Can a carrier hold multiple MC numbers?
Generally only one MC per legal entity. A single LLC or corporation typically holds one MC. Different MC numbers are assigned for different authority types under the same entity (motor carrier MC, broker MC-B, freight forwarder MC-FF can all attach to the same EIN). Separate operating-authority entities (different EINs) get separate MC numbers.
FMCSA assigns one MC number per operating-authority application per legal entity. A single LLC operating as both a motor carrier and a broker holds two distinct MC numbers (one MC for property carriage, one MC-B for brokerage) under the same USDOT — the USDOT is the entity ID, the MC numbers are activity-specific.
Carriers operating multiple business lines through different legal entities get separate MC numbers per entity. A corporate parent with three operating subsidiaries (each a different LLC) typically has three USDOTs and three MCs.
A common compliance pattern is the "broker-and-carrier" hybrid: an LLC holds an MC (motor carrier) and an MC-B (broker) under one USDOT. This requires careful disclosure under §371.3 broker-financial-responsibility and conflict-of-interest provisions, and the BMC-91 + BMC-84/85 filings are independent for each authority type. Most successful hybrids use a separate-LLC structure rather than dual-authority on the same entity to avoid the disclosure complexity.
Reactivating a previously-revoked MC: typically a new MC number is issued at reactivation, not the old one. The old MC stays in the FMCSA history record but becomes inactive permanently.