Why inactivity alone doesn't close your number
FMCSA's system is built around active confirmation, not silence. A USDOT number stays marked active in FMCSA's records until you affirmatively tell them otherwise — parking your truck, letting your insurance lapse, or simply not hauling loads doesn't change your status in their system. That's also why the biennial MCS-150 update is still required even during a period of inactivity: silence isn't read as "out of business," it's read as "still active, information unconfirmed."
How to actually close it
To inactivate a USDOT number, you file an updated MCS-150 (or MCS-150B for hazmat carriers) and select "Out of Business" as the reason for filing. This is the same form used for a routine biennial update — the difference is just which reason you select.
USDOT numbers and MC/operating authority numbers are deactivated separately. If you hold both, closing one does not automatically close the other — each needs its own filing.
Filing process
- We confirm which numbers you hold — USDOT only, or USDOT plus MC/operating authority.
- We file the deactivation for each number that applies, with "Out of Business" as the stated reason.
- You receive confirmation once your record reflects inactive status, closing out the requirement for good.