When you manage or own a commercial trucking company, you understand how important CDLs are. However, there are also other certifications you need to have. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all fleets to have a Department of Transportation (DOT) number to further demonstrate you and your employees have the qualities to maintain reliable operations.
This number can become inactive in certain situations, preventing you from legally and securely transporting goods and passengers. Discovering what it means and how you can reactivate it is crucial to get your DOT number back in good status.
What Is an Inactive DOT Number?
The FMCSA assigns a DOT number to registered commercial transport companies transporting goods and passengers. This registration depends on your business and what you plan to carry. Most numbers are assigned to those carrying specific types and amounts of hazardous materials. Vehicles carrying more than eight paying passengers or 15 non-paying passengers must have these DOT numbers.
All commercial fleets involved in interstate commerce and responsible for transporting passengers or hauling cargo with weight ratings of 10,001 pounds or more must receive a DOT number. Many states also require numbers for intrastate commerce. These numbers are generally posted on the truck cabin and the driver’s side door for easy identification.
These numbers are eight-digit identifiers used by government officials when looking at safety information during audits, reviews, inspections and accident investigations. The FMCSA created them as an attempt to lower the frequency of serious road incidents caused by improperly trained drivers. Companies failing to comply with federal and state regulations are often subject to hefty fines and penalties. Infringing upon restrictions may also result in the FMCSA deeming your DOT number inactive, revoking your ability to legally transport goods and people.
Reasons Why Your DOT Number Is Inactive
Your U.S. DOT number can become inactive for a few reasons, including a failure to submit a new entry audit or not paying your International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) taxes. A couple of other situations will also render your DOT number inactive.
Failure to File Biennial Paperwork
One of the most common reasons DOT numbers are given an inactive status is a failure to complete the biennial paperwork. Not submitting an update before the deadline will deactivate your U.S. DOT number and incur fines of up to $1,000 a day. The FMCSA requires motor carriers to update their business information every two years or sooner if changes occur.
The MCS-150 form is the most common form companies must fill out. The second to the last digit of your DOT number determines whether you must file on an even or odd year, while the last digit denotes which month you must submit by. This form collects information like your fleet’s mileage, the number of vehicles and whether you carry passengers or hazardous materials. It is used to create safety performance scores, making filing accurately and on time critical.
Lapse in Trucking Insurance
All trucking companies need motor carrier insurance on file with the FMCSA to operate legally. They won’t provide your company with a DOT number without one and will deactivate your number if you lapse on your insurance payments. The type of insurance the FMCSA requires your fleet to have depends on what you haul.
Motor carriers transporting hazardous goods should have a minimum of $750,000 in liability coverage on cargo, which stretches up to $5,000,000 in coverage for hazardous materials and passengers. However, household goods trucking companies need $5,000 in cargo coverage per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence. The right insurance policy will ensure your DOT number remains in good standing.
Failed Safety Audit
Within the first 12 months of operation, all trucking companies undergo a safety audit as part of the new entrant program. These reviews look at various safety controls, including:
- Driver qualifications
- Hours of service records
- Vehicle maintenance procedures
- Vehicle inspection history
- Driver medical information
- Alcohol and controlled substance testing programs
- Accident reporting
- Insurance
If you fail your safety audit, you will receive a written explanation of why you didn’t pass and what you must do to correct it. You will then have 45 days to create and submit a corrective action plan (CAP). If you miss the deadline or neglect to formulate a CAP, the FMCSA will revoke your registration and place your DOT number as out of service. Depending on the offense, certain violations will result in expensive fines ranging from $250 to almost $80,000.
Steps to Reactivate a DOT Number
Reactivating your DOT number is straightforward, provided you follow the steps and rules below.
Check Your DOT Number Status
The first step to getting your trucks back on the road is confirming if your DOT number is inactive. You can use the Company Snapshot feature on the SAFER system to do this. With your number and company name, you can use this platform to confirm your status in minutes, free of charge. You can also learn more about your DOT number activity by emailing the FMCSA or calling their customer service team at (800) 832-5660.
It’s crucial to check your status, even if you know your number is out of service. It will provide you with important information to start taking steps to reactivate it.
Gather the Correct Information
The information you’ll need to reinstate your DOT number will depend on the causes of the deactivation. Checking your status using SAFER will provide you with a classification, commonly either “Record Inactive” or “Inactive USDOT Number per 49 CFR 390.19(b)(4).” These conditions require you to resubmit your MCS-150 form or a MCS-150B if you carry hazardous materials.
However, different situations require you to submit different forms and follow various steps. For example, if you’re reinstating your DOT number after having your new entrant application revoked, you’ll have to follow a different plan of action compared to failing to update your biennial information. The FMCSA regularly updates its forms and provides all the documentation you’ll need on its website.
Regardless of which forms you need, you can expect to use the following information:
- Motor Carrier number
- Legal name of the carrier
- Billing address when using credit card
- Phone number
- Signature
- Check or money order with the person’s or company’s name
Reactivate Your Number
After confirming your inactive DOT number and collecting everything you need, you’re ready to start the formal reactivation process. The first thing you should do is correct the issue or violation. Whether you forgot to update your biennial information or didn’t have proper maintenance procedures, you should remedy those problems first.
With that complete, you can finish the designated forms and send them to the FMCSA. They prefer online submissions using their web form or fax machine. However, they do accept hard-copy registrations through the mail. If you need help during the process, you can work with a DOT professional to ensure you’re on the right track.
Stay up to Date With Your DOT Number Status
Your DOT number plays a crucial role in your daily operations. Whether you haul hazardous materials or not, complying with FMCSA regulations ensures you and your employees are safe and secure while transporting goods across state lines. Part of following their restrictions entails regularly checking in with your DOT number status to ensure you’re ready to tackle any job that comes your way.
With our informative articles and resources, you can keep an eye on the Porter Freight Funding blog to stay in the know about everything trucking and fleet management. From compliance to insurance services, we can help your company stay within regulations — reach out today.