Free MC / DOT number lookup
Check a broker or carrier’s FMCSA authority before you book: enter the MC number, USDOT number or company name from the rate con. You get broker and carrier authority, bond and insurance on file and out-of-service status, with a link to the official SAFER snapshot.
Data from FMCSA; verify before booking. Not legal advice. Results reflect what FMCSA has on file and can be up to an hour old here.
How to vet a broker before you book
- Broker authority is Active. A company without broker authority may not arrange freight for other carriers, however professional its rate con looks.
- Allowed to operate, no out-of-service order. Either one failing is a stop, whatever the rate.
- Bond on file. Brokers must keep $75,000 of financial security with FMCSA: a surety bond (BMC-84) or a trust fund (BMC-85). It is what a carrier can claim against when a broker does not pay.
- The names match. The legal or DBA name in FMCSA should match the company on the rate con, and the MC on the rate con should be the one you looked up.
- Contacts match. Call the broker back on the number from its own website or the FMCSA record, not only the one in the email that offered the load.
- Check the payment history. Your factoring company or a credit service can tell you how fast the broker pays; FMCSA does not track that.
Red flags
- Double brokering. A load offered by a company that has only carrier authority, or a broker asking you to bill a different company than the one on the rate con. The carrier that hauls a double-brokered load is often never paid.
- Recently changed contact information. A new phone number, email domain or address on a long-standing MC can mean the authority was sold or the identity is being used by someone else. Email domains that are one letter off from a real broker are a common trick.
- Brand-new authority. A new broker is not automatically a bad one, but it has no payment history yet. Ask for a quick-pay or factoring approval before you haul.
- Pressure and unusual terms. Rates far above the market, a rush to dispatch before you get a rate con, or requests to pay fees up front.
What each result means
- As a broker: OK when broker authority is active and the bond is on file; a warning when the company is not a broker; a stop when broker authority is inactive, the bond is missing, or FMCSA shows the company may not operate.
- As a carrier: OK when common or contract authority is active with the required liability insurance on file. Use it to check a carrier you are booking or partnering with.
- MCS-150 update: carriers must update their registration with FMCSA periodically; an outdated one is a sign the record may not be maintained.
Before you book, it also helps to know your numbers: the rate per mile calculator shows what a load really pays, and the factoring fee calculator what getting paid fast costs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an MC number and a USDOT number?
The USDOT number identifies a company registered with FMCSA. The MC number is the docket number of its operating authority, the permission to haul or arrange freight for hire across state lines. A broker or for-hire interstate carrier usually has both. MX numbers are for Mexico-domiciled carriers and FF numbers for freight forwarders.
How do I check if a broker is legitimate?
Look up the MC number from the rate con. Broker authority should be Active, the company should be allowed to operate, and a BMC-84 or BMC-85 bond should be on file. Then make sure the legal or DBA name matches the name on the rate con and that the phone number and email you were given match the broker's own website.
How much is a freight broker bond?
FMCSA requires brokers and freight forwarders to keep $75,000 of financial security, either a surety bond (form BMC-84) or a trust fund (form BMC-85). From January 16, 2026, if that security drops below $75,000 and is not restored within seven business days of FMCSA's notice, FMCSA starts suspending the broker's authority.
What does "carrier only, no broker authority" mean?
The company is registered as a trucking company, not as a broker. It can haul freight with its own trucks, but it may not arrange loads for other carriers. If it is offering you a load, the load is often double-brokered: ask who the original broker is and book with them directly.
What does "Not allowed to operate" or "Out of service" mean?
FMCSA shows the company may not operate right now, for example because its authority was revoked, its insurance or bond lapsed, or an out-of-service order was issued. Do not book or haul for it until FMCSA shows it as allowed to operate again.
Where does this data come from? Is it current?
From FMCSA's public QCMobile API, the same registry behind the SAFER company snapshot. A result can be up to an hour old on this page, so open the official SAFER snapshot from the result before you book. This tool does not store what you look up.
Is the lookup free? Is there a limit?
Yes, it is free and needs no account. To keep it fast for everyone, each network can run a few dozen lookups every ten minutes.
freightline checks the broker when you add a load
Drop a rate con into a new load and freightline reads the broker's MC, checks its FMCSA authority and bond, and warns you if the MC belongs to a different company than the one on the rate con. Check any broker by MC, USDOT or name from the Brokers page. Try it free for 30 days, no credit card.
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