To deactivate your MC number, file a notarized Form OCE-46 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to voluntarily revoke your interstate operating authority. If you’re closing the business entirely, file Form MCS-150 marked “Out of Business” at the same time so your USDOT number is inactivated too. Doing one without the other leaves you on the hook for biennial updates and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, capped at $10,000.1Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do You Complete a Biennial Update
Fill Out Form OCE-46
Form OCE-46 is the FMCSA’s form for voluntary revocation of operating authority.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Form OCE-46 – Request for Revocation of Operating Authority Before you fill it out, make sure you have no outstanding safety violations, enforcement actions, or unresolved compliance issues tied to your MC number. Pending items can stall the revocation.
The form asks for three things:
- Your docket number (MC, MX, or FF)
- Business name and address exactly as the FMCSA has them on file
- The signature of someone legally authorized to act for the company
That signature has to be notarized, or signed in the presence of an FMCSA staff member.3Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Inactivate or Revoke My Operating Authority Registration A local notary is the practical option for most carriers.
Submit the Form
You have three ways to send in the completed, notarized form. The FMCSA says to expect up to eight days for processing regardless of method.3Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Inactivate or Revoke My Operating Authority Registration
- Open a ticket through the FMCSA’s ASK website and attach the notarized form. You’ll get a confirmation number by email.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Form OCE-46 – Request for Revocation of Operating Authority
- Fax the form to (202) 366-3477.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Form OCE-46 – Request for Revocation of Operating Authority
- Mail it to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Office of Registration (MC-RS), 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Room W65-206, Washington, D.C. 20590.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Form OCE-46 – Request for Revocation of Operating Authority
The online ticket route gives you an immediate confirmation number and avoids a fax that fails silently or mail that sits in a mailroom. If you mail it, use certified mail so you have proof of delivery.
Handle Your USDOT Number Separately
This is where carriers get caught. Revoking your MC number removes your operating authority. It does not inactivate your USDOT number.
If you’re going out of business, file Form MCS-150 and select “Out of Business” as the reason for filing. Attach a copy of the driver’s license of whoever signs the form. When your USDOT number has active operating authority attached, the FMCSA wants Form OCE-46 and Form MCS-150 submitted together.4FMCSA. How Do I Inactivate My USDOT Number File only one and the other stays active, along with its compliance obligations.
If you’re not closing down but just dropping interstate for-hire authority, say to run as a private carrier or intrastate-only, revoke the MC number with Form OCE-46 and keep the USDOT number. Update your USDOT registration through the FMCSA Portal to reflect the new operations.3Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Inactivate or Revoke My Operating Authority Registration
Verify the Revocation
Don’t assume the filing went through. A week or two after submitting, check your status yourself using the FMCSA’s free tools:
- SAFER Company Snapshot at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov confirms whether your USDOT number shows as inactive, if you filed Form MCS-150.5FMCSA. How Can I Check the Status of My Operating Authority (MC/FF/MX Number) Registration and/or Application
- The FMCSA Licensing and Insurance website shows your MC number status. Enter your MC or USDOT number and look at the “Authority Status” column on your carrier details page. It should read “Revoked.”5FMCSA. How Can I Check the Status of My Operating Authority (MC/FF/MX Number) Registration and/or Application
If nothing has changed after two weeks, follow up through the ASK system. Catching a stalled filing early beats finding out years later when a biennial update notice shows up.
Cancel Insurance Only After Confirmation
Do not cancel your BMC-91 or BMC-34 insurance filings until your operating authority actually shows as revoked in the FMCSA’s system. Canceling insurance while the authority is still active can trigger enforcement. Once the status is confirmed, contact your insurer to terminate the filing.
Keep copies of everything permanently: the submitted OCE-46, the MCS-150 if you filed it, confirmation numbers and emails from the FMCSA, and screenshots of the revoked status from Licensing and Insurance. If a question ever comes up about whether you were authorized during a particular period, those records are your proof.
Reinstating the Authority Later
Voluntary revocation isn’t necessarily permanent. If you need interstate authority again, you can apply to reinstate a previously revoked MC number. The fee is $80, and authority is typically active within a week of the FMCSA receiving your application and payment.6Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). How Do I Reinstate My Operating Authority (MC/FF/MX Number)
To qualify, you need an active USDOT number with current contact information (file an MCS-150 alongside your reinstatement request if it’s inactive), minimum insurance on file, and a BOC-3 form designating process agents on file with the FMCSA. Request reinstatement online through your FMCSA Portal or by submitting Form MCSA-5889 through the ASK ticketing system. One exception: reinstatement isn’t available if you were placed out of service as an imminent hazard or received a final unsatisfactory safety rating. In those cases you’d have to apply for new authority.6Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). How Do I Reinstate My Operating Authority (MC/FF/MX Number)