How to get an FMCSA API key.
There are two keys, for two different jobs. FMCSA’s official key is a free WebKey for the QCMobile API: raw data, self-service registration on the QCMobile developer site. If you need computed risk scores, a CarrierOk API key starts free in the sandbox, no card required.
FMCSA issues a free API key, called a WebKey, through its QCMobile developer site. You sign in with Login.gov, open My WebKeys, and request one. It is free, it is rate-limited, and it unlocks raw FMCSA records only: no BASIC percentiles, no ISS score, no history.
- The steps
- Create an FMCSA developer account through Login.gov at mobile.fmcsa.dot.gov/QCDevsite, open My WebKeys, request a key, then pass it as a query parameter on every call.
- Cost
- Free. FMCSA does not charge for a WebKey, and does not publish a request quota for the free tier.
- What it returns
- Registration, operating authority, safety measures and out-of-service status, as raw records across several endpoints.
- What it does not
- No computed percentiles, no ISS score, no insurance filing history, and no record of what changed since your last call.
- The commercial option
- A CarrierOk sandbox key is issued at signup with no card and returns every endpoint on fixture data. Live access is $50, applied as $50 of credit.
Pick the key that matches the job.
Official: free WebKey
Raw FMCSA data from QCMobile.
- Create a free account on the QCMobile developer site
- Request a WebKey (self-service)
- Pass it as ?webKey= on every request
curl "https://mobile.fmcsa.dot.gov/qc/services/carriers/1234567?webKey=YOUR_WEBKEY"
Raw records only: no ISS, no BASIC percentiles, several calls per carrier, daily refresh, unpublished rate limits. Full walkthrough in the QCMobile API guide.
Commercial: CarrierOk key
Computed risk scores on every FMCSA registrant.
- Sign up on the developer portal (free, no card)
- Your sandbox key works immediately on fixture data
- Go live with a $50 activation, applied as $50 of credit
curl "https://api.carrierok.com/v2/profile?dot_number=1234567" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
ISS, all 7 BASIC percentiles, 50+ risk signals, one-call profiles, throughout the day refresh, monitoring. Usage-based billing after the credit: full profiles are priced per unique carrier per month, not per call.
Not sure which fits? The CarrierOk vs. QCMobile comparison breaks it down feature by feature, and FMCSA API documentation maps every doc set.
The two keys, compared.
Scroll the table sideways to compare all three →
| Feature | CarrierOk key | FMCSA WebKey |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | CarrierOk developer portal | FMCSA QCDevsite |
| Registration | Self-service, free sandbox, no card | Self-service, free |
| Credential style | Bearer token in the Authorization header | webKey query parameter |
| Data returned | Raw FMCSA record + computed scores + monitoring | Raw FMCSA subset, ~80 fields across endpoints |
| Calls per carrier | One | Several endpoints |
| Refresh | Throughout the day, on publish | About once daily |
| Cost | Free sandbox; usage-based by endpoint | Free (rate-limited) |
What a CarrierOk key unlocks.
One key covers every endpoint, from raw FMCSA data to the computed scores and monitoring, each billed its own way.
FMCSA API Keys: Frequently Asked Questions
Get a key that returns answers, not just records.
Free sandbox key with signup: fixture data, all endpoints, no card. Docs and OpenAPI spec included.