DOT Carrier Data API

Free JSON API for accessing FMCSA carrier data. No API key required. Rate limited to 60 requests/minute per IP.

Comparing options? See SAFER alternatives and CarrierOK alternatives.

Endpoints

GET /api/v1/carrier/{dot}

Look up a carrier by USDOT number.

curl https://dotcarrierdata.com/api/v1/carrier/123456

GET /api/v1/docket/{mc}

Look up a carrier by MC/MX/FF docket number.

curl https://dotcarrierdata.com/api/v1/docket/MC123456

GET /api/v1/search

Search carriers by name. Parameters: q (required), state (optional, 2-letter code).

curl "https://dotcarrierdata.com/api/v1/search?q=ABC+Trucking&state=TX"

Response Format

{
  "dot_number": "123456",
  "legal_name": "ABC TRUCKING LLC",
  "dba_name": null,
  "status": "active",
  "authority": {
    "common": true,
    "contract": false,
    "broker": false,
    "status": "active"
  },
  "oos": null,
  "safety_rating": { "rating": "S", "date": "2023-05-15" },
  "basics_alerts": [],
  "power_units": 25,
  "drivers": 30,
  "mcs150_date": "2024-03-01",
  "hazmat": false,
  "address": {
    "city": "Dallas",
    "state": "TX",
    "zip": "75001"
  },
  "sources": [...],
  "disclaimer": "Data from FMCSA. Not affiliated with FMCSA or USDOT."
}

Rate Limiting

60 requests per minute per IP address. If exceeded, you'll receive a 429 response.

Caching

Responses are cached for 1 hour (Cache-Control: max-age=3600). Live FMCSA data is cached for 24 hours.

CORS

All endpoints support CORS (Access-Control-Allow-Origin: *).

Errors

{ "error": "Carrier not found", "code": 404 }

Bulk Data

For bulk data access, download the full census file directly from FMCSA:

FMCSA Company Census File →