The motor carrier number used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is a U.S. Department of Transportation number. To reactivate an MC number, you complete the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's form MCS-150. Depending on your reason for deactivation, you do this online or using a paper form. No fee is required.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration "strongly encourages" applicants to use the online system as it has built-in edit checks and is faster to complete, taking about 20 minutes to fill out. After you submit your application online, your USDOT number is reactivated. You can only use the online form if your USDOT number was deactivated because you failed to complete the biennial update or you are reapplying at least 30 days after a new entrant revocation. Select either "Biennial Update" or "Reapplication (after Revocation of New Entrant)" under the "Reason for Filing Section."
If you are applying to reactivate your USDOT number for another reason not covered by the online form or if you are Mexico-based carrier, you must complete the paper form. Mail the form to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Office of Registration and Safety Information (MC-RS), Licensing Team, 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20590, or fax it to 703-280-4003. Paper applications take an average of four to six weeks to process and the notification of your USDOT number reactivation is mailed to you.
