How Much Does a USDOT Number Cost?

How much does a USDOT number cost? FMCSA's published fee table has a $300 line for operating authority, the MC number, and no fee line for a USDOT number. That is what the table shows, not a promise about the price you will see in Motus. Confirm the current amount at motus.dot.gov before you pay anyone, and only pay for an MC number if your business actually needs operating authority.

Most of the money around registration falls into three buckets: the MC filing fee, a few smaller fees on the same table, and the decal you put on the truck. Each one is covered below.

What the $300 is

The $300 is the filing fee for permanent operating authority, which is the MC number. FMCSA calls it interstate operating authority (the docket number), and it is a different registration from the USDOT number (FMCSA). Only some carriers need it. Our MC number vs DOT number guide explains who does.

Three rules on that fee matter for your budget:

• It is per type of authority. FMCSA says separate fees must be submitted for each kind of authority sought.
• It is not refunded. FMCSA says it does not refund application fees (FMCSA).
• The schedule is set by federal rule. The in-force fee schedule is 49 CFR 360.3T, item (1), which sets $300 for an application for motor carrier operating authority.

Because the fee is not refunded, check whether you need operating authority before you file, not after.

What the USDOT number costs

The same fee table has no line for a USDOT number, and the current schedule in 49 CFR 360.3T has none either. So the official fee listing gives no price for a USDOT registration. We do not quote a figure for it, because we cannot point you to a current Motus price. If you are still deciding whether you need a number at all, who needs a USDOT number covers the test. For the application steps, see how to get a USDOT number.

FMCSA has also said that "there are no planned changes to the registration fees associated with the initial release of the new system" (FMCSA modernization FAQs). That sentence covers the first release of Motus only, so check the application screens themselves when you apply.

Other fees on the same table

FMCSA's fee table lists two more fees that people sometimes run into:

• Notice of name change: $14.
• Reinstate operating authority: $80.

Both come from the same FMCSA page as the $300 fee (FMCSA). That page was written for the system that was replaced in 2026, so confirm in Motus whether these amounts still apply before you budget for them.

Updating a USDOT registration is different. FMCSA's registration forms page, written before Motus, marks the biennial update as "No Processing Fee" (FMCSA registration forms). Treat that as the last published word on updates, and check Motus when your update comes due.

Costs that are not FMCSA fees

Some costs around a business are set by other companies, not by FMCSA. Insurance, a truck, a bookkeeper and any paid help with paperwork are priced by those providers. FMCSA's pages in our reference files give no prices for them, so we do not give any. Get written quotes and compare them.

Looking up a carrier is free. FMCSA's SAFER Company Snapshot lets anyone search by USDOT number, MC number or company name at no charge (FMCSA SAFER).

What the decal costs

The decal is a separate purchase from registration. Our current prices are per decal, and you order two if you want one on each door.

• USDOT decal sticker: $18.99.
• USDOT + MC two-line decal: $22.99.
• Custom USDOT Logo: $32 per door.
• Contour cut (each line cut close around its lettering): +$5 per decal on lettering products, and +$10 per door on logo designs.

Shipping is a flat $7.99 per order, and free on orders of $99 or more counted before discounts. You can preview the lettering on a truck door in the door builder before you order. The marking itself is covered in our USDOT number display rules, which set out the name and number the federal rule asks for (49 CFR 390.21).

How to avoid paying twice

1. Check for an existing record first. Search SAFER by company name or number before you apply. Our USDOT number lookup guide shows how. A record that already exists under your name is one you should not register again.
2. Type motus.dot.gov yourself. FMCSA's fraud alerts page warns about fake Motus and SAFER look-alike sites (FMCSA fraud alerts). Do not reach Motus from an ad or a search result you have not checked.
3. Pay a helper only after you know what they do. A third-party site that charges for a USDOT number is a private service, not FMCSA. Ask what they will file, then check the same steps on FMCSA's site.
4. Buy the MC number only if you need it. The $300 is not refunded.
5. Order decals after the number is issued, so the number on the decal is the one FMCSA gave you.