| Standard Carrier Alpha Code® (SCAC®) |
The SCAC Data – Quarterly Distribution File is available on a calendar year subscription basis, transmitted either by email or FTP (push or pull). To subscribe/purchase the Quarterly Distribution Service, go to scaccode.com, select Purchase Data Products, and then SCAC Data – Quarterly Distribution Service. Your subscription is available for delivery by email or SFTP (push or pull).
All distributions contain a "supplement file" that includes the latest changes and a revised "master file". You may wish to use the "supplement file" to quickly identify which alpha codes have been added, changed, and cancelled since you received your last data distribution. The "master file" contains all the active alpha codes in effect at the time the file was created.
See the following for more information:
Data Format
The files are *.TXT and contain "Fixed Field Fixed Length" formatted data.
The data is generated and delivered using an extended ASCII character set encoded using UTF-8 to allow for correct foreign company names and addresses. If your database, development tools, or system does not support this extended ASCII character set, you must replace or remove the extended characters prior to importing the data. If you attempt to import the data without UTF-8 support or replace the extended ASCII character set, the fixed file format may “blow out” since certain extended ASCII characters may be improperly translated into two characters instead of one.
NMFTA does not recommend stripping or replacing extended characters since your data will not reflect the proper company names and addresses as we have on record, and make programmatic matches more difficult between systems. The recommended solution is to use a database and/or development tools that are capable of supporting the UTF-8 character set.
Record Layout
The data layout contains all fields from the SCAC file. This format is ideal for loading into a database management system for further data manipulation. The internal data field names and sizes are shown below.
| Field Name | Position | Width | Detailed Field Name |
| SCAC | 1-4 | 4 | STANDARD CARRIER ALPHA CODE |
| MCN | 5-12 | 8 | MC NUMBER OR MODE DESIGNATION (see Explanation of MCN Field for more information) |
| COMPANY NAME | 13-111 | 99 | CARRIER NAME |
| ADDRESS | 112-161 | 50 | CARRIER ADDRESS |
| CITY | 162-190 | 29 | CARRIER CITY |
| STATE | 191-193 | 3 | CARRIER STATE |
| ZIP CODE | 194-203 | 10 | ZIP CODE OR POSTAL CODE |
| COUNTRY | 204-223 | 20 | COUNTRY (BLANK IF US OR CANADA) |
| PHONE | 224-233 | 10 | TELEPHONE NUMBER |
| SYM-S | 234-234 | 1 |
0=CANCEL-AUTHORITY REVOKED 1=CANCEL 2=ADD |
| SYM-M | 235-235 | 1 |
3=CHANGE IN MCN FIELD 9=MC NUMBER PENDING |
| SYM-N | 236-236 | 1 | 3=CHANGE IN CARRIER NAME, CITY OR STATE |
| SYM-X | 237-241 | 5 |
4=ADOPTED BY 8=REINSTATED (ONE OF THE ABOVE WILL PRECEDE AN SCAC) |
| U.S. DOT | 242-249 | 8 | U.S. DOT CENSUS NUMBER |
| EQUIPMENT MARK | 250-250 | 1 |
B=BIC ASSIGNED CONTAINER MARK E=RAILROAD EQUIPMENT MARK U=CONTAINER MARK X=PRIVATE RAILCAR MARK Z=TRAILER OR CHASSIS MARK |
| DATE | 251-258 | 8 | MMDDYYYY OF LAST UPDATE |
|
Please note the following:
|
Explanation of MCN Field
In the majority of instances, the docket number of the entity will appear in this field. This indicates that the entity holds authority formerly issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
If no docket number is shown, the authority is pending.
When an abbreviation is used in this column, in lieu of a number, the company's primary type of operation is explained below:
Abbreviations and Primary Types of Operation
| Abbreviation | Primary Type of Operation |
| AGENTS | Carrier Tariff Publishing Bureau |
| AIRLIN | Air Carrier or Air Taxi of any Type |
| BIMXCA | Passenger Motor Carrier operating only in Mexico or Central America |
| BINCDA | Passenger Motor Carrier operating in only Canada |
| BINTRA | Passenger Motor Carrier with only Intrastate Operating Authority |
| BROKER | Freight or Passenger Transportation Broker not Licensed by the FMCSA |
| EXEMPT | Motor Freight Carrier Hauling Exempt Commodities |
| FF-AIR | Air Freight Forwarder |
| F????? | Surface Freight Forwarder Licensed by the FMCSA |
| FRTFWD | Surface Freight Forwarder not Licensed by the FMCSA |
| GT???? | Government Traffic Certificate issued by the former ICC (???? = docket number) |
| LEASCO | Equipment Leasing Company |
| LOCART | Local Cartage Company |
| MINCDA | Motor Freight Carrier Operating only in Canada |
| MINEUR | European Motor Carrier |
| MINMEX | Motor Freight Carrier Operating only in Mexico or South America |
| MINTRA | Motor Freight Carrier Operating only within One State |
| MINUSA | Motor Carrier Owned and Operated by the U.S. Government |
| NVOCC | Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier |
| PIPELN | Pipe Line Company |
| PRVCAR | Private Motor Carriage or Private Rail Car Company |
| RAILRD | Railroad |
| RREQMK | Railroad Equipment Mark |
| RR-WTR | Railroad Car Ferry |
| TVLAGT | Travel Agency |
| W-???? | Water Carrier Certificate issued by the former ICC (???? = docket number) |
| WATAGT | Steamship Agent |
| WATRLN | Steamship Company, Barge Line, Automobile Ferry, etc. |
Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Definition |
| AAT | AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC TERRITORY |
| AB | ALBERTA |
| ACT | AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY |
| AGU | AGUASCALIENTES |
| AK | ALASKA |
| AL | ALABAMA |
| AR | ARKANSAS |
| AS | AMERICAN SAMOA |
| AZ | ARIZONA |
| BC | BRITISH COLUMBIA |
| BIC | BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES CONTAINERS |
| BCN | BAJA CALIFORNIA |
| BCS | BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR |
| CA | CALIFORNIA |
| CAM | CAMPECHE |
| CDA | CANADA |
| CHH | CHIHUAHUA |
| CHP | CHIAPAS |
| CMX | CUIDAD DE MEXICO |
| CO | COLORADO |
| COA | COAHUILA DE ZARAGOZA |
| COL | COLIMA |
| CT | CONNECTICUT |
| CZ | CANAL ZONE |
| DC | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA |
| DE | DELAWARE |
| DUR | DURANGO |
| FMCSA | FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION |
| FL | FLORIDA |
| FM | FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA |
| GA | GEORGIA |
| GRO | GUERRERO |
| GU | GUAM |
| GUA | GUANAJUATO |
| HI | HAWAII |
| HID | HIDALGO |
| IA | IOWA |
| ICC | INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION |
| ID | IDAHO |
| IL | ILLINOIS |
| IN | INDIANA |
| JAL | JALISCO |
| JBT | JERVIS BAY TERRITORY |
| KS | KANSAS |
| KY | KENTUCKY |
| LA | LOUISIANA |
| MA | MASSACHUSETTS |
| MB | MANITOBA |
| MC | MOTOR CARRIER DOCKET NO. |
| MD | MARYLAND |
| ME | MAINE |
| MEX | MEXICO (MEXICAN STATE) |
| MI | MICHIGAN |
| MIC | MICHOACAN DE OCAMPO |
| MH | MARSHALL ISLANDS |
| MN | MINNESOTA |
| MO | MISSOURI |
| MOR | MORELOS |
| MP | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS |
| MS | MISSISSIPPI |
| MT | MONTANA |
| MX | MEXICO (COUNTRY) |
| NAY | NAYARIT |
| NB | NEW BRUNSWICK |
| NC | NORTH CAROLINA |
| ND | NORTH DAKOTA |
| NE | NEBRASKA |
| NH | NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| NJ | NEW JERSEY |
| NL | NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR |
| NLE | NUEVO LEON |
| NM | NEW MEXICO |
| NSW | NEW SOUTH WALES |
| NV | NEVADA |
| NMF | NATIONAL MOTOR FREIGHT TRAFFIC ASSOCIATION INC. |
| NS | NOVA SCOTIA |
| NT | NORTHWEST TERRITORIES |
| NU | NUNAVUT |
| NY | NEW YORK |
| OAX | OAXACA |
| OH | OHIO |
| OK | OKLAHOMA |
| ON | ONTARIO |
| OR | OREGON |
| PA | PENNSYLVANIA |
| PE | PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND |
| PR | PUERTO RICO |
| PUE | PUEBLA |
| PW | PALAU |
| QC | QUEBEC |
| QLD | QUEENSLAND |
| QUE | QUERETARO |
| RI | RHODE ISLAND |
| ROO | QUINTANA ROO |
| SC | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| SCAC | STANDARD CARRIER ALPHA CODE |
| SD | SOUTH DAKOTA |
| SIN | SINALOA |
| SK | SASKATCHEWAN |
| SLP | SAN LUIS POTOSI |
| SON | SONORA |
| STB | SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD |
| STAC | STANDARD TARIFF AGENTS CODE |
| TAB | TABASCO |
| TAM | TAMAULIPAS |
| TAS | TASMANIA |
| TLA | TLAXCALA |
| TN | TENNESSEE |
| TX | TEXAS |
| UT | UTAH |
| VA | VIRGINIA |
| VER | VERICRUZ DE IGNACIO DE LA LLAVE |
| VI | VIRGIN ISLANDS |
| VIC | VICTORIA |
| VT | VERMONT |
| WA | WASHINGTON |
| WI | WISCONSIN |
| WV | WEST VIRGINIA |
| WY | WYOMING |
| YUC | UCATAN |
| YT | YUKON |
| ZAC | ZACATECAS |
All content © Copyright 2025 National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.™ All Rights Reserved.