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 FMCSA review (49 CFR §365.109T) 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 FMCSA review applies the same way: the BOC-3 and BMC-91 (passenger insurance) are due within 20 days of the application notice publishing in the FMCSA Register (49 CFR §365.109T) for the authority to activate on schedule. 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 FMCSA review
- 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. FMCSA estimates 20-25 business days of processing for new applicants. 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 FMCSA review under 49 CFR §365.109T, 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