What a trucking authority package includes, and what it can't
Two authority packages can carry the same name and cover very different work. Before you compare prices, find out which lines are government fees, which filings only a third party can make, and what is left for you.
Written by Gabriel Gonzalez
An authority package in numbers
A trucking authority package usually covers your USDOT number, operating authority (the MC number), and the BOC-3 process agent filing, often with UCR. FMCSA's only fee in that bundle is $300 per authority type. No package can file your insurance, which only your insurer can do, or promise a grant date, which FMCSA controls.
I have spent more than 22 years at Simplex, and I now lead our revenue strategy. My advice to a new carrier comparing authority packages is to compare the work, not the total: every package mixes government fees, filings only a third party can make, and the seller's labor.
This guide splits a package into those parts, shows what no package can include, and gives you the questions to ask before you pay. For the authority itself, step by step, see our guide on how to get your own MC authority.
The full briefing, read aloud
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Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by Gabriel Gonzalez.
Key takeaways
Split the price before you compare it
Every package mixes government fees, third-party filings, and labor. Ask for each one on its own line.
FMCSA charges $300 per authority type
Each type of operating authority carries its own fee, and FMCSA keeps it once the filing is accepted, so the right type matters.
Insurance is never inside the bundle
Your insurer files proof of coverage with FMCSA, and authority isn't granted until it is on file. The premium is a separate cost.
Keep the Motus account in your name
New registrants pass FMCSA's identity check themselves, and Motus emails your certificate to the company account owner.
Several registrations come after the grant
UCR, IRP, IFTA, Form 2290, and a drug and alcohol program are separate from authority. Check which ones a package names.
No one can sell you an MC number
FMCSA moves to revoke authority it finds sold, bought, or leased outside a legitimate corporate transaction.
In this articleContents
What's included in a trucking authority package?
A trucking authority package bundles the federal registrations a new for-hire carrier needs before hauling regulated freight for others across state lines. Most cover the same core pieces, but each one is filed by a different party and priced differently.
| Item | Who files it | Government fee |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number | You, or a service you authorize, in FMCSA's Motus system | None in FMCSA's fee schedule |
| Operating authority (MC number) | The same Motus application | $300 per authority type, not refundable |
| BOC-3 process agents | A process agent; a carrier can't file its own | No FMCSA fee; agents charge their own |
| Insurance filing (BMC-91 or 91X) | Your insurer, never the package seller | None to FMCSA; you pay your insurer's premium |
| UCR | You or your service, through your base state | $55 for 0 to 2 vehicles in 2027 |
If a package lists an "authority letter," that is a copy of the certificate FMCSA issues. Motus emails it to the company account owner, and FMCSA says a paper copy is not active authority: its own system record is.
Which costs in a package are government fees?
Only one FMCSA fee sits inside a typical package: $300 for each type of operating authority, under 49 CFR 360.3T. Add broker authority and you pay twice, and FMCSA keeps the fee once it accepts the filing, even if the application is later dismissed.
FMCSA has taken those fees by debit or credit card only since September 30, 2025. UCR adds a yearly fee paid to the states: $55 for a carrier with 0 to 2 vehicles for 2027. Everything else in a package price is labor: the seller's time, its process agent network, and its follow-up.
That labor is the number to compare. Ask each seller to put government fees on their own lines, then weigh what is left against the work each one actually does.
What does insurance add?
Insurance is the biggest startup cost an authority package doesn't price. FMCSA won't grant authority until minimum coverage is on file: $750,000 for general freight in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more, and $300,000 below that weight. Our guide to insurance for a new trucking company covers that first policy.
What can't any authority package include?
Three things stay outside every package, however it is priced: your insurance filing, your identity check, and the date FMCSA grants your authority.
- The insurance filing. A financial responsibility provider files proof of coverage on your behalf. A package can help you line up a policy, but the filing itself comes from your insurer.
- Your identity verification. New registrants must pass FMCSA's identity check in Motus, and each user profile belongs to one person. Plan to do that step yourself.
- A grant date. Your insurance and BOC-3 are due within 20 days of your application's notice in the FMCSA Register, and the public has 10 days from that notice to protest. No rule sets a total, so nobody can promise you a day.
Which registrations are usually sold separately?
Authority lets you operate. Several other registrations decide whether a given truck can legally run a given lane, and packages differ on which of them they include.
- UCR, every year, due before January 1 of the registration year. A package that includes it covers one year; the renewals are yours to track.
- An IFTA license for qualified motor vehicles, which the IFTA agreement defines as two-axle vehicles over 26,000 pounds, any vehicle with three or more axles, or combinations over 26,000 pounds. IRP apportioned plates are a separate registration with your base state.
- Form 2290, the heavy vehicle use tax for trucks with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more.
- A drug and alcohol testing program if your drivers need a CDL. An owner-operator who drives under their own authority must be in a random pool of two or more drivers, under 49 CFR 382.103.
- State registrations for intrastate work, which FMCSA operating authority doesn't cover.
None of these are padding. The question is whether a package sold as "everything included" names them. Our guide on how to start a trucking company puts them in order.
How to compare trucking authority packages
Five questions separate a package that gets you to active authority from one that only gets you a filing.
Step 1: Which authority types will you apply for?
Each type costs $300, sets the insurance you must carry, and is not refunded. A seller should ask about your freight before choosing for you.
Step 2: Which lines are government fees?
Ask for the FMCSA fee and the UCR fee on separate lines, so you can compare the service fee on its own.
Step 3: Who is your process agent, and for which states?
A carrier needs an agent in each state where it is authorized to operate and each state it crosses, under 49 CFR 366.4T. Most packages use a blanket company; our BOC-3 form guide explains the filing.
Step 4: Whose name is on the Motus account?
Motus emails your certificate and other agency letters to the company account owner. Keep that account in your company official's name, and give the service access rather than your login.
Step 5: Who tracks the filings after you apply?
Ask who confirms that your insurance and BOC-3 arrive inside the 20-day window, and who tells you when your status reads active. That follow-up is most of what a service fee should buy.
What are the red flags in an authority package?
Once you apply, FMCSA publishes your company's contact details, and vendors may reach out. FMCSA states that it doesn't endorse private vendors and generally doesn't require them, apart from insurance and a process agent. Walk away from:
- A caller who claims to be FMCSA, or says you must buy their package. FMCSA doesn't contact carriers through telemarketers or robocalls.
- An offer to sell or lease you an existing or "aged" MC number. FMCSA moves to revoke authority and inactivate USDOT numbers it finds sold, bought, or leased outside a legitimate corporate transaction.
- A guaranteed grant date. FMCSA's review and the protest period aren't the seller's to control.
- A seller that wants your Login.gov credentials or to own your Motus account.
- "Everything included" with no list of what everything is.
A good package gets the application right, chases the filings, and tells you plainly what is still yours to do. That is what our trucking authority packages focus on: a complete, matching application and filings that arrive on time.
How Simplex helps you launch with the right package
We separate the government fees from the work, and we tell you which steps stay with you.
Authority packages
Our trucking authority packages cover the USDOT number, MC authority, BOC-3, authority letter, and UCR, or your state's intrastate registration.
Insurance for new ventures
FMCSA won't grant authority until your coverage is on file. Our trucking insurance team builds programs for new ventures and established fleets.
Permits and fuel tax
IRP plates, IFTA licenses, and state permits come after the authority. Our trucking permits team handles those filings.
Frequently asked questions
What does a trucking authority package include?+
How much is the FMCSA operating authority fee?+
How much does trucking authority cost for a box truck?+
Do I need an authority package for intrastate trucking?+
Can I buy an existing MC number?+
How long does a trucking authority package take?+
Where this information comes from
The requirements below come from federal regulation, FMCSA's registration pages, and the UCR Plan, checked on October 19, 2026.
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1
FMCSA — Get Operating Authority
Who needs operating authority, the $300 fee for each type, and no refunds.
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2
eCFR — 49 CFR 360.3T
FMCSA's fee schedule in force, and fees kept once a filing is accepted.
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3
FMCSA — Insurance Filing Requirements
Insurer files on the applicant's behalf, no grant without it, and minimum limits.
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4
eCFR — 49 CFR 365.109T
Insurance and BOC-3 due within 20 days of the FMCSA Register notice.
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5
FMCSA — Form BOC-3
Only a process agent can file the BOC-3 for a carrier.
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6
FMCSA — About Registration Modernization
Motus emails certificates to the company account owner; identity verification.
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7
FMCSA — Fraud Alerts
No telemarketing, no required vendors, and no sale or lease of USDOT or MC numbers.
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8
UCR Plan — Fee Brackets
Annual registration before January 1 and the 2027 fees.
Written by
Gabriel Gonzalez
Chief Revenue Officer, Simplex Group
Chief Revenue Officer at Simplex Group, with more than 22 years at the company, including nearly 16 years as Chief Operating Officer. His background combines revenue strategy with deep operational experience, giving him a strong perspective on how compliance, risk, permits, cash flow, and operational readiness affect a carrier's ability to grow profitably.
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Compare the work, not the total
The government fees are small and the same everywhere. What separates two packages is the work around those fees, and the part each one leaves to you.
If you want a package priced line by line, or a second look at one you've been offered, talk to our team.