Verify a Car Shipping Company
Before you pay a deposit, learn what the registration numbers mean and how to check a carrier or broker yourself on the FMCSA's official SAFER website.
USDOT & MC Numbers
What each one identifies
Insurance & Bonds
What to ask to see
Broker or Carrier?
Know who moves your car
FMCSA SAFER
The official, free lookup
This page is educational guidance. It has no search box and does not look up or check any company. Our directory lists real companies and links each one to its official FMCSA SAFER and BBB records, so you can verify any of them yourself using the steps below.
What the Terms Mean
Four ideas come up whenever you check a car shipping company. Knowing them makes the records easy to read.
USDOT number
A USDOT number is the identifier the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) assigns to the carriers and brokers it registers. It links to a public record with the company's legal name, address, and, for carriers, safety information such as inspections.
It identifies a company. It says nothing about service quality, and anyone can quote a number that belongs to someone else, so always check that the record matches the company you are dealing with.
MC number
The MC number, also called the docket number, is written as "MC-" followed by digits. It identifies a company's operating authority: the FMCSA's permission to haul regulated freight for hire between states, or to arrange that hauling as a broker.
A company can have a USDOT number and still lack active operating authority, so look at both, and at the status of the authority, not just whether a number exists.
Insurance and bonds
Federal rules require for-hire carriers to carry minimum liability insurance and brokers to post financial security, such as a surety bond or trust fund. Those requirements are filed with the FMCSA.
A filing is not a promise that your car is covered for every loss. Ask for a certificate of insurance that shows cargo coverage, the coverage limit, and any deductible, and ask whether your own auto policy applies in transit.
Broker vs carrier
A carrier owns the trucks and employs the drivers who move your vehicle.
A broker arranges the shipment and assigns it to a carrier. Many car shipping companies are brokers, and each type needs its own FMCSA registration.
Neither is wrong, but a good company tells you which it is and, before pickup, who the carrier will be.
How to Check a Company Yourself
The FMCSA keeps public records on interstate carriers and brokers, and anyone can search them for free. It takes a few minutes. You do the lookup on the FMCSA's site; this page only explains how.
Get the identifiers in writing
Ask for the company's legal name, USDOT number, MC number, street address, and phone number in an email or on the written quote. A legitimate company gives these readily.
Search the FMCSA's SAFER site
Open the FMCSA's SAFER website (safer.fmcsa.dot.gov), choose the company snapshot, and search by USDOT number or MC number. Searching by number is more reliable than searching by name, because many companies have similar names.
Match the record to what you were told
Compare the legal name, address, and phone number on the record with the quote. A name that differs, or an address in a different state with no explanation, is a reason to stop and ask questions.
Read the authority and status
Look at whether the record is for a carrier or a broker, and whether its operating authority is active for hauling property (vehicles count as property). Authority that is inactive, revoked, or out of service is a reason to walk away.
Confirm insurance
Ask the company for a certificate of insurance. The FMCSA also publishes licensing and insurance records, which the company snapshot points to, so you can see whether the required insurance or bond is on file.
Find out who will move the car
If you are dealing with a broker, ask for the name and USDOT or MC number of the carrier before pickup, then repeat the SAFER search and the match, status, and insurance checks for that carrier.
A record that matches shows a company is registered. It does not guarantee good service, so keep comparing quotes, reading reviews, and getting terms in writing.
Red Flags to Watch For
One of these is not proof of a problem, but several together are a strong reason to slow down. See Scam Watch for common scam tactics.
- No USDOT or MC number is offered, or the company is reluctant to give one
- The number belongs to a company with a different name or address than the one you are dealing with
- The record shows inactive, revoked, or out-of-service authority
- No certificate of insurance, or insurance that does not appear in the FMCSA's records
- The company will not say whether it is a broker or a carrier, or will not name the carrier before pickup
- A website address, email domain, or phone number that does not match the registration
- Claims of decades in business that do not fit the registration details on the record
- Pressure to pay in full before pickup, or to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency
About the Companies on This Site
The companies in our directory are real. We publish no ratings, scores, or reviews of our own; instead each profile links to the company's official FMCSA SAFER record and its BBB profile so you can confirm its registration and reputation at the source. Use the steps above to verify any carrier or broker for yourself. See the ranking methodology for how we order the directory.