📖 Table of Contents
Quick answer
Need the filing plan, not just the reading assignment? Start with a plain-English authority checklist and transparent pricing.
Pending name change
No checkout. Confirm pending, then file.
Look up the number. If it still says pending, send the name change with no payment step.
The rule
If the application is marked pending, the name-change reserve will not charge. The paid name-change total stays off.
This post
MC still pending
Name or DBA change: free. No card. No checkout.
Other post
MC already active
Then it is $30, or $44 if MCSA-5889 is needed. See that breakdown.
Confirm it is pending
Do not guess. One lookup. Then file.
Authority status checker
Drop the USDOT or MC number. If common, contract, or broker still says pending, you are here.
Launch Board / New Venture Board
Full startup picture: BOC-3, insurance, and the rest of activation — not just the name.
File the change
Turn the guide into a filing plan
Know what you need, what it costs, and what to file next.
We help new carriers get MC authority, USDOT, BOC-3, UCR, and startup compliance handled without the usual bureaucratic jump scares.
What free means
Checkout
Off. A pending request is not allowed to reserve a paid name-change charge.
What stays off the bill
The name-change checkout total is $0 while pending.
FAQ
Is a name change really free while my MC is pending?
Yes. No checkout. Start at /application-changes after you confirm pending.
How do I know I am still pending?
Look it up on /tools/authority-status.
What if my MC is already active?
Different bill. $30, or $44 if MCSA-5889 is needed.
Is motorcarrier.ai the FMCSA?
No. We are a private filing and compliance help service. Motus is the government system.
We help new trucking companies get set up and stay compliant — from MC authority to insurance to ongoing DOT requirements. No jargon, no overcharging, just straight answers.
Learn more about us →Keep Reading
ELD for a One-Truck Company
One truck does not skip the ELD. If you keep RODS most days, you need a registered device. True short-haul on timecards may not. Brokers may still ask.
Authority Revoked or Inactive: How to Turn It Back On in Motus
Inactive, lapsed, and revoked are not the same. Motus shows a status plus a reason. Fix insurance, BOC-3, and USDOT first, then request reinstatement. FMCSA lists $80; payable checkout is $85.
How Insurance Gets on File With FMCSA
You buy the policy. The insurer files BMC-91 or BMC-91X. Why Motus can show insurance missing when the policy is fine, and what the official minimums are.
Ready to turn this into an actual filing?
We handle MC authority, BOC-3, UCR, and startup compliance steps so you can focus on getting the business moving.