An out-of-service (OOS) order bars a carrier from operating commercial motor vehicles until FMCSA lifts it. The surprising part: as of 2026-11-09, 14,415 carriers that FMCSA's census still lists as active have an out-of-service order in effect. A quick status check that stops at "active" misses them.
Out-of-service orders by reason (carriers listed as active)
| Reason and what it means | Carriers |
|---|---|
| New Entrant Revoked - Refusal of Audit/No Contact The carrier didn't complete its new entrant safety audit: it refused, or FMCSA couldn't reach it. Its new-entrant registration was revoked. | 12,050 |
| New Entrant Revoked - Failure of Safety Audit The carrier failed its new entrant safety audit and didn't fix the problems with an accepted corrective action plan in time. | 537 |
| New Entrant Revoked - Expedited Actions Serious violations found early (for example, operating without required drug and alcohol testing or with unqualified drivers) triggered expedited action, and the carrier didn't correct them. | 3 |
| 90 day failure to pay fine The carrier didn't pay an FMCSA civil penalty within 90 days. It stays out of service until the penalty is paid or settled. | 879 |
| Unsatisfactory = Unfit A compliance review produced an unsatisfactory safety rating, and the carrier didn't improve it, so FMCSA declared it unfit to operate. | 143 |
| Denial of Access The carrier refused to give FMCSA access to its records or property during an investigation. | 487 |
| Intrastate Out of Service A state agency ordered the carrier out of service for intrastate (within-state) operations. | 303 |
| Imminent Hazard FMCSA found that the carrier's operations posed an imminent hazard to public safety. This is the most serious type of order, often after a fatal crash investigation. | 5 |
| Operating Without Authority - 49 USC 13902(e)(1) The carrier was operating for hire in interstate commerce without the required operating authority. | 1 |
| Generic/Other Other out-of-service actions. | 7 |
What to do if a carrier has an out-of-service order
Don't tender. A carrier under an out-of-service order may not legally operate, and insurance may not respond to a claim. If the carrier says the order was lifted, verify it on FMCSA's records. Orders are lifted when the underlying issue is resolved (for example, a fine is paid or a rating is upgraded).
How CarrierTell shows it
Any carrier with an order in effect gets an "Out-of-service order" flag and a HIGH risk level, with the reason and date. Orders issued or lifted are also recorded in the daily change history, and watchlist users get an alert.
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