MC Number (Motor Carrier Number)
An MC number is a separate federal operating authority issued by the FMCSA to motor carriers that transport regulated commodities — including household goods — in interstate commerce.
While the USDOT number registers the carrier with federal regulators, the MC number is the specific authority that grants permission to transport paid cargo across state lines. Every legitimate interstate moving company that hauls household goods for hire must have both an active USDOT number and an active MC number. The MC number is also called the "Motor Carrier Operating Authority Number" and appears in FMCSA records.
For a Boston-to-New-York move (or any move that crosses state lines), the moving company must hold valid MC authority. A company with a USDOT but no MC number is legally limited to intrastate work only.
Boston Best Rate Movers holds MC #630047, granting full federal authority to perform interstate household-goods moves.
Related Terms
USDOT Number
A USDOT number is a unique identifier issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to commercial vehicles that transport cargo or passengers across state lines or within certain states.
FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
The FMCSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for regulating, licensing, and tracking the safety record of commercial motor carriers — including interstate moving companies.
Carrier
A carrier is the moving company that physically picks up, transports, and delivers the customer's shipment — using its own trucks, employees, and equipment.
Broker (Moving Broker)
A moving broker is a company that sells a moving job to a customer but does not perform the move — the broker assigns the job to a third-party carrier and takes a margin.
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