Alongside your USDOT number, obtaining operating authority is necessary for certain types of businesses. Typically, companies engaged in the following activities require interstate Operating Authority (MC number):

• Transporting passengers in interstate commerce for compensation, whether direct or indirect.
• Transporting federally regulated commodities owned by others or arranging for their transportation for compensation in interstate commerce.

FMCSA operating authority is commonly denoted as an “MC,” “FF,” or “MX” number, depending on the granted authority type. Unlike the application process for a USDOT Number, acquiring multiple operating authorities may be necessary to support various business operations. Operating Authority specifies the type of operation a company can conduct and the cargo it is permitted to transport.