Carrier vetting file checklist: what to save before you book

Capture the identity you actually checked

Start the file with the carrier's legal name, USDOT number and the source URL you opened. Add the physical address and phone shown in the record, then compare them with the carrier packet and rate-confirmation contact. This makes a later name or contact mismatch visible instead of forcing a fresh search.

• Legal name exactly as shown in the FMCSA record.
• USDOT number and any MC or docket identifier used in the packet.
• Address, phone and the date and time of your check.

Separate status facts from policy confirmation

Record the operating-authority status and the available FMCSA insurance-filing fields as two separate checks. A filing or required amount is a public-record signal; it does not prove that a particular load is covered today. Keep the current certificate, limits, exclusions and effective dates with the file after the insurance agent confirms them.

Write the decision and the next re-check

Finish with the safety rating or unrated status, the inspection or out-of-service context you reviewed, and a short decision such as proceed, verify directly or pause. For repeat carriers, note when the next source check is due. A monitoring alert can tell you that a selected FMCSA field changed, but the source record and policy still need direct confirmation before action.

• Safety rating and issue date, or an explicit note that the record is unrated.
• Inspection or out-of-service context used in the decision.
• Decision, reviewer and next-check date in the same file.