ClearHaul

USDOT REGISTRATION

Get your DOT number — and the truth about what it costs

Here's the fact filing mills bury: FMCSA charges $0 for a USDOT number. The entire cost of getting one is service — either your time in the government system, or a fee to someone who does it for you. We charge $99 and tell you exactly what the work is.

Since May 2026, registration runs through FMCSA's new Motus system with tightened identity checks. Some steps only the applicant can complete — we prepare everything, keep you on track through the identity flow, and verify your number is live and correct in the federal record.

USDOT Number Registration

ITEMIZED — ALWAYS
  • ClearHaul serviceOUR FEE$99
  • Government feeGOV FEEFMCSA never charges for a USDOT number$0
  • Duplicate-registration checka dormant old number causes rejections — we search firstincluded

$99 total — and if you only need this, we'll say so instead of upselling a package

Prepared same business day. New registrations go through FMCSA's Motus identity checks — we walk you through the parts only you can do.

How it works

  1. 1

    Answer plain questions about your operation

    What you haul, for whom, where, and in what — this sets your operation classification, the field that causes downstream authority problems when it's wrong.

  2. 2

    We run the pre-checks

    Existing-registration search (dormant duplicate numbers get applications rejected), name match against IRS records, address rules (no PO boxes for principal place of business).

  3. 3

    File in Motus, guided through the identity steps

    FMCSA's new identity-proofing means parts of registration are yours alone to click. We prepare every field, then walk you through the rest — you're never guessing.

  4. 4

    Verified, not just submitted

    We confirm your number is active in the federal record and hand you your compliance calendar: MCS-150 due date, audit window, and what's next if you grow.

Straight answers

How much does a DOT number cost?

The government fee is $0 — FMCSA never charges for a USDOT number. Any price you've been quoted is entirely a service fee. Ours is $99, printed here, and includes checking that you don't already have a dormant number (a top cause of rejected applications).

Who needs a USDOT number?

Carriers operating commercial vehicles in interstate commerce at 10,001+ pounds, carrying 9+ passengers for pay, or hauling placarded hazmat. Most states also require one for in-state-only commercial vehicles.

How do I get a DOT number in 2026?

Through FMCSA's new Motus system (it replaced the old FMCSA Portal in May 2026). You'll need a Login.gov account and to pass identity verification — the anti-fraud checks are stricter than the old system. Our Motus guide walks through it step by step.

Do I need an MC number too?

Only if you haul other people's freight for pay across state lines (non-exempt cargo). Private carriers hauling their own goods need the USDOT number but NOT authority — refuse anyone who bundles it in without asking what you haul.

What happens after I register?

You're automatically enrolled in the New Entrant program: a safety audit within 12 months, and your biennial MCS-150 update clock starts. Our free tools cover both — use them even if you never pay us a dime.

USDOT Number Registration

Your federal USDOT registration, done right the first time — classification checked, duplicates checked, record verified after filing.

Filing accepted or your service fee back, 100%. Government fees are non-refundable once paid — we tell you that before you pay, not after.

We will never call you unless you ask us to. No phone sales. No robocalls. Ever.