What does a new motor carrier need to register and operate in Mississippi?

A new Mississippi-based motor carrier of property operating in intrastate commerce must register with MDOT for Intrastate General Freight Operating Authority — a $50 new-carrier registration fee plus a $10 per-vehicle fee (waived if UCR fees are paid) — and agree to a MDOT safety audit; UCR itself is only required when the carrier operates in interstate commerce (2026 UCR fee is $46 for 0–2 vehicles), on top of the federal USDOT number.

§ New-entrant audit — Mississippi

The new-entrant safety audit in Mississippi

The FMCSA new-entrant safety audit works the same way in Mississippi as everywhere else: it is a federal program. Every new Mississippi interstate motor carrier is monitored for 18 months and undergoes a safety audit of the six factors (General, Driver, Operational, Vehicle, Hazardous Materials, and Accident), generally after at least 3 months of operation. What is specific to Mississippi is intrastate registration, handled by the state.

When does the new-entrant audit happen for a Mississippi carrier?

After a new entrant satisfies its pre-operational requirements, it is subject to new-entrant safety monitoring for 18 months, and a safety audit is conducted once it has operated long enough to have sufficient records — generally at least 3 months (49 CFR 385.307).

What does the audit check?

The same six factors evaluated in every state: General (Parts 387, 390), Driver (Parts 382, 383, 391), Operational (Parts 392, 395), Vehicle (Parts 393, 396), Hazardous Materials (Parts 171, 177, 180, 397), and Accident (recordable rate per million miles). This grouping is defined in 49 CFR Appendix A to Part 385.

What is specific to Mississippi?

Mississippi intrastate matters are handled by the Mississippi Department of Transportation — Application for Mississippi Intrastate General Freight Operating Authority. These are separate from the federal new-entrant audit.

Intrastate reg required: Yes — MDOT Intrastate General Freight Operating Authority ("New Carrier Registration") is required for motor carriers of property operating in intrastate commerce in Mississippi. USDOT number also required.
UCR: Not required for purely intrastate MS operation; required only if the carrier operates in interstate commerce. 2026 UCR fee = $46.00 for 0–2 vehicles (Bracket B1). Paying UCR waives MDOT's per-vehicle fee.
State fee: $50.00 new-carrier Registration Fee (new carriers only) + $10.00 per vehicle; per-vehicle fees waived for carriers that have paid UCR. Payable to Mississippi Department of Transportation, Motor Carrier Section.
New-entrant / safety audit: Applicant certifies that "the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) will conduct a safety audit on my company" with access to equipment, land, buildings and records.

Common questions

What does a new motor carrier need to register and operate in Mississippi?: A new Mississippi-based motor carrier of property operating in intrastate commerce must register with MDOT for Intrastate General Freight Operating Authority — a $50 new-carrier registration fee plus a $10 per-vehicle fee (waived if UCR fees are paid) — and agree to a MDOT safety audit; UCR itself is only required when the carrier operates in interstate commerce (2026 UCR fee is $46 for 0–2 vehicles), on top of the federal USDOT number.

Prep your own new-entrant audit

The CarrierReady Audit-Prep Kit gives you fillable templates mapped to all six factors — driver qualification files, a written maintenance program, a drug-and-alcohol testing policy, an accident register, and a document-by-document checklist.

See the kit

Primary sources

49 CFR 385.301 (requirements before interstate operations) — verified as of 2026-07-04
49 CFR 385.307 (18-month new-entrant monitoring; safety audit timing) — verified as of 2026-07-04
49 CFR Appendix A to Part 385 (six audit factors) — verified as of 2026-07-04
Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) — Application for Mississippi Intrastate General Freight Operating Authority (official form MSR-1) — verified as of 2026-07-04

CarrierReady is an independent audit-preparation tool — not legal advice, and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the FMCSA or any government agency; always verify against the official regulations at ecfr.gov.