeks
Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)
Annual registration based on fleet size, paid through your base state's UCR portal. Roadside enforcement checks it. - Before dispatching any CDL driver
Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse registration and a testing program
Register the company in the FMCSA Clearinghouse, run a pre-employment query and test for every CDL driver, and enrol in a random testing consortium. - Before your first interstate trip with a vehicle over 26,000 lbs
IRP plates and an IFTA licence
Apportioned plates and fuel-tax reporting through your base state. Quarterly IFTA returns follow. - Day one of driving
Electronic logging device (ELD) and driver qualification files
A registered ELD per truck unless an exemption applies; a DQ file per driver (medical card, MVR, application, road test or equivalent). - Every 24 months, and when anything changes
MCS-150 biennial update
Update FMCSA's census record on your schedule (based on the last digits of your USDOT number). Missing it deactivates the number. - Within the first 12 months
New Entrant Safety Audit
FMCSA audits new carriers for the records above. Keep the files from day one and the audit is routine. For printable checklists and record templates, see our New Entrant Safety Audit Kit ($59). - Within 30 to 60 days of invoicing
Cash flow: factoring or a line of credit
Most shippers and brokers pay in 30 to 60 days. Factoring companies advance most of the invoice the same day for a fee; compare rates and whether the contract is recourse or non-recourse. - Ongoing
Fuel card, permits for oversize or hazmat, state-specific registrations
Fuel cards save per-gallon at networks; hazmat and oversize need separate permits; New York (HUT), Kentucky (KYU), New Mexico and Oregon have their own weight-distance taxes.
This page is general information compiled from FMCSA and state public guidance, not legal or insurance advice. Requirements depend on your operation; confirm with FMCSA (fmcsa.dot.gov) and your base state.
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