How to Check if a Motor Carrier's Authority is Active

Verifying a motor carrier's operating authority is one of the most fundamental steps in carrier vetting. An unauthorized carrier operating without valid authority exposes everyone in the supply chain to regulatory penalties, insurance gaps, and legal liability. Yet many organizations still rely on manual, error-prone methods to check authority status.

This guide walks through two approaches — the free FMCSA method and the CarrierOk method — and explains what additional checks you should perform beyond authority verification alone.

Understanding Authority Types

Before checking authority status, it helps to understand what types of operating authority exist:

• Common Carrier Authority (MC number) — Allows a for-hire carrier to transport general commodities for the public. This is the most common authority type for trucking companies.
• Contract Carrier Authority — Allows a carrier to transport commodities under specific contracts with individual shippers. Less common than common carrier authority, as FMCSA largely merged the two categories.
• Broker Authority — Allows an entity to arrange transportation of freight without owning or operating trucks. Brokers must maintain a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund.
• Freight Forwarder Authority — Allows an entity to assemble and consolidate shipments and assume responsibility for transportation from origin to destination.

A carrier may hold one or multiple authority types. When verifying authority, make sure the carrier has the specific authority type relevant to the services they are providing.

Method 1: Using FMCSA SAFER (Free, Manual)

FMCSA provides a free public lookup tool called SAFER (Safety and Fitness Electronic Records) at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Here is how to use it:

1. Go to the SAFER website and click "Company Snapshot."
2. Enter the carrier's DOT number or MC number in the search field. You can also search by legal name, but name searches can return multiple results and are less reliable.
3. Review the "Operating Status" field — This will show one of several statuses:
   • AUTHORIZED — The carrier has active operating authority and is authorized to operate.
   • NOT AUTHORIZED — The carrier does not have active authority. This could mean the authority was never granted, was revoked, or was voluntarily surrendered.
   • OUT OF SERVICE — The carrier has been placed out of service by FMCSA and is prohibited from operating.
4. Check the "Authority" section — Scroll down to see the specific authority types (common, contract, broker) and their individual statuses.
5. Verify insurance — SAFER shows basic insurance filing information, including whether required insurance is on file.

Limitations of SAFER:

• Data updates can lag behind actual status changes
• No historical authority data (you only see current status)
• No alerting — you must manually re-check to catch changes
• No API access for automation
• Does not include BASIC percentiles, ISS scores, or fraud signals

Method 2: Using CarrierOk (Instant, Complete, Automated)

CarrierOk provides authority verification as part of a comprehensive carrier profile. Here is the process:

1. Search by DOT number, MC number, or legal name in the CarrierOk platform or via the API.
2. View authority status — The carrier profile shows current authority status for all authority types, along with the date each authority was granted.
3. Review authority history — Unlike SAFER, CarrierOk provides the full authority history, including previous revocations, reinstatements, and status changes with dates.
4. Set up monitoring — Enable carrier monitoring to receive alerts the same day a carrier's authority status changes. No manual re-checking required.

CarrierOk watches FMCSA source feeds and re-ingests the moment an update is published, so authority status follows the source rather than a fixed schedule.

What "Authorized" vs. "Not Authorized" Means

An "Authorized" status means the carrier has active operating authority of the specified type and has met all FMCSA requirements, including insurance filing. The carrier is legally permitted to operate.

A "Not Authorized" status can mean several things:

• The carrier never applied for or received that type of authority
• The authority was revoked due to safety violations or a failed compliance review
• The carrier voluntarily surrendered the authority
• The authority application is still pending
• Required insurance lapsed, causing automatic authority suspension

Understanding the reason behind a "Not Authorized" status matters. A carrier whose authority was revoked for safety violations carries a very different risk profile than one whose authority is pending because they recently applied.

What to Check Beyond Authority

Authority verification is necessary but not sufficient for proper carrier vetting. A carrier can have active authority and still be a high-risk operator. Here is what else you should check:

• Insurance coverage — Verify that the carrier has active BIPD (Bodily Injury & Property Damage) insurance that meets the required minimums for their cargo type. Check the policy effective dates and the insurer's AM Best rating.
• BASIC percentiles — Review the carrier's performance across all 7 BASIC categories. High percentiles in Unsafe Driving, HOS Compliance, or Crash Indicator are red flags regardless of authority status.
• ISS score — Check the carrier's ISS score for a composite view of overall safety risk.
• Chameleon signals — Determine whether the carrier has any chameleon carrier connections to previously shut-down entities.
• New entrant status — Carriers operating for less than 18 months are classified as new entrants and have limited safety history. They are statistically more likely to experience early authority revocation.
• Fleet size and age — Review the number of power units and drivers, as well as how long the carrier has been operating.

How Often Should You Re-Check Authority?

Authority status can change at any time. A carrier that was authorized when you onboarded them three months ago may have had their authority revoked yesterday. Best practices include:

• At onboarding — Always verify authority before the first load.
• Before each load — High-volume brokers should verify authority status as part of their load-tendering workflow.
• Continuous monitoring — The most reliable approach is to set up automated monitoring that alerts you the same day a change occurs. CarrierOk's monitoring service provides same-day alerts for authority status changes, insurance lapses, and safety data changes across your entire carrier panel.

Automating Authority Checks

For organizations that process high volumes of carriers, manual authority checks are not scalable. CarrierOk provides two automation paths:

• API integration — Build authority verification into your TMS, onboarding system, or load board with CarrierOk's REST API. Each API response includes current authority status, authority history, and all related compliance data.
• Chrome Extension — For teams that work in web-based tools, the CarrierOk Chrome Extension overlays carrier data directly in your browser, providing instant authority verification without switching applications.

Start a free trial and verify your first carrier's authority in seconds.