Carrier Authority Check

Why authority and insurance status matter

A carrier's operating authority is FMCSA's legal permission to transport regulated freight or passengers for hire. Insurance on file is the financial backstop that protects shippers and the public if something goes wrong. Neither of these is captured in a general safety rating — a carrier can have a clean crash record and still be operating without required insurance, or with a suspended authority. Checking both before booking a load or signing a contract is standard due diligence for brokers and shippers.

Reading authority status

• Active — the carrier currently holds valid operating authority.
• Pending — an application is in process; authority is not yet granted.
• Inactive — authority has lapsed or is not currently in effect.
• Suspended — authority is temporarily halted, often for an insurance or compliance lapse.
• Not required — this carrier's registration doesn't require separate for-hire operating authority (for example, a private carrier hauling only its own freight).

What "insurance on file" means

FMCSA requires carriers with for-hire operating authority to maintain minimum levels of Bodily Injury and Property Damage (BIPD) liability insurance, filed directly with FMCSA by the insurer. "Insurance on file" means FMCSA has a current filing on record — it does not independently verify the policy is adequate for a specific shipment or that it hasn't lapsed since the last filing update. For high-value freight, direct confirmation with the carrier's insurer is still standard practice.

This isn't a substitute for a broker's own vetting

This tool surfaces what FMCSA has published. It doesn't replace a broker's or shipper's own carrier-vetting process, which typically also includes checking references, confirming current certificates of insurance directly with the insurer, and reviewing the safety record shown on the carrier's full profile — see Safety Rating Lookup for that side of the picture.