Trucking and regulatory
DOT number
A DOT number is an identifier assigned to a company that operates commercial vehicles. Most people mean the USDOT number issued by FMCSA. It tracks a carrier's safety record from audits, inspections and crash reports. Rules differ by state for in-state carriers.
Why it matters
A DOT number is the ID for your company in federal safety records. Inspections, crashes and compliance reviews tie to it. Who needs one depends on the vehicle and the trip. In general, a business that runs a vehicle over 10,000 pounds GVWR in interstate commerce needs one. Some states also require one for intrastate carriers. A common mistake is to use the term to mean an MC number. They are different. Another is to display the wrong number on the truck. Use the FMCSA wizard to see if you need one, and check state rules. Ask a compliance professional if your fleet is a gray case.
Read: Safety and compliance for container delivery: DOT, FMCSA, CDL and OSHA
Definition source: fmcsa.dot.gov
Related terms
USDOT number
A USDOT number is the unique identifier that FMCSA gives to a company that operates commercial vehicles. It is used to collect and monitor a company's safety information from audits, reviews, crash investigations and inspections. Federal rules decide who must register.
MC number
An MC number is a form of FMCSA operating authority. It is required, along with a USDOT number, for many for-hire interstate carriers. It is also called a docket number. FMCSA also uses FF and MX numbers for other authority types.
FMCSA
FMCSA is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. It writes and enforces safety rules for commercial motor vehicles and carriers, and it handles registration for interstate carriers. Its rules are in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
GVWR
GVWR is gross vehicle weight rating. It is the maximum loaded weight of a single motor vehicle, as set by the manufacturer. It includes the vehicle, fuel, driver, cargo and equipment. It is printed on the vehicle's certification label and set by the maker.
interstate commerce
Interstate commerce is trade, traffic or transportation in the United States between a place in a state and a place outside that state. It also covers trips between two places in one state that pass through another state. FMCSA uses this definition to decide which federal motor carrier rules apply.
intrastate commerce
Intrastate commerce is trade, traffic or transportation that begins and ends inside one state and stays within that state. It is the opposite of interstate commerce. FMCSA's federal rules center on interstate commerce, but states apply their own rules to trips that stay inside the state.
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