"Reopened" means three different things
The October 3, 2025 Interim Final Rule removed the race- and sex-based presumptions of disadvantage and required every UCP to reevaluate every certified firm under 49 CFR §26.111; the DOT final rule of September 25, 2026 confirmed it and put a date on the end. While that ran, most UCPs stopped taking new applications and most recipients stopped placing DBE goals on contracts. Coming out of it, each state has to clear three separate gates, and they rarely open at the same time:
- Gate 1 Reevaluation verified complete8
Reevaluation complete — the UCP has finished deciding which previously certified firms stay certified.
- Gate 2 Verified open to new applications3
New applications open — the UCP is accepting first-time DBE applications again.
- Gate 3 Verified goals reinstated1
Goals reinstated — the recipient has a new overall goal approved by FHWA, FTA, or FAA and is placing contract goals again.
- Coverage15/ 51
States with verified data
Federal backstop: every UCP must finish reevaluations by December 24, 2026; nonresponsive firms have until March 24, 2027 (49 CFR 26.111(c)–(d)).
The DOT final rule (FR Doc. 2026-19688, docket DOT-OST-2025-0897) took effect September 25, 2026. State dates below are the earlier, state-set submission dates; they still apply. Confirm yours with your UCP.
DBE Narrative Pro (dbenarrativepro.com) offers a DBE Compliance Membership — $300/year, $35/month, or $500 for a single filing cycle — that tracks your firm's anniversary date, drafts your updated Personal Net Worth statement on the official form (and the Declaration of Eligibility the day U.S. DOT publishes the updated form), and keeps your supporting documents in your certification binder. Its narrative service writes the complete DBE personal narrative package for a one-time $79, with a free draft to read before any payment.
Status legend
1,225 firms were certified before the IFR; 277 were recertified. Firms not recertified were delisted effective June 30, 2026.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
6,000+ certified firms. Reevaluation deadline was April 16, 2026 (late packets accepted). U.S. DOT marked the California reevaluation complete on July 13, 2026.
Proposed FFY 2027–28 goals: FHWA 21.35% → 11.80%; FTA 6.7% → 0.08%. Proposed, not yet final.
DC UCP target completion is October 1, 2026, with firms on active contracts processed first.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Reevaluation completed July 10, 2026.
Since 2026-08-03
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Interstate applicants must include a home-state reevaluation letter dated after October 3, 2025.
Reevaluation completed March 24, 2026.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
All certified firms were delisted December 31, 2025 pending reevaluation. Target completion is December 31, 2026.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Reevaluation reported complete.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
1,300+ certified firms. Priority reevaluation completed August 18, 2026.
Since 2026-08-17
Goals resumed August 18, 2026. FHWA goal cut 15.3% → 6.2%; FTA goal cut 8.7% → 2.8%.
Certification activity paused pending U.S. DOT guidance. Reevaluation completion date not verified.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Reopened new applications in June 2026; a formal reevaluation-complete notice was not verified.
Since 2026-06
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
1,408 firms certified on October 3, 2025. As of August 26, 2026: 702 complete reevaluation applications, 538 non-responsive, 155 withdrawn, 50 denied, 431 recertified. Reevaluation completed September 1, 2026.
Goal methodology due to FHWA by November 1, 2026; goals reinstated after FHWA approval.
Reevaluation deadline was extended to May 31, 2026. No completion notice verified.
As of June 10, 2026, new applications and Declaration of Eligibility processing were on hold. No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
As of February 2026 the UCP was processing reevaluations only. No completion notice verified.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Reevaluation complete and approved by U.S. DOT.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
122 of 796 eligible firms applied for reevaluation; 87 were preliminarily approved.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Alaska decertified interstate (out-of-state) firms on November 11, 2025. Firms recertified in Alaska are reimbursed up to $2,000 for qualified professional services through December 31, 2026. In-state reevaluation completion date not verified.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Interstate firms were decertified 11/11/2025; out-of-state firms should expect to re-request certification with a post-IFR home-state record.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
In-state reevaluation completion date not verified. Interstate certification applications are paused.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
Interstate (26.85) applications paused. Confirm with the Massachusetts UCP before sending a packet.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
No public completion notice verified. Check the UCP program page or call the certification office directly.
No goal-reinstatement notice verified.
"Unknown" means we could not verify a public notice, not that nothing has happened. Status is as of 2026-09-22 and changes weekly. Always confirm with your certifying UCP before filing. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
If your state is open
- Every owner claiming disadvantage now needs an individual personal narrative and a Personal Net Worth statement under the $2,047,000 cap. There is no presumption to fall back on.
- File the full package with your home-state UCP. Applications never go to U.S. DOT.
- Once certified, your annual Declaration of Eligibility is due on the anniversary of your original certification date (49 CFR §26.83(j)), and any material change must be reported within 30 days (§26.83(i)).
- Fewer certified firms means less competition for each goal. Firms retained after reevaluation in Minnesota, for example, are bidding against a much smaller pool.
If your state is still closed or unknown
- Use the wait. The narrative is the slowest part of the application; a draft that is ready the day intake opens puts you at the front of the queue.
- If you were removed for non-response, you will most likely need a fresh application when intake reopens. If you were denied, §26.86(c) lets the UCP impose a wait of up to 12 months, and §26.89 gives you 45 days from the date of the letter to appeal to U.S. DOT. See reapplying after a denial.
- Already certified elsewhere? Check whether the receiving UCP requires a post–October 3, 2025 home-state letter before sending an interstate request.
- Find your UCP's phone and email in the UCP directory and ask for the written reopening notice.
Reevaluated and retained? Now keep it.
The DBE Compliance Membership tracks your anniversary filing date, drafts your PNW statement and Declaration of Eligibility, and generates interstate and notice-of-change packets. $300/year, $35/month, or $500 for a single filing cycle.