How to Check a Car Shipper in 5 Minutes (Free, Using FMCSA Records)

Published October 22, 2026

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FMCSA, the federal agency that registers interstate auto transporters, has publicly warned about a "dramatic increase in complaints against auto transporters and auto transport brokers." The good news: the records you need to check a company are free, public, and take about five minutes to read. Here's the exact routine.

What you need before you start: the company's exact name, its MC number, and (for carriers) its USDOT number. If the website or quote doesn't show them, ask. FMCSA's advice is blunt: avoid any auto transporter or broker that does not prominently display their MC Docket number.

Minute 1: Find out if you're talking to a broker or a carrier

There are two kinds of companies in car shipping:

Neither is automatically better. Most online quote sites are brokers. What matters is that the company is honest about which it is. Federal rules (49 CFR 371.7) say a broker may not represent its operations as a carrier, and its advertising has to show that it's a broker. FMCSA also says to be suspicious of any website where it is not clear whether the company is a broker or a transporter.

Minute 2: Look the company up on SAFER

Open the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot (or use the box above) and search by USDOT number, MC number, or name. Check these fields:

1. Entity Type. Does it say CARRIER, BROKER, or both? Does that match what the salesperson told you?
2. USDOT Status. You want ACTIVE. SAFER defines INACTIVE as a company that hasn't completed its required biennial MCS-150 update, and OUT-OF-SERVICE as "not authorized to operate."
3. Operating Authority Status. You want AUTHORIZED FOR followed by the right type (Broker of Property, or Motor Carrier of Property). NOT AUTHORIZED means the company has no interstate for-hire authority.
4. Legal name and DBA. The name on your contract should match the legal name or DBA here. Brokers must operate under the name they're registered in (49 CFR 371.7).
5. Phone and address. FMCSA's fraud guidance says to confirm phone numbers against SAFER. If the number you were given doesn't match, call the number SAFER lists and ask whether the person you dealt with really works there.
6. Cargo Carried (carriers only). Look for Motor Vehicles among the cargo types.

Example: On SAFER, Montway LLC (DBA Montway Auto Transport), USDOT 2239816, shows Entity Type SHIPPER/BROKER, USDOT Status ACTIVE, and authority "Broker of Property (Except Household Goods)" under MC-611862 (FMCSA data as of 10/20/2026). That tells you Montway arranges transport and a carrier does the hauling. See our Montway profile.

Minute 3: Check insurance and bond filings on L&I

On the SAFER snapshot, click the Licensing & Insurance link, or go straight to FMCSA's Licensing & Insurance search and enter the USDOT or MC number. (The site asks a simple challenge question first.) There you can see:

• Authority history: when authority was granted, and whether it was ever revoked or reinstated. A brand-new authority isn't proof of a scam, but it's worth knowing.
• Brokers: an active BMC-84 surety bond or BMC-85 trust fund. Since January 16, 2026, federal rules require brokers to keep $75,000 available, and FMCSA suspends a broker's authority if its bond or trust fund falls below $75,000 and isn't restored in time.
• Carriers: an active liability insurance filing, with the insurer's name.
• Pending cancellations: SAFER snapshots include a link to check whether the company has a pending insurance cancellation.

The liability filing on L&I is public liability coverage, not necessarily coverage for damage to your car. Ask the carrier for its cargo insurance certificate, then call the insurance company listed on it to confirm the policy is active. FMCSA warns that even insurance certificates can be faked.

Minute 4: If it's a broker, get the carrier's name and check that too

A broker's paperwork only covers the booking. The truck that shows up belongs to a carrier. Before pickup, ask in writing: "Which carrier is assigned to my vehicle? Please send its name, MC number, and USDOT number." Then run minutes 2 and 3 again on that carrier.

If the broker won't name the carrier until the truck is in your driveway, take that as a warning sign. At minimum, check the carrier on your phone before you hand over the keys.

Minute 5: Check the truck and the payment terms

• At pickup: FMCSA's fraud guidance recommends confirming that the name and numbers on the truck match the company you contracted with, and writing down the tractor and trailer plates. That record matters if something goes wrong.
• Paying: FMCSA advises that if you pay by credit or debit card, you should closely monitor the transactions to make sure only the amount you authorized is taken. Credit cards also give you federal billing-dispute rights. See how to get a deposit back.
• Get it in writing: the total price, what the deposit is for, when it's charged, and when it can be refunded.

Red flags that should stop you

• No MC number on the website or quote, or a number that doesn't match the company name on SAFER.
• The company says it's a carrier, but SAFER lists only broker authority.
• SAFER shows NOT AUTHORIZED, INACTIVE, or OUT-OF-SERVICE.
• The phone number doesn't match SAFER, and the SAFER number doesn't know who you are.
• The quote is far below every other quote, and there's a non-refundable deposit due today. That pattern has its own guide: the lowball quote plus deposit pattern.

If something already went wrong

You can file a complaint against an auto transporter or broker with FMCSA online at the FMCSA Complaint Center or by phone at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238), Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern.