Last reviewed November 15, 2026, against FMCSA's public pages.
Suffixes are labels, not new numbers
FMCSA says suffixes help identify entity type and registrations granted by FMCSA, and that they are displayed in Motus for reference. FMCSA also says existing registrants keep their current USDOT number.
FMCSA's suffix list
Copied from FMCSA's Registration Modernization FAQs, November 15, 2026. Check the FAQ for the current list.
- C: property carrier operating authority
- V: private carrier
- P: passenger operating authority
- H: household goods carrier operating authority
- B: broker operating authority
- F: freight forwarder operating authority
- E: enterprise operating authority
- X: MX long-haul
- Z: MX commercial zone
- N: non-North America domiciled
- R: intrastate carrier
FMCSA says cargo tank, intermodal equipment provider, and hazardous materials entities do not have their own suffixes. A registrant can have more than one suffix on the same USDOT number. FMCSA's examples include 1234567 C for a property carrier and 1234567 CH for a property carrier that also holds household goods authority.
They are not a vehicle-marking requirement
FMCSA says suffixes will not be a vehicle-marking requirement. You do not need to repaint your trucks. FMCSA's FAQ also says that, under the proposal, suffixes would be required on documents for business transactions involving freight forwarders, brokers, or for-hire motor carriers. Watch FMCSA's rulemaking for details.
MC numbers are not gone
FMCSA has proposed no longer assigning MC numbers and making the USDOT number the only identifier, with suffixes. FMCSA says this will be open for comment in a proposed rulemaking and will not take effect with the first release of the new system. FMCSA also says existing MC numbers would not be replaced by USDOT numbers. See Motus vs the old FMCSA Portal.
Two suffixes is not two USDOT numbers
One company can hold more than one registration on a single USDOT number. If you actually have two different USDOT numbers for the same company, that is a different problem. duplicatedot.com covers it. For the basics of USDOT and MC numbers, see howtogetadotnumber.com.
What this part of the process involves
- Knowing which registrations your company holds
- Operating authority for each type you need, if you are for-hire
- Keeping all of them on the same USDOT number
- The BOC-3 and insurance filings that go with operating authority
Rather not work through every step yourself? A Personal Compliance Specialist can prepare and file the parts that can be handed off.
Consult with a Compliance SpecialistDo it yourself, or hand it off
Do it yourself in Motus
- No FMCSA charge for a USDOT number or for updates. Government fees still apply to things like operating authority.
- You handle every screen, form and certification.
- You track recurring deadlines, such as the biennial update, yourself.
Have a Personal Compliance Specialist handle it
- A paid, optional service. The fee is quoted before work starts and is separate from government fees.
- Once you designate them in Motus as a service provider, they can prepare filings and do data entry for you.
- You still complete your own identity check and the final certification. No one can speed up FMCSA's review.
Related guides
Where this information comes from
We write these guides from FMCSA's public pages and update them when FMCSA changes its guidance. Check the source before you act:
