How to add a USDOT# to a Subsidiary

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Overview

The USDOT# is a unique identifier assigned by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to entities involved in interstate and intrastate commerce. In Alvys, you can attach a USDOT# to a subsidiary either at the time you create the subsidiary or after the subsidiary already exists. When you enter a USDOT# during subsidiary creation, Alvys looks up that number with the FMCSA and pre-fills the subsidiary’s name, MC#, company type, physical address, contact email, and phone number. You can review and update any of those pre-filled values before saving.

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Ownership verification

Creating a subsidiary now includes a step that confirms you own the MC# or USDOT# you are registering, before the subsidiary is created. Once you pass it, the verified carrier details pre-fill the form. Three things follow from this:

• The verified number is locked. After a subsidiary is verified, its MC# and USDOT# can no longer be edited. The number prints on rate confirmations and invoices, so a correction is a support request rather than a self-serve edit.
• An MC# or USDOT# already registered by any Alvys account is refused, and the reason is shown. This is wider than your own account: another company already operating under that authority blocks it too.
• If verification cannot be completed, the subsidiary is not created. Alvys refuses rather than letting an unverified authority through. Try again shortly.

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Prerequisites

You must have the Admin, Partner Admin, or Support role to create a subsidiary or edit the company profile. Other roles can open the company profile and read it, but the owner phone, owner email, and operating countries are shown read-only, and New Subsidiary is not offered. A field with nothing in it reads Not Set rather than inviting you to add a value you would not be allowed to save. If you are adding a USDOT# to a new subsidiary, have the USDOT# available before you begin. If you are adding a USDOT# to an existing subsidiary, that subsidiary must not already have a USDOT# assigned; each subsidiary can only have one USDOT#.

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Steps

1. Open Company Profile:
   • Select Management in the left navigation.
   • Select Company Profile.
   • Locate the subsidiary you want to update in the subsidiary list on the left side, or proceed to create a new subsidiary.
2. Add the USDOT# to a new subsidiary (If you are creating a new subsidiary):
   • Select the option to create a new subsidiary.
   • Enter the USDOT# in the USDOT# field.
   • Alvys contacts the FMCSA and pre-fills the subsidiary name, MC#, company type, physical address, contact email, and phone number based on the USDOT# you entered.
   • Review the pre-filled values. You can edit any of them before saving.
   • Complete all required fields (physical address and remit address are required) and save the subsidiary.

**Add the USDOT# to an existing subsidiary (**If the subsidiary already exists and does not yet have a USDOT#):

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Variations

Not all subsidiaries have an MC#. For intrastate-only carriers, the USDOT# alone is sufficient. The FMCSA pre-fill works as long as the USDOT# is valid and registered in the FMCSA database.

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Troubleshooting

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USDOT# field does not appear or cannot be edited

• The USDOT# and MC# fields are locked after a subsidiary is created. You cannot edit a USDOT# that was entered at creation time. If the USDOT# on file is incorrect and you need it changed, contact Alvys support; this is not something that can be self-served, because these fields are locked by design to prevent duplicate subsidiaries in the system.

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FMCSA pre-fill does not populate any fields

• The pre-fill depends on the FMCSA returning a match for the USDOT# you entered. If no data appears, verify that the number is correct and is registered with the FMCSA. The pre-fill is informational only; you can still enter all required fields manually.

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Cannot create a subsidiary with a USDOT# already in use

• The system prevents creating a new subsidiary if the MC# or USDOT# is already registered, and shows you the reason. The check covers every Alvys account, not only your own, so a number held by another company is refused as well. Use a unique USDOT# for each subsidiary, and contact Alvys support if a number you own is reported as already in use.

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FAQs

Q: Can I edit the USDOT# after a subsidiary has been created? A: No. Once a subsidiary is created, the USDOT# and MC# fields are locked and cannot be edited. If a correction is needed, contact Alvys support. Q: Is a USDOT# required to create a subsidiary? A: No. The USDOT# is optional when creating a subsidiary. You can create a subsidiary without one and add the USDOT# afterward using the link in the subsidiary details. Q: Does adding a USDOT# to an existing subsidiary update any other fields automatically? A: No. The FMCSA pre-fill only applies during new subsidiary creation. Adding a USDOT# to an existing subsidiary attaches the number only; it does not update the subsidiary name, address, or other fields. Q: Can two subsidiaries share the same USDOT#? A: No. The system prevents creating a subsidiary with a USDOT# that is already registered, whether the existing subsidiary is in your account or in another company’s.