From Liability to Cargo, we keep you covered
A California motor carrier permit (MCP) is the DMV permit that shows you registered your California carrier identification number (CA#) and met the state’s insurance, workers’ compensation, and driver-record rules. You need one before you haul property for pay in California or run a commercial vehicle of 10,001 pounds or more, even as a private carrier.
Our team handles the CA#, the application, and every renewal.
The California DMV requires an MCP from any carrier that does one of the following (DMV, Motor Carrier Permits):
You don’t need an MCP for household moving under a state household mover permit, passenger-only transportation, a pickup under 11,500 pounds GVWR driven noncommercially, a two-axle daily rental truck under 26,001 pounds used noncommercially, or vehicles exempt from registration fees. DMV also treats carriers that haul only U.S. mail under a Postal Service contract, or only freight containers, as interstate, so those carriers are not subject to the MCP.
An MCP is California’s permit to operate as a motor carrier of property. An MC number is federal operating authority for interstate for-hire work. Most California carriers deal with four identifiers, issued by three agencies:
| Number or permit | Issued by | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number | FMCSA | Required for interstate commercial vehicles. California also requires one for intrastate carriers, and CHP will not assign a CA# without it. |
| MC number (operating authority) | FMCSA | For-hire carriers that haul federally regulated freight owned by others across state lines. Private carriers and haulers of exempt commodities don’t need one. |
| CA number (CA#) | California Highway Patrol | Your California carrier identification number. It also serves as your MCP number. |
| Motor carrier permit (MCP) | California DMV | Proof that your CA# is registered and your insurance, workers’ compensation, and driver enrollment requirements are met. |
So an MC number does not replace the CA#. If you operate commercial vehicles in California as a motor carrier of property, you need a CA# from CHP and, for California work, an MCP. The CA# must appear on both sides of each regulated vehicle, but a vehicle that displays a valid USDOT number meets that rule (Cal. Vehicle Code 34507.5). Our vehicle marking guide covers lettering size and placement.
You apply to DMV online or by mail, before you start operating, after these pieces are in place. DMV field offices do not accept MCP applications.
The permit becomes valid only when every requirement is met. An intrastate MCP runs 12 months, from the first day of the month you applied to the last day of the 12th month.
MCP fees depend on whether you haul for hire or only your own goods, and on how many power units you run. Trailers don’t count. Each bill combines base fees (a safety fee, plus the Uniform Business License Tax for for-hire carriers) with a Carrier Inspection Fee that funds CHP terminal and roadside inspections.
| Power units | For-hire total | Private total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $250 | $165 |
| 2 to 4 | $352 | $187 |
| 5 to 10 | $727 | $287 |
| 11 to 20 | $1,283 | $813 |
An honest caveat: DMV’s published chart dates from the 2016 fee restructuring, and the law lets DMV adjust the Carrier Inspection Fee every five years. Confirm the amount on your application before you pay.
An intrastate MCP must be renewed every year, and DMV now handles renewals online. Report a name, address, or DBA change on form MC 152 M. If your business entity changes, for example from sole proprietor to LLC, you need a new CA# and a new MCP.
DMV can suspend an MCP for any of these reasons (DMV, MCP FAQs):
Running without a valid MCP is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,500, up to three months in county jail, or both, and CHP may impound the vehicles. It also costs you loads: no one may hire a motor carrier of property that lacks a valid MCP, and a carrier you subcontract to must give you a signed certification and a copy of its permit (Cal. Vehicle Code 34620).
We take the paperwork off your desk: the CA# with CHP, the MCP application with DMV, and the renewal each year. Because we also work on DOT compliance in California, insurance, and intrastate and interstate authority packages, we can line up the USDOT number, insurance filing, and permit in the right order.
You get a dedicated permitting manager, and you can request permits through the Simplex Hub client portal or the Simplex 2GO app. Our trucking permits team also handles oversize, trip, and fuel permits, and we have an office in Rancho Cucamonga.
Use the form below with your USDOT number (or tell us you don’t have one yet) and the number of trucks you run, and we’ll tell you what your California MCP needs.
In California, a motor carrier permit (MCP) is the DMV permit that shows a carrier of property has registered its CA# with DMV and filed the required liability insurance and workers’ compensation proof, plus an EPN requester code if it employs commercial drivers. For-hire carriers of any vehicle size and operators of commercial vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more need one.
The MC 65 M is the Certificate of Insurance your insurance company files with the California DMV to prove your liability coverage for the MCP. It is the current name for what carriers often search as “DMV 65 MCP.” Large carriers with 25 or more vehicles may qualify to file a Certificate of Self-Insurance (MC 131 M) instead.
The DMV’s Active Motor Carriers page has a search of active MCPs, and CHP links to it from its Commercial Vehicle Section. For copies of a carrier’s permit, application, or insurance certificates, DMV accepts a paid Information Request (MC 430 M).
Yes, if they operate a commercial vehicle of 10,001 pounds GVWR or more, haul hazardous materials, or run a vehicle that needs a CDL. Private carriers pay lower fees than for-hire carriers, but they must meet the same $750,000 liability minimum for vehicles in that weight class.
Yes. The MC number is federal operating authority for interstate for-hire work, while the CA# is California’s carrier ID from CHP, and California carriers of property need both a CA# and a USDOT number before DMV issues an MCP.
The rules and figures on this page come from these official sources, checked on September 25, 2026.