USDOT Number Lookup: How to Search by Number, MC Number, or Company Name
Reviewed by the ICR Filings compliance team · Updated October 19, 2026
Every USDOT number has a public record, and anyone can look it up for free. Carriers check their own status, brokers vet carriers before booking a load, and shippers confirm who they are dealing with. Here is where to look and what each source tells you.
The fastest way to see your status and what is due: enter your USDOT number in our free USDOT check. It shows active or inactive, operation type, power units, your UCR bracket, your MCS-150 due date, and your authority status in one place.
1. SAFER company snapshot
SAFER is FMCSA's public company snapshot. You can search by USDOT number, MC or MX number, or company name, so it is the best option when you only know a name. The snapshot shows the company's identification, size (power units and drivers), what it hauls, its safety rating if it has one, and its roadside out-of-service inspection and crash summary.
2. FMCSA Licensing and Insurance (L&I)
L&I is FMCSA's official record of operating authority. Search it to see whether an MC number is active, pending, or revoked, whether insurance is on file, and whether a BOC-3 is on file. FMCSA treats L&I as the record of whether a carrier may operate, so this is the one that matters for authority. More in how to check an MC number and authority status.
3. Public search in Motus
Motus, FMCSA's registration system since May 2026, has a public search that works without logging in. You can search by USDOT number, legal name, or DBA to see a company's registration record.
Which one should you use?
| You want to know | Use |
|---|---|
| A company's USDOT number, and you only have its name | SAFER (search by name) or Motus public search |
| Whether a USDOT number is active or inactive | SAFER or our USDOT check |
| Whether an MC number is active, and insurance and BOC-3 are on file | L&I |
| A carrier's safety rating, inspections, and crashes | SAFER |
| When your MCS-150 is due and your UCR fee | Our USDOT check |
What a lookup cannot tell you
- UCR status. UCR is run by the UCR Plan, not FMCSA, so it is not in FMCSA's public data. Keep your UCR receipt. See what UCR registration is.
- Very recent changes. Public data can run a day or two behind a filing.
- Drug and alcohol records. The Clearinghouse is private; only authorized users can query it.
If your number shows inactive
An inactive USDOT number usually means a missed MCS-150 update. See USDOT number inactive: why it happens and how to fix it, or have us reactivate it.
Official sources
- FMCSA SAFER: company snapshot
- FMCSA Licensing and Insurance (L&I) public search
- FMCSA: Temporary suspension of the biennial update requirement
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the official source before you file.
Want us to handle it?
A specialist reviews your FMCSA record and tells you exactly what is due. Flat service fee, government fees shown separately. Our turnaround: within 1 business day.
See Compliance Check