Is reinstatement cheaper than applying for a new MC?
Usually yes. Reinstatement carries the $80 FMCSA reinstatement fee (49 CFR §360.3T(f)(52)) plus the cost of curing the cause. A new MC carries the $300 OP-1 filing fee plus new BOC-3 and insurance filings, and a new application goes through FMCSA's new-applicant review, including the 10-day protest period after the FMCSA Register notice (49 CFR 365.203T); FMCSA controls the timing. Reinstatement also keeps your existing MC number and history.
Reinstatement: the $80 FMCSA reinstatement fee (49 CFR §360.3T(f)(52), the same flat fee for MC, MX, MC-B, and FF authority) plus the cost of the cure - bringing insurance current, a fresh BOC-3, or corrective action. Our MC authority reinstatement price is $300, which includes the $80 FMCSA fee.
New MC application: the FMCSA OP-1 filing fee ($300), plus a BOC-3 and an insurance filing from your insurer before the authority is granted. A new application goes through FMCSA's new-applicant review, including the 10-day protest period after the FMCSA Register notice (49 CFR 365.203T); FMCSA controls the timing.
Beyond cost, reinstatement keeps the existing MC number, the carrier's safety record (good or bad), and broker and customer relationships tied to that number. A new authority starts with a new MC number.
The case for new authority over reinstatement is narrow. FMCSA reviews new applications for links to previously registered carriers, so a new MC is not a clean way to leave a poor safety record behind.