FMCSA Carrier Lookup: What to Check Before You Tender a Load
Freight fraud rarely uses a fake USDOT number; it uses a real one. Identity theft, double brokering and carriers reappearing under a new name all pass a quick FMCSA search, so the lookup is where vetting starts, not where it ends.
Updated October 28, 2026.
What to Look Up
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration publishes registration, authority, insurance and safety data for carriers and brokers. A carrier lookup by USDOT number, MC number or name returns the company's federal record.
FMCSA has announced plans to phase out MC numbers and use the USDOT number as the single identifier. Until that's complete, many carriers still have both, and they aren't interchangeable.
Key takeaways
- An active USDOT number proves registration, not authority; check that operating authority is active and of the right type.
- Insurance on file with FMCSA has minimums by cargo type, and a pending cancellation is as important as a missing filing.
- Any active out-of-service order is a stop, whatever the safety score says.
- Compare contact details on the federal record with what the carrier gave you, and call the number on the record.
- Verify the payee separately: legal name and EIN on the W-9, IRS TIN Matching, sanctions screening and bank details.
Authority Types and Insurance Minimums
Operating authority is granted by type, and a carrier's authority covers only the type it holds. A general freight carrier cannot move household goods on its property authority, and a broker's authority does not let it haul anything.
| Authority | What it covers | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Motor carrier of property (except household goods) | General freight for hire, interstate | Most truckload and LTL carriers |
| Motor carrier of household goods | Residential moves | Separate authority with its own cargo insurance filing |
| Broker of property or household goods | Arranging transportation by others | Requires a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund (BMC-84 or BMC-85) |
| Freight forwarder | Consolidates shipments and takes responsibility for them | Separate authority and filings |
| Motor passenger carrier | People, not freight | Not relevant to load tendering |
The liability insurance a for-hire carrier must keep on file with FMCSA depends on what it hauls.
| Cargo | Minimum liability insurance on file |
|---|---|
| Non-hazardous general freight | $750,000 |
| Oil and certain hazardous materials | $1,000,000 |
| The most dangerous hazardous materials classes and quantities | $5,000,000 |
| Household goods (cargo coverage) | $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence, in addition to liability |
These are federal minimums. Most shippers and brokers require more in the contract, typically $1,000,000 in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage, so the certificate of insurance is still part of the check even when the federal filing is in order.
The Checks That Matter
1. USDOT status Is the USDOT number active? A USDOT number identifies the company, but on its own it doesn't authorize for-hire interstate carriage of regulated freight.
2. Operating authority, by type For-hire interstate carriers need operating authority. Check that it's active and that it covers the type you need: property, household goods or passengers, common or contract. Authority that's pending, revoked or for the wrong type is a stop.
3. Insurance filings Check the insurance on file with FMCSA and whether any cancellation is pending. A missing filing doesn't always mean the carrier is uninsured, but it means you can't confirm coverage from the federal record and need the certificate.
4. Out-of-service orders A carrier under an out-of-service order can't operate. These orders matter more than any safety score.
5. Safety data Safety rating and inspection history add context. They're signals, not a pass or fail.
6. Contact details Compare the phone, email and address on the federal record with what the carrier gave you. Identity thieves use a real carrier's numbers with their own contact details. Call the number on the federal record, not the one in the email.
The Check Most Brokers Skip: The Payee
A carrier can pass every FMCSA check and still be paid to the wrong place. Before the first payment, confirm:
- The legal name and EIN on the W-9 belong to the carrier you vetted
- The name and TIN match IRS records, since carriers you pay are payees you may report on
- The carrier and its payee aren't on a sanctions list
- Payment details go to an account in the carrier's name, and changes are verified by phone through the number on the federal record
Fraud usually shows up as a change: new remit-to address, new bank account, new contact. Re-verify whenever the payee details change.
Patterns that deserve a second look before tendering:
- Authority granted in the last few months, or reinstated after a revocation
- Phone number or email on the federal record changed recently, or the email domain does not match the company name
- Insurance filing shows a pending cancellation, or the certificate names a different insured than the authority
- The W-9 legal name or EIN differs from the name on the operating authority
- A remit-to or bank account change arrives by email shortly before the first payment
None of these is proof of fraud on its own. Each is a reason to slow down, confirm by phone through the number on the federal record, and document what you found.
Checklist
| Check | Source | Stop if |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT status | FMCSA | Inactive |
| Operating authority | FMCSA | Not active, or wrong type |
| Insurance on file | FMCSA | Missing with no certificate, or pending cancellation |
| Out-of-service order | FMCSA | Any active order |
| Contact details | FMCSA record vs. carrier | Don't match |
| Name and TIN | W-9 and IRS TIN Matching | Mismatch |
| Sanctions | Sanctions lists | Confirmed hit |
How TIN Comply Helps
TIN Comply's Carrier Verification checks the carrier's FMCSA authority, insurance filings and out-of-service status, and runs IRS TIN Matching and sanctions screening on the payee in the same verification. It works one at a time in the portal, in bulk across your carrier list, or through the API in your TMS or onboarding flow, with every result logged.
See how it fits freight on the Logistics & Supply Chain page.
Start a free trial and vet your next carrier and its payee in one pass.
Bottom Line
An FMCSA lookup confirms a carrier exists. Check authority by type, insurance, out-of-service orders and contact details, then verify the payee before money moves.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.