Federal compliance
MCS-150 biennial update: deadlines, schedule, and penalties
All entities under FMCSA jurisdiction must update their information (MCS-150 series) every 24 months, even if nothing changed, the company ceased interstate operations, or the business closed without notifying FMCSA. Your USDOT number sets the filing month. Motus handles the update; read the current transition notice below alongside the usual schedule and penalties.
By Haul Handbook editorial team· Updated Sep 7, 2026
Biennial updates during the Motus transition
FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of the biennial update and the inactivation of USDOT numbers during the Motus transition. Registrants whose update was due on or after June 1, 2026 get additional time and will not have their USDOT number inactivated for missing it. The requirement itself remains in the rules, and FMCSA says it will share more guidance as Motus stabilizes.
Claim your existing USDOT record in Motus using the company official’s Login.gov email, then manage registrations or apply for additional authority. Follow the Motus account steps to reach your record.
Who must file, and when
All entities under FMCSA jurisdiction must update their information (MCS-150 series) every 24 months, even if nothing changed, the company ceased interstate operations, or the business closed without notifying FMCSA.
"Even if nothing changed" is the part that catches carriers. The filing is a check-in, not a change form. Your USDOT number itself encodes your deadline:
What it costs
$0 FMCSA states directly that updating your information is free. Third party services will file it for a charge of their own; nothing about the form requires one.
The penalty for missing it
A deactivated USDOT number stops more than the number itself. Brokers, shippers, and insurers all check it, and a dead number reads as a dead company. The fix is a free filing; put your filing years on a calendar now.
MCS-150 vs your operating authority
Motus collects company information for USDOT registration and operating authority in its online application. A USDOT number identifies the company; operating authority is a separate registration that depends on the operation.
The USDOT number and operating authority are different registrations. The USDOT number is the safety identifier; the MC/FF docket is the for-hire authority. For-hire interstate carriers of regulated commodities need both.
The full split lives in our operating authority vs USDOT number guide, and the MC number page covers the authority side.
The other filings that come back around
The MCS-150 is not your only recurring federal obligation. Unified Carrier Registration and the Form 2290 heavy vehicle use tax run on their own clocks, and new carriers face the new entrant safety audit on top. Miss one and the others do not cover for it.