Free tool · For Canadian car shipping companies
Check a car shipping company in Canada
Canadian carriers that haul cars to or from the U.S. are registered with the U.S. FMCSA and hold a USDOT number. Enter it, an MC number or the company name to see whether the company is active, insured and in good standing. Carrier that only drives inside Canada? Below is where to check its National Safety Code (NSC) number in each province.
Example: 3742254 (USDOT of a New Brunswick car carrier) · MC-1325175 · or part of the company name. Canadian companies are listed first. You'll find the numbers on the company's website, quote, contract or truck doors.
What the lookup checks
What a USDOT record tells you about a Canadian carrier
A Canadian carrier that crosses the border must register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the U.S. regulator. The lookup reads that record and flags what matters to you as a customer. Its U.S. record also shows how the company runs in Canada: the same trucks, drivers and management.
USDOT status
Every company that drives into the U.S. needs an active USDOT number. Inactive means it has stopped operating there or was shut down.
Operating authority (MC number)
U.S. permission to ship cars for pay across the border. Carriers hold carrier authority; brokers hold broker authority. No active authority, no legal cross-border shipping.
Liability insurance
Carriers must keep at least US$750,000 of liability coverage on file with the FMCSA. Most auto haulers carry US$1,000,000.
Broker bond
U.S.-registered brokers must file a US$75,000 surety bond or trust fund. It protects customers and carriers if the broker doesn't pay.
Out-of-service orders
An FMCSA order to stop operating — after failed safety audits, unpaid fines or an imminent hazard.
Safety rating and crashes
Satisfactory, Conditional or Unsatisfactory after an FMCSA audit, plus crashes reported in the last 24 months.
Time in business
Scammers rarely keep a name for long. A registration only weeks or months old deserves extra caution.
Carrier or broker
Whether the company hauls your car itself or books a partner carrier — and whether it is actually registered to carry vehicles.
Carriers that stay in Canada
Check the NSC number in each province
A car carrier that never crosses the border may have no USDOT number at all. In Canada, every commercial carrier needs a National Safety Code (NSC) safety certificate from its home province — a CVOR certificate in Ontario, an NIR in Quebec. Ask for the number, then check it with the province.
Ontario CVOR certificate
The public CVOR abstract summarizes a carrier's safety record, collisions and convictions for the last two years. You order it online from the province for a fee. Order a CVOR abstract →
Quebec NIR (RPEVL registry)
The Commission des transports du Québec shows a registered carrier's file and safety rating online for free, in the register of heavy vehicle owners and operators. Look up the CTQ register →
British Columbia NSC safety certificate
CVSE publishes a monthly list of B.C. carriers with their certificate status (active, no active vehicles or suspended), safety rating and number of vehicles. Open CVSE →
Alberta Safety Fitness Certificate
Alberta Transportation sells a carrier's public profile online: convictions, inspections, collisions and its safety fitness rating. Alberta carrier certificates →
Manitoba NSC number
The province's Carrier Snapshot shows a carrier's safety rating, fleet size and inspection results to the public. Manitoba carrier profiles →
Saskatchewan Safety Fitness Certificate
SGI runs the NSC program. There is no public online search, so ask the carrier for its NSC number and a copy of its Safety Fitness Certificate. Open SGI →
Nova Scotia NSC number
The Registry of Motor Vehicles registers commercial carriers and assigns the NSC number. Contact its commercial carrier program to confirm a carrier is registered. Nova Scotia carrier registration →
New Brunswick NSC number
Inspections and Enforcement New Brunswick issues carrier abstracts and safety rating letters on request. New Brunswick NSC →
Also worth a minute: check that the business itself is registered — federally with Corporations Canada, or in its province through Canada's Business Registries. Cargo insurance has no public registry anywhere in Canada, so ask for a certificate of insurance.
Beyond the records
Car shipping scam red flags
A clean record is the minimum. These warning signs matter just as much — most car shipping complaints in Canada start with one of them.
- A quote far below everyone else's. Lowball quotes get raised after booking or sit with no carrier for weeks. Compare with our car shipping cost calculator.
- A big deposit by Interac e-Transfer, wire or gift card. Reputable companies take $0–$250 upfront, usually by credit card, and the rest at pickup or delivery.
- No NSC, CVOR or USDOT number. Every commercial carrier in Canada has an NSC number from its province. A company that won't give you one isn't one you should book.
- A name that doesn't match the record. The legal or operating name on the NSC or USDOT record should match the website, the contract and the truck.
- "Guaranteed" pickup dates from a broker. A broker can't promise a date until a carrier is assigned — get the date in writing and ask who the carrier is.
- No written contract or Bill of Lading. Inspect the car with the driver, note every scratch and sign the Bill of Lading at pickup and at delivery.
FAQ
Checking a car shipping company
Want companies that already passed these checks? Browse verified companies by province.
How do I check if a car shipping company in Canada is legit?
Ask for its National Safety Code (NSC) number — a CVOR number in Ontario, an NIR in Quebec — and check it with the carrier's home province. If the company also hauls cars to or from the U.S., look up its USDOT number here. Then make sure the name on the record matches the website and the contract, ask for a certificate of cargo insurance, and be wary of anyone who wants a large deposit by e-Transfer.
Does a Canadian car shipping company need a USDOT number?
Only if it drives into the U.S. A carrier that stays in Canada needs a provincial NSC safety certificate, not a USDOT number. Carriers that run cross-border routes, including most long-distance and snowbird car shippers, hold both.
What is an NSC number?
The National Safety Code number identifies a commercial carrier in Canada and tracks its safety record: inspections, collisions and convictions. The carrier's home province issues it under national standards set by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. Ontario calls it a CVOR certificate; in Quebec carriers register with the CTQ and get an NIR.
Why can't the lookup find a Canadian company?
The lookup searches U.S. FMCSA records, which only include companies that operate in the U.S. A carrier that stays in Canada won't be there. Check its NSC number with its province instead — the list above shows where.
What insurance should a car carrier in Canada have?
Each province sets the minimum liability insurance for commercial carriers. For your car, what matters is cargo insurance — the policy that pays if your car is damaged on the truck. There is no public registry of it in Canada, so ask for a certificate of insurance and check that the cargo limit covers your car's value and what the deductible is.
Is it a red flag if the company is a broker?
No. Many online car shipping companies in Canada are brokers: they book your car with a carrier that runs the route. Ask which carrier will haul your car and check that carrier's NSC or USDOT number, since the carrier is the one holding your car and the cargo insurance.
Where does this data come from and how current is it?
The lookup reads the FMCSA's own records, published daily by the U.S. Department of Transportation and refreshed here at least every 12 hours. NSC records are kept by each province and aren't part of the lookup — use the province links on this page.