The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced some major changes, perhaps none more significant than overhauling its carrier identification system. By Oct. 1, 2025, the agency plans to phase out Motor Carrier (MC) numbers and transition entirely to USDOT numbers. This move is part of an effort to modernize carrier registration, reduce fraud, and streamline compliance processes. While the change may seem like a minor administrative update, it carries significant implications for carriers, brokers, and the trucking industry.
Why Is FMCSA Eliminating MC Numbers?
Retiring MC numbers is rooted in efficiency, security and regulatory consistency. For years, carriers and brokers have operated with both USDOT and MC numbers, leading to confusion, duplicate records and increased opportunities for fraud. By consolidating carrier identification under a single USDOT number, FMCSA aims to:
- Streamline the registration process for new carriers.
- Reduce identity fraud and carrier manipulation by eliminating the ability to reset compliance records under a new MC number.
- Enhance regulatory enforcement by simplifying carrier tracking.
- Improve public access to safety and compliance records by making data more transparent and centralized.
Currently, carriers have separate MC and USDOT numbers, sometimes leading to issues with record-keeping, audits and compliance enforcement. FMCSA’s new Unified Registration System (URS) will integrate all carriers into one system using only USDOT numbers.
Who Will Be Affected?
This transition will impact motor carriers, brokers and freight forwarders, who traditionally use MC numbers to conduct business. Here’s how each sector of the industry will be affected:
For Motor Carriers
Carriers will no longer need an MC number for interstate operations, meaning all regulatory and safety records will be tied exclusively to their USDOT number. Carriers will still need to maintain active authority, but their identification process will change, potentially requiring updates to permits, contracts and insurance policies that reference MC numbers.
For Brokers and Freight Forwarders
Brokers and freight forwarders are issued an MC number when they obtain authority. Under the new system, they will be assigned a USDOT number instead. This shift could mean additional compliance and verification requirements, primarily as FMCSA works to address fraudulent brokerage activity and double brokering scams.
For Shippers and Customers
Shippers relying on MC numbers to validate carrier authority will need to adjust their vetting processes. Instead of checking for an MC number, they’ll need to use the USDOT number to verify authority status through FMCSA databases like SAFER or the new URS.
How Will This Impact Fraud Prevention?
One of the biggest concerns in the trucking industry today is identity fraud, double brokering and carrier “churning,” in which a carrier with a bad safety record shuts down and reopens under a new MC number. By eliminating MC numbers and forcing all authority records to be tracked under a single USDOT number, FMCSA hopes to reduce fraud and hold carriers more accountable for their history.
What Should Carriers and Brokers Do to Prepare?
With Oct. 1 coming up quickly, now is the time for carriers, brokers and freight forwarders to prepare for the transition. Here’s what businesses should be doing:
Review All Documentation
Ensure that business licenses, contracts, permits and insurance policies are updated to reflect the new USDOT-only system. Any legal or financial documentation that references an MC number may need revision.
Verify USDOT Number Accuracy
Since the USDOT number will become the only identifier, carriers and brokers must ensure that their registration records are correct. This includes:
- Updating company addresses, contact details and legal business names.
- Ensuring all required filings are up to date.
- Confirming proper operating authority status through FMCSA systems.
Inform Business Partners and Clients
- Updating contracts and educating customers on the transition will help avoid confusion or delays in operations.
Monitor FMCSA Updates
- FMCSA will likely release further guidance on the transition, including details on enforcement and penalties for noncompliance. Carriers should stay informed by checking FMCSA’s website, attending industry webinars and consulting compliance professionals.
What’s Next for the Industry?
Eliminating MC numbers is another step in FMCSA’s efforts to modernize the industry, but it also raises new questions about compliance, enforcement and fraud prevention. Some in the industry believe this change could cause confusion in the short term, particularly for brokers and shippers accustomed to verifying MC numbers. Others argue that a single identifier will simplify compliance and create a more accountable system.
October 2025 will significantly shift how trucking businesses are registered, verified and monitored. Whether this transition is a seamless improvement or a bureaucratic headache remains to be seen.