API Endpoint: FMCSA Carrier

The fmcsa-carrier endpoint verifies a motor carrier's FMCSA operating status by USDOT number.

POST `/api/v1/validate/fmcsa-carrier`

https://www.tincomply.com/api/v1/validate/fmcsa-carrier

Looks up a motor carrier by USDOT number and returns whether it is allowed to operate, its operating authority by type (common, contract, broker), insurance filings, out-of-service status and fleet size.

Request body

Field	Type	Description
`dot`required	string	The USDOT number. Not an MC docket number.

Response object: `fmcsaCarrierResult`

Field	Type	Description
`found`	bool	True when the USDOT number exists.
`legalName, dbaName`	string	Registered legal and DBA names.
`allowedToOperate, statusCode`	string	FMCSA operating status (Y or N) and status code.
`commonAuthorityStatus, contractAuthorityStatus, brokerAuthorityStatus`	string	Operating authority by type: A active, I inactive, N none.
`bipdInsuranceOnFile, bipdInsuranceRequired, bipdRequiredAmount`	string	Liability (BIPD) insurance filing and requirement, in thousands of dollars.
`cargoInsuranceOnFile, bondInsuranceOnFile`	string	Cargo insurance and broker bond filings.
`oosDate`	datetime	Out-of-service order date. Present only when the carrier is under an out-of-service order.
`totalPowerUnits, totalDrivers`	int	Fleet size.
`safetyRating, carrierOperation, phyState`	string	Safety rating, operation type and physical state.
`retrievalDate`	datetime	When we retrieved the record.
`message`	string	Human-readable summary of the result.
`completed`	bool	False when the upstream source was unavailable and the request is queued for retry.

The sample shows a carrier that is not allowed to operate. A missing insurance filing is not proof a carrier is uninsured, only that no filing is on record with FMCSA.

Sample request

curl -X POST https://www.tincomply.com/api/v1/validate/fmcsa-carrier \ -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"dot":"2213141"}'

Sample response

{
  "id": "qphvFoRev0qje4MyNGc3ywc8",
  "request": {
    "dot": "2213141",
    "requestDate": "2026-10-06T03:03:14Z",
    "requestedServices": "fmcsa-carrier"
  },
  "fmcsaCarrierResult": {
    "dot": "2213141",
    "message": "Not allowed to operate",
    "found": true,
    "completed": true,
    "legalName": "TEST HAULAGE LLC",
    "allowedToOperate": "N",
    "statusCode": "I",
    "commonAuthorityStatus": "I",
    "contractAuthorityStatus": "N",
    "brokerAuthorityStatus": "N",
    "bipdInsuranceRequired": "Y",
    "bipdRequiredAmount": "750",
    "totalPowerUnits": 4,
    "totalDrivers": 4,
    "carrierOperation": "Interstate",
    "phyState": "OH",
    "retrievalDate": "2026-10-06T03:03:14Z"
  }
}

Errors

Requests that cannot be processed return HTTP 400 with an object keyed by field name, each listing what was wrong. Authentication, permission and other status codes are covered in the API overview.

This endpoint requires an API key with the Validate permission.

See how this check works in the portal and what it costs: FMCSA Carrier Verification