Passenger MC authority (OP-1(P))
Motorcoach operators, charter bus services, fixed-route scheduled service, and tour operators apply for FMCSA passenger authority via Form OP-1(P). We file the application for $199 service + $300 FMCSA, MC active in 3 to 6 weeks under the same 49 CFR §365.109 21-day vetting window as property authority. Passenger insurance minimums under §387.33 are higher than property — plan accordingly.
What OP-1(P) is
FMCSA operating authority for passenger motor carriers is granted under 49 USC §13902 and processed through Form OP-1(P). The application produces an MC number specifically for passenger carriage — common-carrier passenger, contract-carrier passenger, charter, and scheduled service all flow through the same form. Different from OP-1 (the property-carrier flavor) primarily in insurance minimums and the new-entrant audit scope.
The 21-day FMCSA vetting window applies the same way: BOC-3, BMC-91 (passenger insurance), and OP-1(P) all have to land before day 21 for the authority to activate. See our authority types breakdown for how passenger fits alongside the broader FMCSA authority categories.
Passenger-specific compliance
- §387.33 insurance minimums — $1.5M for ≤16 passengers, $5M for 17+ passengers
- §385.305 new-entrant audit — passenger-specific item set, more demanding than property
- §391 driver qualification — same as property, plus P-endorsement requirement
- §382 drug & alcohol — applies the same to passenger CDL drivers
- §380 ELDT — applies to passenger CDL applicants
- State authority — many states require additional state-level passenger registration for intrastate
What's included in our service
- USDOT registration if you don't already have one
- Form OP-1(P) submitted to FMCSA with the $300 fee
- BOC-3 + passenger-specific insurance coordination guidance
- SAFER monitoring through the 21-day window
- Activation confirmation when MC flips to AUTHORIZED
How fast can we file
OP-1(P) submission within 1-3 business days of receiving your info. The 21-day FMCSA vetting window starts at acceptance. No expedite path.
Pricing
$199 service + $300 FMCSA = $499 total. Same as property OP-1.
Passenger authority questions
How is OP-1(P) different from OP-1?
OP-1(P) is the passenger-carrier flavor of the operating-authority application. The form is largely the same as the property-carrier OP-1 — same applicant info, same 21-day FMCSA vetting window under 49 CFR §365.109, same $300 FMCSA fee. What differs is the insurance minimums (§387.33: $1.5M for vehicles seating 16 or fewer passengers, $5M for 17+ passengers, vs $750K-$1M for property carriers) and the new-entrant safety audit cadence (§385.305 — passenger audit covers expanded item set including drug & alcohol program).
Do I need separate authorities for charter vs scheduled service?
Generally, no — one passenger MC covers both regular-route (scheduled) and irregular-route (charter) service under FMCSA rules. The state-level authority can be separate: many states require additional state-level passenger authority for intrastate scheduled service, and ICC-style regular-route authority requires the OP-1(P) regular-route checkbox be specifically selected. For pure charter and tour service across state lines, the standard OP-1(P) is sufficient.
What about the §391 entry-level driver training rule?
The §380 entry-level driver training (ELDT) rule applies to passenger CDL applicants the same as property CDL. Passenger drivers also need the P (passenger) endorsement on the CDL plus the §391.41 medical certification. Carriers running passenger CMVs maintain a §391.51 driver-qualification file on every driver — same as property carriers. The additional cargo-specific items (school-bus S endorsement, hazmat H endorsement) layer on top of that baseline.
Other authority contexts
You might also need
- BOC-3 process agent — FastBOC3Filing ( passenger BOC-3)
- Driver MVR & CDLIS — FastDriverScreening