How to get a USDOT number, and whether you need one

Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 6, 2026

Companies that operate commercial vehicles hauling cargo or passengers in interstate commerce must register with FMCSA and have a USDOT Number. There's no charge for the number. You apply for it online in Motus at motus.dot.gov. [1][2][4]

1. Check that you need one

   Compare your vehicles and routes with the CMV tests above. If you run only in your own state, check whether your state is on FMCSA's list. [2]

2. Get ready for identity verification

   Motus uses Login.gov sign-in. Every new applicant must pass identity proofing, which needs a smartphone or tablet and a valid government-issued ID. You photograph the ID and scan your face. [15][19]

3. Start the application yourself in Motus

   Go to motus.dot.gov. You, not a filing service, must start the application and pass identity and business verification. Business verification checks your legal name, principal place of business, ownership and company officials. After that you can designate a filing service if you want help. [4][15][20]

4. Add operating authority if you need it

   In Motus, new applicants apply for the USDOT Number and any operating authority they need. The USDOT Number is free; authority is $300 per type, paid by credit or debit card. [1][18][19]

5. Mark your trucks and keep your record current

   Display the number on each self-propelled CMV, and file the biennial update every 24 months. [5]

Do I need a DOT number?

The federal DOT number requirement applies to companies that operate commercial vehicles hauling cargo or passengers in interstate commerce. Under the federal definition of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), a vehicle is a CMV if any one of these is true:

• Its gross vehicle weight rating, gross combination weight rating, gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, whichever is greater, is 10,001 pounds or more.
• It's designed or used to carry more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation.
• It's designed or used to carry more than 15 passengers (including the driver), even when not used for compensation.
• It carries hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placarding, whatever its weight.

The weight test uses the rating or the actual weight, whichever is greater, so a pickup pulling a trailer can cross 10,001 pounds on its combined rating.

Intrastate hazmat carriers that haul types and quantities requiring an FMCSA hazardous materials safety permit also need a USDOT Number. [2][3][6]

What counts as interstate

Interstate commerce isn't only crossing a state line. It includes trips between states, trips between two points in one state that pass through another state or country, and in-state legs of a shipment that started or will end outside the state or outside the U.S. [2]

States that require a DOT number for intrastate trucks

Apart from the federal rules, FMCSA lists 38 states plus Puerto Rico that require their intrastate commercial vehicle registrants to get a USDOT Number: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

FMCSA says to check with your state agency for the details. Motus still lets intrastate carriers get a USDOT Number when their state requires one, but FMCSA doesn't track state requirements in the system. [2][15]

USDOT number cost

FMCSA charges nothing for a USDOT Number. If you also need operating authority (an MC number) because you haul regulated freight for hire, that's a separate $300 fee for each type of authority. [1][16][17]

Before you start operating

The identification information you give FMCSA (the old MCS-150 information) has to be filed before you begin operations, and then updated every 24 months. FMCSA issues the USDOT Number once it receives and processes your application.

If you're a for-hire carrier that needs operating authority, having a USDOT Number isn't enough. You may start hauling only once FMCSA's records show your authority as issued. [5][18]

Marking your truck

Your USDOT Number must be displayed on each self-propelled commercial motor vehicle you operate, along with the other markings the federal marking rule requires. [5]

Common questions