WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a bulletin on March 13, 2026, warning the trucking community that improperly transferred USDOT numbers and MC numbers will be deactivated, reaffirming long-standing agency policy amid heightened federal scrutiny of fraud and chameleon carriers within the trucking industry.

"DO NOT Sell, Purchase, or Lease a USDOT Number or Operating Authority (MC Number) online or elsewhere from an unknown person or outside of a legitimate corporate transaction," the bulletin states. FMCSA warned that upon discovery of any attempt to sell, purchase, or lease a USDOT number or operating authority outside of a legitimate corporate transaction, the agency will initiate proceedings to inactivate the USDOT number and revoke all related registrations.

FMCSA explained that a USDOT number functions similarly to a driver's license or identification card number — it identifies a specific motor carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or other entity, and belongs permanently to the assigned legal person. It may never be sold, transferred, rented, or leased.

The rules differ depending on how a business is structured. For sole proprietors, the USDOT number belongs exclusively to the individual and can never be passed on. If a sole proprietor sells his business, the buyer must obtain their own USDOT number. For corporations, the USDOT number belongs to the legal business entity rather than the individual, meaning it can transfer with the company in a legitimate corporate sale. New owners are required to immediately update FMCSA records to reflect any changes in ownership or corporate officers. In cases where a corporation is dissolved and operations continue under a new company, the continuing entity must obtain its own USDOT number.

Regarding Operating Authority, also known as the MC number, FMCSA noted that transfers are less common since Congress removed route-specific limitations on operating authority. However, in certain legitimate corporate transactions, FMCSA may still record a transfer. Sole proprietors who sell their businesses are required to file an out-of-business notification in all cases, and failure to do so can result in revocation of operating authority regardless of the parties' intentions.

The bulletin comes as FMCSA has been aggressively targeting chameleon carriers — trucking companies that shut down after fatal crashes or enforcement actions and reopen under new names and DOT numbers to evade scrutiny.

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