In October 2013, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revised its policy for recording and transferring operating authority to make it more efficient. You must notify the FMCSA if you need to transfer your operating authority for any reason. The agency does not require a special form to do this nor do you need to pay a fee. However, you should know that the information systems supported by the FMCSA cannot display accurate information about the transfer until you enter accurate and complete information about it.
Besides documenting the transfer of your operating authority, the FMCSA requires you to comply with requirements regarding the following:
- Financial responsibility, which refers to carrying at least the minimum amount of insurance
- Completion of the MCS-150 form to receive your identification number from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT)
- Process agent designations if applicable
Information needed from the seller and buyer to transfer operating authority.
If you’re the seller, the FMCSA refers to you as the transferor. You must provide the agency with this information:
- Business address, including ZIP code
- Business classification such as sole proprietor, corporation, or partnership
- Business officers and owners
- Company MC number
- Company name
- Date the transfer occurred
- Email address
- Seller’s signature
- Telephone number
- Trade name or Doing Business As (DBA) name
- USDOT number, except for brokers
The buyer (transferee) needs to provide the same details as well as sign the form. If either party has a personal representative, he or she should also sign and provide name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number.
You must do more than report your transfer.
Keep in mind that reporting the above details to the FMCSA does not fully meet the obligation to operate within interstate commerce. After you obtain operating authority registration, you must still comply with MCS-150/USDOT number requirements unless you work only as a broker. The person transferring their operating authority needs to sign and submit an MCS-150 form and check “out of business” in the “reason for filing” section. You may call 1-800-832-5660 to request the FMCSA to fax or mail the MCS-150 form to you.
Submitting your transfer of authority.
The fastest way to provide the FMCSA with your Transfer of Authority is to complete this web form and upload the required documents. You can also email your information to FMCSAOATransfers@dot.gov. Your third option is to mail the documents.
After the FMCSA receives your transfer information.
Your status will initially show as inactive until the FMCSA receives proof of financial responsibility and designation of process agent from you. The latter requires you to complete the BOC-3 form. The FMCSA will change your status to active once it receives your information and provide a confirmation letter that the transfer has taken place.
Work with us to meet your financial responsibility obligations.
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