California Motor Carrier Permit

The motor carrier permit, typically referred to as MCP is the CA# on the side of commercial vehicles, and is proof that the vehicle has met all of the requirements for both registration and insurance. This allows a business to commercially operate vehicles on California Highways.

The MCP last 12-months starting from the first day of the application month to the last day of the 12th month. The MCP is issued by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and must be registered with the DMV.

The permit contains the CA#, legal name of the carrier, business entity type, issued date and expiration date. The permit must be in the vehicle at all times.

In order to obtain the MCP, you will need the following information:

• CA# issued by the CHP
• Completed Application for Motor Carrier Permit (form MC 706 M)
• Proof of financial responsibility over the vehicle – either vehicle title or valid lease
• Proof of worker’s compensation insurance or signed exemption
• A valid EPN Requestor Code – only needed if the vehicle to be used requires a commercial driver’s license
• Enrollment in the CSAT (Controlled Substances and Alcohol Testing) program – only needed if the vehicle to be used requires a commercial drivers license. If needed, the program requires the carrier to have a way of detecting a driver is using controlled substances before operating the vehicle. The carrier must enforce that the driver cannot operate the vehicle with controlled substances in their system.

The steps to complete the application and get your CA# are described in the Motor Carrier Permit Checklist. Click the button below to get your FREE copy emailed directly to you.