DL was NOT provided or used as ID

[allodial]

I actually obtained a US DOT# and held it for a year or so while I contemplated about transitioning over. I received a notice that without the mandatory inspection, the # would be cancelled. I told them there is nothing to inspect since I believe I entered any vehicles as "leased" when needed. I don't remember exactly what was said on the phone but it ended with the US DOT# being cancelled.

Any thoughts on that?

If you went for the "Household Goods Methodology" that is probably why they are asking. The only kind of cargo should be: OTHER: NO CARGO. If you are transporting cosmetics, toiletries...no surprise they want an inspection. As attorney-in-fact for the trust I have yet to receive ANY information asking for an inspection just information about basic programs and the alcohol awareness training which due to status they immediately acknowledged that it was not required training.

Goods and personal property are two different things. Goods are in stores. "Personal property" is "your stuff" better yet, "private possessions".

Also the family trust isn't a motor carrier just acting AS IF a carrier for the purposes of aiding easy friend-foe-neutral identification while in transit.

RE: NAME
For the name of the "motor carrier" one can enter "John Henry, as Motor Carrier" to limit the scope of usage of the name to that specific role (from general to special). One can utilize name of a family trust. One could even put "John Henry, as Motor Carrier" for name and put the John Henry Doe for the 'trade name'. I prefer the house estate or family trust method. For the signature/role/office: Attorney-In-Fact, Agent, Authorized Representative are all sufficient.

Consider:

John Henry as Attorney-In-Fact for John Henry, as Motor Carrier d/b/a JOHN HENRY DOE.
John Henry, as Attorney-In-Fact for JOHN HENRY DOE, AS MOTOR CARRIER.

If you're using the SSA/EIN entity as an intermediary (its a trust or an estate in case you didn't know), that's fair enough. You could put John Henry, as Motor Carrier in field #1 and JOHN HENRY DOE in field #2. However, I'd enter "not domestic" and "private" into the address fields. You can also do change of address with the SSA and also with the IRS and also with the State DMV. Key is be thorough not half-on-half-off. But again your situation may be different from mine. I am wholly without any State ID, Driver License or SSN whatsoever.

"Goods" means all things which are moveable at the time of the sale or at the time the buyer takes possession, including goods not in existence at the time the transaction is entered into and goods which are furnished or used at the time of sale or subsequently in modernization, rehabilitation, repair, alteration, improvement or construction on real property so as to become a part thereof whether or not they are severable therefrom. "Goods" also includes merchandise certificates.(North Carolina General Assembly)