MC Numbers Sell for Up to $75,000 on Underground Market

In March 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a warning to motor carriers regarding the sale of U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) numbers and MC (Motor Carrier) numbers, stating that the practice is strictly prohibited. However, despite federal efforts to curb the problem, a recent investigation revealed that MC numbers continue to be traded, with carrier owners reportedly selling them for as much as $7,000.

Since 2024, transportation news outlet Overdrive has reported on groups that cold-call owner-operators to offer to purchase their MC numbers. The practice can facilitate cargo theft and help bad actors evade regulatory oversight, yet it was not officially prohibited by federal authorities until earlier this year.

Despite the FMCSA’s enforcement efforts, MC numbers continue to be traded across a network of suspicious online marketplaces. Freight data company Alphaloops analyzed approximately 9,950 Facebook posts, 79,600 Telegram messages, and listings on Facebook Marketplace, identifying 3,774 advertisements offering MC numbers for sale. The findings highlight the significant risks this underground market poses to the trucking industry.

MC Number Sales Reach $24,000

Alphaloops’ research exposes a well-organized marketplace that actively avoids detection by federal regulators, freight brokers, and carrier verification companies. Among its key findings:

• Between 100 and 200 MC number sale listings are posted on Facebook each month.
• Approximately 40 listings appear on Telegram every month.
• Average asking prices reach $11,500 on Facebook Marketplace, $14,000 on Telegram, and as much as $24,000 on Facebook.
• If a carrier is registered with major freight brokers or carrier verification platforms, the asking price can increase by as much as 150%.
• Of the 710 MC numbers identified as sold, 84.8% showed no ownership transfer recorded with the FMCSA.

An MC number is an identification number issued by the FMCSA to companies engaged in interstate freight transportation using commercial vehicles. It grants the legal authority to operate across state lines while allowing regulators to monitor, track, and oversee commercial transportation activities.

Because the FMCSA permits MC numbers to be transferred through a formal legal process, a properly documented ownership transfer is considered legitimate. However, Alphaloops found that 85% of these sales resulted in no recorded ownership change, while 95% showed no change in the carrier’s legal business name, suggesting that most transactions lack transparency.

A Growing Challenge for the Trucking Industry

According to Alphaloops, transactions involving MC numbers have reached prices as high as $75,000. The primary risk is not simply owning the documentation associated with an MC number, but the access it provides to high-value freight, creating opportunities for fraud.

Sellers frequently advertise access to platforms such as Amazon Relay and claim to offer methods for bypassing carrier verification systems on platforms like Highway. Older MC numbers typically command higher prices, reflecting strong demand and a highly concentrated market. On Telegram, for example, more than 99% of the advertisements analyzed were linked to just four email addresses.

The existence of an underground market for buying and selling MC numbers represents a major challenge for both the trucking industry and carrier verification systems. The FMCSA continues to pursue solutions, including the implementation of its new MOTUS program, with the goal of strengthening user verification and improving security across the freight transportation industry.