MCS-150 Biennial Update

An MCS-150 biennial update keeps the public FMCSA carrier record accurate. Most entities with a USDOT number must file every two years even when nothing has changed. Since May 19, 2026, electronic updates are completed in FMCSA Motus using Login.gov. The old Unified Registration System is permanently offline.

When is your MCS-150 biennial update due?

Federal regulation 49 CFR 390.19 assigns a filing year and month from the final two digits of the USDOT number. The next-to-last digit determines the year: an odd digit means an odd-numbered calendar year and an even digit means an even-numbered calendar year. The final digit sets the filing month: 1 through 9 mean January through September, and 0 means October.

For example, a USDOT number ending in 24 is assigned April of even-numbered years. A number ending in 70 is assigned October of odd-numbered years. This schedule applies even if the carrier’s information has not changed. Use our MCS-150 biennial update checker as a planning aid, then confirm the public record and filing status in Motus.

What information should be checked before filing?

• Identity: the legal business name, any trade name, entity type and federal tax identification details must match authoritative business records.
• Addresses and contacts: verify the principal place of business, mailing address, telephone number and business email. A physical principal address is important for the carrier record.
• Operation and cargo: check carrier operation, classification, cargo classifications and whether the company operates interstate or intrastate.
• Fleet and drivers: report the power units, trailers and driver counts requested by the form using current, supportable records.
• Mileage: enter the carrier’s mileage for the requested reporting year, not a rough lifetime figure. Keep the source record used for the calculation.
• Hazardous materials and passengers: answer these sections from actual operations because they can affect other regulatory obligations.

Do not copy an old submission without checking it. A change in fleet size, operation type, cargo, address or mileage can make a previously correct report misleading. See our explanation of outdated carrier VMT for why mileage deserves a deliberate review.

How to complete the update in Motus

1. Sign in to the current FMCSA Motus registration system with the Login.gov identity linked to the business.
2. Select the existing USDOT record. Do not begin a second USDOT application just because access to the original record is difficult.
3. Choose the biennial update or business-information update workflow and review every displayed section.
4. Resolve mismatches before certifying. Legal-name, entity and identity-verification issues may need supporting documents.
5. Submit the certification and save the confirmation, date, filer details and a copy of the information supplied.
6. Recheck the public record after processing and investigate any field that did not update as expected.

Common MCS-150 problems to avoid

A duplicate USDOT application is not a fix for a missed update. Neither is a casual change to the legal name, because the business identity must remain consistent across registration, insurance, tax and state records. Other frequent problems include using an old address, guessing annual mileage, omitting a cargo class, counting leased equipment inconsistently and assuming an insurance or BOC-3 filing updates the MCS-150 automatically.

FMCSA announced a temporary suspension of USDOT-number inactivation for missed biennial updates during the Motus transition. That temporary enforcement step does not cancel the filing duty in 49 CFR 390.19. Carriers should continue to file on schedule and should not plan around a temporary suspension that FMCSA may change.

What happens after submission?

Keep evidence of the completed transaction and compare it with the public carrier record. If the USDOT record is also tied to interstate for-hire authority, verify that the authority, insurance and BOC-3 records remain correct. The MCS-150 by itself does not activate authority, cure an insurance cancellation or reinstate a revoked operating authority.

A specialist can help when the carrier has an ownership or legal-name change, cannot access Motus, has conflicting records, received an FMCSA notice, or needs to coordinate the update with broader USDOT and operating-authority work. The carrier remains responsible for the truth and completeness of the submission.

MCS-150 quality-control checklist

Before certification, compare the draft with four source sets: secretary-of-state and tax records for identity, insurance records for the insured entity, equipment and driver rosters for fleet data, and accounting or mileage reports for annual vehicle miles traveled. Mark the reporting date on each source. This prevents a current form from being assembled from figures that describe different periods.

After filing, assign an owner for the next biennial cycle and for interim business changes. Record the USDOT ending digits, the assigned month and year, Motus account holder, confirmation number and location of supporting records. Calendar reminders should begin well before the assigned month, but the regulatory schedule remains controlling if a reminder fails.

If a consultant prepares the data, an authorized company representative should still review every field and keep the final copy. Avoid arrangements in which only the filing company controls the Login.gov access or confirmation. The carrier needs durable access to its own federal registration record.

Treat a rejected or incomplete transaction as unresolved until Motus shows a successful submission. Screenshots of a partially completed form are not filing evidence. If the system reports a verification issue, retain the message, gather the requested source document and use FMCSA’s current support route. Do not alter truthful business facts simply to make an automated check pass.

Review access before an employee or consultant leaves. Transfer responsibility through approved account controls, update monitored contacts and preserve prior confirmations. Shared passwords weaken accountability and may create identity-verification problems, so each authorized person should use the current access method correctly.

Official MCS-150 sources

Last reviewed: 18 August 2026. Check current requirements at 49 CFR 390.19, the FMCSA Move into Motus page, and the official MCS-150 instructions. FMCSA is the controlling source if its process changes.