For a carrier check, use SAFER to identify the company and read its public safety summary. Use FMCSA’s Motus public search for current registration, operating authority, and filing activity. FMCSA says legacy Licensing & Insurance (L&I) became historical-only on May 14, 2026; filings made in Motus do not appear there. A real historical entry is not evidence of today’s filing status.
What does SAFER show about a carrier?
SAFER’s Company Snapshot is a free search by USDOT number, MC/MX number, or name. It shows identity, size, commodity, any assigned safety rating, an out-of-service inspection summary, and crash information. FMCSA says the free Snapshot updates daily and its inspection and crash counts update weekly. The paid Company Profile is current when it is generated.
That makes SAFER a sensible starting point to identify an entity and read public safety context. It does not make SAFER a current insurance certificate, a capacity board, or a way to authenticate whoever is dispatching a load.
Where do you check current authority and filings?
For current operating authority, insurance filings, and process-agent questions, use FMCSA Motus public search. Match the company’s legal name and USDOT number, then inspect the relevant operating authority registration. Record the docket, authority type and status, and the insurance and process-agent details the current record makes available. Read filing dates and any replacement or cancellation event where displayed. If a detail is unavailable, record that limitation and follow up with FMCSA or the insurer instead of guessing. FMCSA directs users to Motus search for filing or carrier-record activity after May 18, 2026. An old L&I entry can help explain history, but label it as historical.
This split can produce apparent disagreements between screens. Do not average them into a “verified” status. Record which system you consulted, what it displayed, and when. If current information cannot be retrieved, say that the status could not be confirmed instead of treating an outage as a negative finding.
A simple source map
| Question | Best starting source | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Who is this company? | SAFER snapshot / lookup | identity does not prove the booking contact |
| What safety record is public? | SAFER and public SMS | absence of data is not a safety finding |
| Is relevant authority current? | current FMCSA registration/Motus path | role and authority type still matter |
| What filing is current? | current FMCSA registration/Motus path | filing is not shipment-specific cargo coverage |
Worked example: a dated carrier-record review
Illustrative only; this is a fictional review, not a real carrier or filing. On September 23, 2026, a reviewer finds an older vendor note that says “insurance active” and links to L&I. A useful replacement note records each source and field separately:
| Field to record | Illustrative review note |
|---|---|
| Checked date and search key | September 23, 2026; searched the carrier’s USDOT number |
| SAFER identity | Legal name and USDOT number match the carrier being reviewed; Snapshot checked September 23 |
| SAFER safety context | Inspection summary reviewed separately; no insurance conclusion drawn from it |
| Motus authority | Property-carrier authority; illustrative status Granted; illustrative effective date September 1, 2026. Copy the actual docket and status from the record. |
| Motus filing detail | Illustrative insurance filing effective September 1, 2026; no replacement or cancellation event shown here. Copy the actual insurer, filing type, dates, and events. |
| Motus process agent | Filing shown in this example; copy its actual status or mark “not shown” if the detail is unavailable. |
| L&I note | Retained as historical context, with its original observation date; not used as current filing proof |
The invented Granted status and filing do not certify any real carrier. In an actual review, quote the Motus status and dates observed that day, rather than carrying forward the old L&I note. Any shipment-specific insurance proof remains a separate request.
The Motus registration changes also caution against interpreting the magnitude of a new number as business age. Review actual dates, actual authority status, and the transaction details instead.
Use check operating authority, carrier insurance filings, and carrier safety ratings for the related review paths. Each one uses a different type of record.
Sources
- FMCSA AskFMCSA: L&I historical-only after May 14, 2026
- FMCSA FAQ: use Motus search for post-May 18 record activity
- FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot
- FMCSA SAFER FAQ: Snapshot and Company Profile update timing
- FMCSA Motus public search
- FMCSA Move into Motus: public-user functions
- FMCSA: Motus changes to registrations