MC Number Decal

No. The USDOT number is the safety identifier used on trucks. The MC number is operating authority, which FMCSA says is needed in addition to a USDOT number by carriers that haul regulated cargo or passengers for a fee. A for-hire carrier can have both. The FMCSA operating authority page explains the difference, and our MC vs USDOT guide goes step by step.

In general, companies that move passengers, or federally regulated commodities owned by others, for a fee in interstate commerce need operating authority. Private carriers hauling their own cargo do not, and neither do for-hire carriers hauling only exempt commodities or working exclusively inside a federally designated commercial zone, per FMCSA. A box truck follows the same test: what you haul, for whom, and across state lines or not.

The federal rule does not say, because it does not require the number at all. A common layout is the MC line directly under the USDOT line in the same colors, so the door reads as one block. Keep the USDOT lettering the easy-to-read part, since that is the one the marking rule asks for. Our guide to MC numbers on trucks covers layouts.

FMCSA says docket numbers are often labeled MC, FF or MX depending on the type of authority granted. Type yours exactly as it appears on your FMCSA record, letters and digits, because we print what you enter. If you are not sure, look the company up on SAFER by name or USDOT number, and read the preview before you pay.

FMCSA's April 2026 notice about its new registration system, Motus, said the next phase would not include eliminating MC and freight forwarder docket numbers, so MC numbers still exist. Systems and rules change, so check FMCSA's notice and its website before you order a decal for a new authority.