What causes FMCSA operating authority to be revoked?

Authority is typically revoked for one of four causes: a lapse in BMC-91 insurance, failure to designate a BOC-3 process agent, a missed MCS-150 biennial update, or non-payment of an FMCSA civil penalty. Any single cause flips SAFER status to NOT AUTHORIZED and triggers a formal revocation notice. Safety-rating and out-of-service orders are a less common but more serious cause.

How long does FMCSA authority reinstatement take?

FastReinstatement submits your filing to the FMCSA the same business day payment clears. FMCSA typically updates SAFER within 1–3 business days after a complete filing, with most carriers seeing ACTIVE status restored inside 48 hours. An instant email confirmation with the filing reference number goes out at the moment of submission.

How much does FMCSA authority reinstatement cost?

Two flat tiers, no per-violation fees. Standard Reinstatement is $275 (filing fee plus the $80 FMCSA reinstatement fee, all-in) for carriers with active Login.gov credentials. Full Recovery & Identity Managed Filing is $325 and includes Login.gov account recovery plus IDEMIA identity verification, bypassing the 10-day USPS mail delay.

What is the difference between revoked and inactive authority?

Inactive authority is a voluntary deactivation or an MCS-150 that expired without a formal enforcement action — usually cured by a simple update. Revoked authority is a formal FMCSA enforcement action, typically tied to insurance or BOC-3, and requires a full reinstatement filing before you can legally operate again. Both show up as NOT AUTHORIZED on SAFER.

Can I haul freight while my authority is being reinstated?

No. Operating interstate commerce with revoked or suspended authority is a federal violation under 49 CFR and can result in fines up to $16,000 per day, vehicle out-of-service orders, and broker blacklisting. You must wait until the FMCSA restores ACTIVE status on SAFER before hauling any loads.

Do I need active insurance before filing a reinstatement?

Yes. FMCSA requires an active BMC-91 or BMC-91X filing on record before authority can be reinstated. If your policy lapsed, your insurance agent must re-file proof of coverage first. Our compliance checklist confirms each item is in place before we submit, so FMCSA doesn't reject for a missing prerequisite.

What happens if my reinstatement filing is rejected?

We guarantee 100% acceptance. If the FMCSA rejects your filing for any reason on our side, we re-submit immediately at no additional cost. If we still can't get it accepted, you receive a full refund — no questions, no hoops.

Do I need a new BOC-3 when reinstating my authority?

Usually yes. A missing or lapsed BOC-3 is one of the most common reasons authority is revoked in the first place. If yours isn't current you'll need to file a new BOC-3 designation as part of your reinstatement package. We can bundle this for you or point you to fastboc3filing.com for the $75 standalone filing.

Can I reinstate after multiple revocations?

Yes. A history of prior revocations does not disqualify a carrier from reinstatement so long as every current cause is cured. FMCSA evaluates on the state of the record at filing time, not on historical revocation count. Repeat revocations can prompt closer FMCSA scrutiny, so pairing reinstatement with current insurance, BOC-3, and MCS-150 filings is strongly recommended.

What is a BMC-91 and why does it affect my reinstatement?

BMC-91 is the FMCSA-required proof of public liability (bodily injury / property damage) insurance — most motor carriers file BMC-91X, the electronic version. FMCSA will not reinstate authority without an active BMC-91 on file. If your revocation is insurance-driven, the first step is your agent re-filing BMC-91X; only then can we submit the reinstatement.

For Out of Service orders

FMCSA reinstatement after Out of Service orders

Carrier-level OOS orders under 49 CFR §385 shut down the operation entirely until corrective action is documented and FMCSA reinstates the authority. We file the reinstatement same business day for $275 standard, after the carrier has completed the corrective-action portion. Plan 4-12 weeks for substantive correction; our filing happens at the end.

How the OOS recovery sequence works

Step 1: FMCSA issues the OOS order, typically following a §385.13 unsatisfactory safety rating after a compliance review or a §385.16 imminent-hazard finding. The order specifies the deficiencies and a corrective-action timeline. Step 2: the carrier completes substantive corrective action — fresh driver qualification files, updated drug-and-alcohol program documentation, fresh maintenance records, HOS compliance audit, etc. Step 3: the carrier files a Safety Management Plan with FMCSA documenting the corrective action. Step 4: the carrier files the reinstatement (us). Step 5: FMCSA reviews and reactivates.

See our why MC numbers get revoked guide for the underlying enforcement framework.

What's included

FMCSA reinstatement filing same business day after corrective action
Optional Login.gov account recovery (Full Recovery tier)
SAFER monitoring through reactivation
Documentation review for the corrective-action filing
Coordination with FMCSA division office on the Safety Management Plan

Pricing

Standard Reinstatement Filing$275

Full Recovery (Login.gov + IDEMIA)$325

Start filing

1-3 day reactivation post-filing

SAFER monitoring

OOS-specific guidance

OOS order recovery questions

What kinds of OOS orders apply to a carrier?

Three types: vehicle-level OOS (a specific truck taken out of service at roadside for a brake violation, hours-of-service violation, hazmat issue — typically a 24-hour to 30-day hold on that vehicle until repairs are documented), driver-level OOS (a specific driver placed OOS for HOS violation, drug/alcohol indication, license issue — typically 8-10 hours to 30 days), and carrier-level OOS (the entity itself shut down for imminent-hazard or unsatisfactory safety rating — most severe, requires substantive corrective action plus reinstatement filing).

How does carrier-level OOS recovery work?

A carrier-level OOS under 49 CFR §385 typically follows an unsatisfactory §385.13 compliance review or an imminent-hazard finding under §385.16. The carrier must demonstrate substantive correction of the underlying §391 / §382 / §395 / §396 deficiencies — typically through a written corrective action plan, fresh driver-qualification files on every active driver, fresh maintenance records, fresh HOS audit results — before FMCSA accepts the reinstatement filing. Plan 4-12 weeks for the document-correction portion, then our same-day reinstatement filing.

Can I keep operating during corrective action?

No. A carrier-level OOS prohibits all operations until reinstated. Continuing to operate in OOS status exposes the carrier to additional fines under 49 USC §521(b) up to $25,000 per violation and personal liability for officers in some circumstances. Vehicle and driver-level OOS only restrict the specific unit/individual; carrier-level shuts down the entire operation.

Other reinstatement contexts

You might also need

Driver MVR & CDLIS for fresh DQ files — FastDriverScreening
BOC-3 if also lapsed — FastBOC3Filing