Quick checklist
- Active operating authority on the USDOT record.
- Applicable FMCSA insurance-filing fields and required amounts reviewed.
- Legal name, address and phone match the carrier packet.
- Safety rating and OOS rates reviewed in context.
Start with the USDOT number
Start with the USDOT number shown on the carrier packet. Look it up and confirm the legal name, address and operating status match the documents and rate confirmation. A name mismatch is an identity-verification signal that should be resolved directly before tendering a load.
- Confirm operating authority is active (not revoked or out of service).
- Confirm the entity is a CARRIER, not a BROKER, if you expect them to haul.
- Match the physical address and phone to the carrier packet.
Review insurance filings and required amounts
FMCSA records may show BIPD and cargo insurance-filing fields and required amounts. Requirements vary by authority type, operation, commodity and applicable law; no single amount is a universal cargo-insurance floor. Treat the public record as a screening input, then confirm the current policy, limits, exclusions and effective dates with the insurance agent before tendering.
Read the safety rating and out-of-service rates
A Conditional or Unsatisfactory safety rating, or an out-of-service rate well above the national average, is a context signal — not a verdict. Combine it with authority age, inspection history and how the carrier was sourced before you decide.
Verify a carrier now
Run a free FMCSA lookup by USDOT, MC number or company name. Then put the carriers you book on watch for a daily re-check and an email when a monitored field change is detected.
Primary sources
Use this guide as an operating checklist, then confirm the current carrier record in official sources before acting.
Data sourced from public FMCSA/SAFER records. CarrierSentry is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. DOT or FMCSA. Verify at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov before making business decisions.