How to Deactivate Your USDOT Number: Filing and Reactivation

To deactivate a USDOT number, file Form MCS-150 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and check “Out of Business Notification” as your reason for filing. Submit it online through FMCSA’s ticket system or by mail, and include a copy of the signer’s government-issued photo ID. If you also hold operating authority (an MC, FF, or MX number), file Form OCE-46 to revoke that separately. Processing takes about eight business days once FMCSA receives your paperwork.

When Deactivation Is the Right Step

FMCSA assigns USDOT numbers to companies running commercial vehicles in interstate commerce, including vehicles weighing 10,001 pounds or more, vehicles carrying more than eight passengers for compensation, and intrastate hazmat carriers that need a safety permit. Deactivate the number when you stop operating those vehicles entirely, sell the business as a sole proprietor, or move into work that no longer requires federal registration.

A sole proprietor selling the business is expected to file the out-of-business notification themselves. The buyer applies for their own new USDOT number. You cannot sell, lease, or transfer a USDOT number to another person outside a legitimate corporate transaction, and FMCSA will inactivate any number it finds being used by someone other than the assigned registrant.¹

What to Gather Before You File

Have these ready:

Form MCS-150, downloaded directly from fmcsa.dot.gov. Hazardous materials carriers with a safety permit use Form MCS-150B instead. FMCSA rejects expired versions, so avoid third-party sites.²
A copy of the driver’s license or other government photo ID of whoever signs the certification on the form.³
Form OCE-46, if you hold active operating authority tied to the number.
Your USDOT number, legal business name, EIN, and current address.

On the MCS-150, check “Out of Business Notification” under reason for filing. FMCSA notes this box applies even if your company keeps operating in some other capacity; what matters is that you’re no longer doing the work that requires a USDOT number.⁴

Filing Online

The fastest route is FMCSA’s online ticket system. Go to ask.fmcsa.dot.gov, open a new ticket, complete the required fields, and upload the completed MCS-150 with your photo ID. You’ll get a confirmation number by email, and requests typically process within eight business days.³

You can also update your status through the FMCSA Portal if you have an account. First-time users need an FMCSA PIN, which you can request at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov using your EIN and USDOT number; it goes to the email or phone on file. After the first login, Login.gov credentials handle access.⁵ For PIN trouble, call the FMCSA Contact Center at 1-800-832-5660, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.⁶

Filing by Mail

To submit on paper, mail the signed MCS-150 and a copy of your photo ID to:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Office of Registration (MC-RS)
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Room W65-206
Washington, D.C. 20590⁴

Use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of delivery, and keep copies of everything. The same eight-day processing window applies once FMCSA receives it; transit time is on top of that.

The Separate Step If You Hold Operating Authority

This is where filings often get missed. Your USDOT number and your operating authority (MC, FF, or MX) are separate registrations. The MCS-150 only touches the USDOT number. To close out operating authority, file Form OCE-46 to voluntarily revoke it.⁷

The OCE-46 must be notarized or signed in the presence of an FMCSA staff member. It asks for your docket number (MC/FF/MX), full business name and address, and an authorized signature. Submit it through a ticket at ask.fmcsa.dot.gov (fastest), by fax to 202-366-3477, or by mail to the same Office of Registration address.⁷

Send both forms together when you can. If you stop operating and fail to update your records, FMCSA can start its own proceedings to revoke the authority.¹

Confirming the Number Is Inactive

FMCSA processes deactivations within about eight business days of receipt.⁴ Online filers should get email confirmation. Hold onto the submitted forms, ticket confirmations, mailing receipts, and any correspondence from FMCSA.

After the processing window, verify the change on the SAFER Company Snapshot at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Search by USDOT number or company name, and the record will show your current status.²

Loose Ends Beyond the USDOT Number

Deactivation handles the federal safety registration. It does not close the other pieces that ride alongside a trucking operation. Depending on your setup, you may still need to address:

Insurance filings. If you filed proof of insurance with FMCSA (Form BMC-91 or BMC-84), your insurer typically files the cancellation notice; confirm with them rather than assume.
BOC-3 process agent designations. Carriers with operating authority designate process agents in each state where they operate. Contact the BOC-3 provider to cancel once authority is revoked.
Unified Carrier Registration. Your UCR obligation generally ends when you stop operating, but check with your base state’s UCR administrator for any outstanding balance.
IFTA and IRP accounts. File final returns and cancel through your base jurisdiction. Fuel tax liabilities don’t disappear with the USDOT number.
State permits and plates. Return commercial plates and cancel state-specific operating permits. Some states prorate refunds on returned plates.

What It Costs to Leave the Number Active

Every registered carrier has to file a biennial MCS-150 update every two years, on a schedule tied to the last digit of the USDOT number.⁸ Miss it because you forgot the number was still active, and FMCSA can assess civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, capped at $10,000.⁹

FMCSA will also deactivate the number itself for a carrier that fails the biennial update.¹⁰ A forced deactivation for non-compliance reads differently on your record than a voluntary out-of-business filing, and it’s harder to work with if you later want back in.

There’s a liability angle too. As long as your number is active, FMCSA’s database still lists your company as an operating carrier. If someone else uses your number improperly, FMCSA can bring proceedings against the registered entity.¹

Reactivating Later

If you return to commercial operations, you can move the number back to active status by submitting a new MCS-150 (or MCS-150B for hazmat). Download the current form from fmcsa.dot.gov, because expired versions from third-party sites will be rejected.²

Reactivating the USDOT number does not restore operating authority. If you revoked MC, FF, or MX authority through OCE-46, you’ll apply separately to get it back. Carriers returning after a New Entrant revocation face additional requirements. Check the SAFER Company Snapshot before you start so you know exactly what needs restoring.

1
FMCSA. DO NOT Sell, Purchase, or Lease a USDOT or MC Number
2
FMCSA. How Do I Reactivate My USDOT Number
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Inactivate My USDOT Number
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Inactivate/Revoke My Operating Authority Registration
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Form MCS-150 and Instructions – Motor Carrier Identification Report
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Ask FMCSA Registration
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Form OCE-46 – Request for Revocation of Operating Authority
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eCFR. 49 CFR 390.19
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. What Are the Penalties for Failure to Submit My Biennial Update
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Updating Your Registration or Authority