The check is free for 3 USDOT numbers a day, with no account. To have a number watched every day, with an email before each deadline and when its operating authority, insurance or BOC-3 on file changes, see the tracking plans.
Three different statuses
"Is my DOT number active?" can mean three separate things. FMCSA keeps them as separate records, and each one can change on its own:
| Record | What it covers | What you may see |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT status | Whether the USDOT number itself is in use | Active, Inactive, or Pending in the census data |
| Operating authority status | The MC, FF or MX number that for-hire interstate carriers, brokers and freight forwarders also need | Authorized for (property, passengers, household goods), Not authorized, Out-of-service |
| Out-of-service order | An order that stops a driver, a vehicle or a whole carrier operation | An out-of-service date on SAFER |
A carrier can have an active USDOT number and still show "not authorized" for operating authority, for example a private carrier that hauls its own goods and needs no MC number. Check the record that matters for what you do.
What each status means
Active
The USDOT number is in use in FMCSA's records. Active doesn't tell you the biennial update is current: our monthly count finds 25,564 active interstate carriers that missed an MCS-150 deadline (past-due statistics). The lookup above shows the status and the update side by side.
Inactive
The number has been switched off. A carrier can do this itself with an out of business filing (FMCSA), and FMCSA can do it, for example when a new entrant registration is revoked or after a missed biennial update (see why numbers go inactive). An inactive number keeps its digits: you reactivate it and carry on with the same USDOT number.
Pending
FMCSA's census file holds records for active, inactive and pending entities (FMCSA Company Census File). Pending records are rare: on October 28, 2026 only 1,353 of 4,522,888 were pending. If yours shows pending, ask FMCSA what is still outstanding.
Not authorized
An operating authority status on SAFER. FMCSA defines it as an entity that "does not have any operating authority and/or is not authorized to engage in interstate, for-hire operations" (FMCSA FAQ, updated May 26, 2023). FMCSA changed how SAFER displays these statuses after the "not authorized" label, shown next to the USDOT status, led to misunderstandings. If you haul only your own goods, this status is expected. For-hire interstate carriers of regulated freight need authority listed under "Authorized for".
Out of service
An out-of-service order is a declaration by an authorized enforcement officer that a driver, a commercial motor vehicle or a motor carrier operation is out of service (49 CFR 390.5T). For a whole carrier it can follow, for example, a final "unsatisfactory" safety rating (49 CFR 385.13) or a revoked new entrant registration (49 CFR 385.325). In both cases the carrier may not operate in interstate commerce once the order takes effect. On SAFER, FMCSA describes the "Out-of-service" authority status as a carrier under any type of out-of-service order that is not authorized to operate.
Our census data carries the USDOT status only: active, inactive or pending. It does not carry out-of-service orders or operating authority status, so our lookup never shows "not authorized" or "out of service". Check those on SAFER or in Motus.
Where to check, and what each source shows
| Where | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Motus Public Search | The registration record, searched by USDOT number, legal name or DBA name. This is FMCSA's own registration system, so it is the record to trust. |
| SAFER Company Snapshot | USDOT status, out-of-service date, MCS-150 form date, MCS-150 mileage and year, and operating authority status |
| The lookup above | USDOT status from FMCSA's census data, the last MCS-150 date on file, the next due date and whether the last deadline looks missed, with the date of the data |
The census file is public data, refreshed daily, and it can lag a filing. If our lookup and Motus disagree, go by Motus.
How many DOT numbers are inactive?
- Most of the recent inactivations were up to date on the MCS-150. Of the 19,624 numbers that turned inactive in those six weeks, 14,239 (72.6%) had an MCS-150 update dated within the two years before the change, so a missed biennial update does not explain them. 3,744 had no MCS-150 date in the census, and 1,641 had a last update more than two years old.
- Numbers come back too. 4,485 numbers went from inactive to active over the same weeks. As of October 28, 2026, 18,114 of the 19,624 were still inactive.
- The census does not record why a number changed status. These are counts of records. They don't say anything about a particular company.
Method: FMCSA's Company Census File as loaded each day from data.transportation.gov; status as of the census of October 28, 2026, and status changes between consecutive daily refreshes from September 13, 2026 onward, counted once per USDOT number. "Within two years" compares the MCS-150 date on file just before the change with the date of the change. Every record in the file is counted, including carriers outside the U.S. For past-due figures by state, see our MCS-150 past-due statistics.
Why DOT numbers go inactive
A missed biennial update
Every motor carrier and intermodal equipment provider files its MCS-150 (or the MCS-150B or MCS-150C) every 24 months, in a month set by its USDOT number. Someone who fails to complete the update "is subject to the penalties prescribed in 49 U.S.C. 521(b)(2)(B) or 49 U.S.C. 14901(a), as appropriate, and deactivation of its USDOT Number" (49 CFR 390.19T(b)(4), eCFR current to October 26, 2026). FMCSA's registration page puts the civil penalty at up to 1,000 dollars a day, capped at 10,000 dollars (FMCSA). Find your due date.
Right now: FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of biennial updates, and USDOT number inactivation for missing them, while carriers move to Motus. Carriers whose update was due on or after June 1, 2026 get extra time. The update is still required. (FMCSA notice, updated September 10, 2026.)
The notice covers biennial updates due on or after June 1, 2026. A number that went inactive for a deadline before then, or for any other reason, is not reactivated by the notice.
An out of business filing
A carrier inactivates its own number by filing the MCS-150 with "Out of Business" as the reason, with a copy of the signer's driver's license. If active operating authority is linked to the number, FMCSA also asks for Form OCE-46, notarized or signed in front of FMCSA staff (FMCSA FAQ, updated May 20, 2023). If you filed this by mistake or are starting again, reactivate.
A revoked new entrant registration
When FMCSA revokes a new entrant registration, the MCS-150 instructions describe the USDOT number as inactivated, and the way back is the reason for filing called "Reapplication (after revocation of new entrant)" under the same number (MCS-150 instructions, Rev. 2/25/2026). The revocation also comes with an out-of-service order (49 CFR 385.325).
How to reactivate a DOT number
FMCSA lists "inactivate or reactivate your USDOT Number" among the things a registrant can do in Motus (Move into Motus). You do it yourself, online.
- Confirm the status and the reason. Search the number in Motus Public Search. If it shows active, file the biennial update instead. If you don't know why it went inactive, ask FMCSA first: a revoked registration takes a different filing.
- Sign in to Motus and claim your company. The company official claims the existing USDOT number with the same Login.gov email used in the old FMCSA Portal. The step-by-step guide covers sign-in, identity verification and claiming.
- File the MCS-150 as a reactivation. On the form this reason for filing is called "Reactivate": complete all applicable items 1 to 31 and give your existing USDOT number in item 16. The form guide explains each item.
- Bring the details up to date as you go. Mileage for the last 12 months, vehicles, drivers, addresses and the people responsible. A reactivation asks for everything, so this is the moment to fix old entries.
- Keep the confirmation and check again. Look the number up in Motus. Public data, our lookup included, can take time to catch up.
- Reinstate operating authority if you need it. For-hire carriers whose MC number was also inactivated reinstate it separately. FMCSA's systems won't take that request while the USDOT number is inactive or out of service, so reactivate first (FMCSA FAQ).
What it costs
| Action | FMCSA fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Reactivate a USDOT number (MCS-150) | No processing fee | Registration forms, updated September 25, 2025 |
| Biennial update (MCS-150) | No processing fee. "Updating your information is free." | Updating your registration, updated October 22, 2025 |
| Reinstate operating authority (MC, FF or MX) | 80 dollars, with insurance and a BOC-3 on file | FMCSA FAQ, updated May 20, 2023 |
These FMCSA pages were last updated before Motus opened on May 19, 2026. FMCSA has published no different fee for Motus that we could find on October 28, 2026.
FMCSA also says it will not take an authority reinstatement from a carrier placed out of service as an imminent hazard or for a final unsatisfactory safety rating (FMCSA FAQ). Those cases go through FMCSA directly.
If something blocks you
Call FMCSA's registration contact center at 1-800-832-5660 or use its online ticket form. FMCSA says the center now answers from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM Eastern on weekdays, plus Saturdays (FMCSA). Ask for the reason the number is inactive and keep the ticket number.
Paid look-alike services
A search for "reactivate DOT number" turns up many sites that charge to do it, some styled to look like FMCSA. Paying one is legal, and some do real work. But the filing itself is yours to make in Motus with no processing fee, and letters that threaten deactivation and ask for a payment are a known scam pattern. Before you pay anyone, read how to spot biennial update scams, and type motus.dot.gov into the address bar yourself.
Keeping the number active
- File the biennial update on schedule, even when nothing changed. FMCSA says the update is required even if your information is the same, you stopped interstate work since the last update, or you closed without telling FMCSA (FMCSA).
- Tell FMCSA when you stop operating, with an out of business filing, so the record matches reality.
- Look the number up after every filing and keep each confirmation. Missed an update? Here is what to do.
Questions
How do I check my DOT number status?
Enter the USDOT number in the lookup at the top of this page, or search it in Motus Public Search or on FMCSA's SAFER Company Snapshot. SAFER shows the USDOT status, any out-of-service date and the date of the last MCS-150 on one screen.
Why is my DOT number inactive?
The usual causes are an out of business filing, a new entrant registration that FMCSA revoked, or a missed biennial update, which the rule lets FMCSA deactivate the number for (49 CFR 390.19T(b)(4)). Public data does not say which one applies to your number. Motus or FMCSA's contact center (1-800-832-5660) can tell you.
How do I reactivate my DOT number?
File the MCS-150 again with "Reactivate" as the reason for filing, complete all applicable items 1 to 31 and give your existing USDOT number in item 16. FMCSA lists reactivation among the actions you can take yourself in Motus.
How much does it cost to reactivate a DOT number?
FMCSA's registration forms page lists no processing fee for reactivating a USDOT number. Reinstating operating authority (an MC, FF or MX number) is a separate request, and FMCSA lists an 80 dollar fee for it.
What is an MCS-150 lookup?
A search by USDOT number that returns the date of the last MCS-150 on file. Ours adds the next due date and the USDOT status from FMCSA's census data. SAFER calls the same date "MCS-150 Form Date".
Is "not authorized" the same as an inactive DOT number?
No. "Not authorized" is an operating authority status on SAFER: FMCSA defines it as having no operating authority or not being authorized for interstate for-hire work (FMCSA). A private carrier with an active USDOT number can show it.
Can I get a new DOT number instead of reactivating the old one?
FMCSA's form instructions say a company that has ever had a USDOT number should not apply for a new one. Reactivate the number you have, or reapply under it if a new entrant registration was revoked.
Does the 2026 pause protect my number?
FMCSA says registrants whose biennial update was due on or after June 1, 2026 will not have their USDOT number inactivated for failing to submit it (FMCSA notice, last updated September 10, 2026). Deadlines before that date are outside the notice, and the pause covers only the biennial update.
I filed but the lookup still shows the old status. Why?
Our lookup reads FMCSA's public census file, which can take time to show a new filing. Motus holds the official record, so check it there and keep your confirmation.
Sources
- 49 CFR 390.19T, eCFR (current to October 26, 2026)
- FMCSA: Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement (updated September 10, 2026)
- FMCSA: Move into Motus (updated May 18, 2026)
- FMCSA: Registration forms, "Update Your USDOT Number" table (updated September 25, 2025)
- FMCSA: Updating Your Registration or Authority (updated October 22, 2025)
- FMCSA FAQ: How do I inactivate my USDOT number? (updated May 20, 2023)
- FMCSA FAQ: How do I reinstate my Operating Authority (MC/FF/MX number)? (updated May 20, 2023)
- FMCSA FAQ: Why is my operating authority status shown as "NOT AUTHORIZED" on SAFER? (updated May 26, 2023)
- 49 CFR 390.5T, definition of "out-of-service order", eCFR (current to October 26, 2026)
- 49 CFR 385.13 and 385.325, unsatisfactory ratings and new entrant revocation, eCFR (current to October 26, 2026)
- FMCSA Form MCS-150 and instructions (Rev. February 25, 2026)
- Motus Public Search
- FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot
- FMCSA Company Census File, data.transportation.gov
Last reviewed October 28, 2026.