To cancel a DOT number, file Form MCS-150 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and select “Out of Business Notification” as the reason for filing. If you also hold operating authority (an MC, MX, or FF number), you have to file a separate Form OCE-46 to revoke it. There is no fee for either filing, but the paperwork has a few requirements people miss.
What to Gather Before You File
Have these ready before you start:
- Your USDOT number.
- The right version of Form MCS-150. Most carriers use the standard MCS-150. Hazmat permit holders use the MCS-150B, and intermodal equipment providers use the MCS-150C.
- A copy of the signer’s driver’s license. Whoever signs the certification statement at item 31 on the standard form must attach a copy of their license. FMCSA returns submissions that are missing this.
- Your USDOT PIN, an eight-character code of letters and numbers. If you’ve lost it, you can request a replacement through the FMCSA’s SAFER System by email, text, or U.S. mail; mail takes seven to ten business days.1Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Request a USDOT Personal Identification Number (PIN)
- Form OCE-46, only if you hold active operating authority linked to your USDOT number.
Filing the MCS-150
On the MCS-150, select “Out of Business Notification” as the reason for filing. There is no separate “Inactive” option; this is the correct selection for closing the number. Complete items 1 through 16 and 30 through 31, and sign the certification statement.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Instructions for Form MCS-150
You can submit two ways. FMCSA encourages the online route for faster processing: open a ticket through the FMCSA Contact Center at ask.fmcsa.dot.gov, complete the required fields, and upload the signed MCS-150 along with the copy of the signer’s driver’s license.3Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Inactivate My USDOT Number? To do this you’ll need an FMCSA Portal account linked to Login.gov; if you don’t have one, set it up at portal.fmcsa.dot.gov first.4Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. AskFMCSA
If you’d rather mail it, send the completed forms to:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Attention: USDOT Number Application
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W65-206
Washington, DC 20590
Paper submissions average four to six weeks to process.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Instructions for Form MCS-150 Keep copies of everything, since mail submissions don’t generate an automatic confirmation.
Revoking Operating Authority With Form OCE-46
Canceling the USDOT number alone doesn’t touch operating authority. If your USDOT number is linked to an active MC, MX, or FF number, you also need to file Form OCE-46 to voluntarily revoke that authority.3Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Inactivate My USDOT Number? The form asks for your docket number, the company’s full legal name and address, and the type of authority you’re revoking (common, contract, or broker).
The signature on the OCE-46 must be notarized, or signed in the presence of an FMCSA staff member.5Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FMCSA Form OCE-46 – Request for Revocation of Authority Granted There is no filing fee. The only costs are the notary (a few dollars in most states) and postage. Submit the OCE-46 with your MCS-150 through the same Contact Center ticket, or send both in the same envelope by mail.
If you only ever held a USDOT number and never had operating authority, skip this step. The OCE-46 doesn’t apply to you.
Tell Your Insurer Separately
Canceling the USDOT number does not end your motor carrier insurance filings with FMCSA. Your insurer or surety has to submit Form BMC-35, the Notice of Cancellation, and that cancellation only takes effect 30 days after FMCSA receives it.6GovInfo. 49 CFR 387.313 – Forms and Procedures Call your insurance provider, tell them you’re ceasing operations, and ask them to initiate the BMC-35. Otherwise you keep paying premiums on coverage you don’t need.
What Happens After the Filing Is Processed
Once FMCSA processes the MCS-150, your USDOT number’s status updates to reflect the out-of-business notification. Save any confirmation number or ticket receipt from your submission. From that point on, you cannot legally operate commercial motor vehicles under that USDOT number.
If a vehicle is found operating without valid registration, federal regulations authorize roadside enforcement to place the carrier out of service on the spot.7eCFR. 49 CFR 392.9a – Operating Authority Civil penalties under 49 USC 521 stack on top: fines that start in the thousands of dollars per violation, with each day of continued operation counted as a separate violation, and higher penalties for passenger carriers and hazmat operations. Failing to file a required biennial MCS-150 update carries its own penalty of up to $1,000 per day, capped at $10,000 per violation.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 521 – Civil Penalties
Reactivating the Number Later
A USDOT number marked out of business isn’t gone forever. If you resume commercial operations later, you don’t apply for a new number. You file the MCS-150 again and select “Reactivate” as the reason for filing.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Instructions for Form MCS-150 The form instructions are explicit that a company previously assigned a USDOT number should not apply for a new one.
Reactivation means updating all your company information and meeting current insurance and safety requirements. If you also revoked operating authority through the OCE-46, you’ll have to reapply for that separately, with a BOC-3 process agent designation and proper insurance filings in place before reinstatement is approved.9Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Voluntary Revocation of Operating Authority Registration Q&A