Glossary · FMCSA & freight
Contract authority
Also called: Contract carrier authority, Contract carriage
Definition
Contract authority is the operating authority status FMCSA records for a for-hire motor carrier hauling under continuing contracts with specific shippers rather than for the general public.
Federal law defines contract carriage, for transportation after 1995, as service under an agreement made under 49 U.S.C. 14101(b). That section lets a carrier and a shipper agree on specific services, rates and terms, and even waive certain rights and remedies in writing, but never the rules on registration, insurance or safety fitness.
In FMCSA's legacy authority data, contract status is tracked alongside common and broker status on the same docket, and many carriers hold both. For underwriting, the distinction rarely changes the decision. The practical questions are simpler: is a for-hire carrier authority active, is insurance on file, and does the legal name match your contract and the bank account?
See common authority and operating authority, or run a carrier check.
Sources
- 0149 U.S.C. 13102: Definitions (broker, contract carriage, freight forwarder) · Cornell LII
- 0249 U.S.C. 14101: Providing transportation and service · Cornell LII
- 03FMCSA Carrier, All With History (legacy L&I) · data.transportation.gov, last refreshed 2026-05-14