FMCSA Motus: where USDOT registration lives now
Since May 19, 2026, FMCSA registration runs through a new online system. The rules behind it did not change. How you sign in, prove who you are, and file did.
Motus in numbers
FMCSA Motus is the agency's new online registration system at motus.dot.gov. Since May 19, 2026, carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders use it to apply for a USDOT number or operating authority, file biennial updates, and change company records, after signing in with Login.gov and passing a one-time identity check.
Motus changed where FMCSA registration happens, not the rules behind it. It also arrived with a few myths attached, the biggest being that MC numbers are gone. They are not.
Our team handles USDOT and MC applications and MCS-150 updates for carriers, so this guide sticks to what FMCSA itself has published: what Motus is, who uses it, how the first login and the USDOT claim work, and what FMCSA has left for a future rule.
The full briefing, read aloud
7 chapters. Select one to jump to it.
Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by the Simplex Group team.
Key takeaways
Motus replaced URS and the Portal's registration tools
Legacy registration tools closed on May 14, 2026, and Motus opened to all registrants on May 19.
The FMCSA Portal still runs
Only its registration options ended. FMCSA says it aims to retire the Portal eventually.
Every user verifies their identity once
Login.gov, a government-issued ID, and a face scan on a phone or tablet.
Existing numbers did not change
Your USDOT number and your MC, MX, or FF docket number stay the same. Only new registrants get randomized numbers.
The rule that would require Motus is still pending
FMCSA expected to propose it in spring 2026. As of September 24, 2026, it has not been published.
In this articleContents
What is FMCSA Motus?
FMCSA Motus is the agency's online registration system: one company account where you apply for, view, and update your FMCSA registrations. Motus is not an acronym. FMCSA says it is the Latin word for movement.
It replaced the Unified Registration System (URS) used for new applications, along with the registration parts of FMCSA's older MCMIS and Licensing and Insurance systems, according to FMCSA's April 29, 2026 Federal Register notice. FMCSA rolled it out in two phases.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| December 8, 2025 | Phase I: blanket companies, insurance and surety filers, and service providers open early accounts |
| May 14, 2026, 8 PM ET | Registration options in the FMCSA Portal close, and URS goes permanently offline |
| May 19, 2026 | Phase II: Motus opens to all new and existing registrants |
| Due June 1, 2026 or later | Biennial updates get extra time, and FMCSA pauses USDOT inactivations for missed updates |
Is Motus replacing the FMCSA Portal?
For registration, yes. The Portal's registration options ended on May 14, 2026, and name changes, address changes, and other registration updates now go through Motus. The Portal itself still operates, and FMCSA says it aims to eliminate it eventually.
The Licensing and Insurance (L&I) system now shows only historical records, and Motus filings don't appear there. To check a company's current registration, use Motus public search by USDOT number, legal name, or DBA.
Who must use Motus, and for what?
Any entity that needs a USDOT number or operating authority uses Motus: motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, intermodal equipment providers, and cargo tank facilities. Blanket companies (BOC-3 filers), insurance and surety filers, and transportation service providers work from supporting company accounts.
In a registrant's company account, you can:
- Apply for a new USDOT number, operating authority, or other registration
- Submit your biennial update (our MCS-150 biennial update guide covers due dates and the current enforcement pause)
- Update business information, including company name and address
- Apply for additional authority, or reinstate a suspended authority
- Inactivate or reactivate a USDOT number, and track the status of each request
Supporting companies file on your behalf from their own accounts: your insurer files proof of coverage, and your blanket company files your BOC-3 process agent designation. Motus also shows the reason behind a status, such as an application pending the BOC-3 or the insurance filing.
Can you still file on paper?
Yes, for now. FMCSA's notice directs for-hire carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders to use Motus and encourages everyone else to, but it still accepts paper forms, including the MCS-150, the OP-1 series, and the BOC-3, with a copy of a valid government-issued ID until a rule change retires them.
Expect at least eight business days for the initial review of a paper form. Fees must be paid by card: FMCSA stopped accepting checks and money orders on September 30, 2025.
How do you log in to Motus the first time?
Every person who uses Motus sets up a user profile once, with Login.gov and an identity check. FMCSA's quick-start guide lays out the steps.
Step 1: Have three things ready
- A Login.gov account. If you used the FMCSA Portal, use the same email.
- A smartphone or tablet with a camera
- A valid government-issued ID: identity card, driver's license, passport, or resident card
FMCSA's identity verification FAQs say it accepts documents from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and for Mexico only passports.
Step 2: Sign in with Login.gov
On motus.dot.gov, choose to sign in with Login.gov and complete its two-factor authentication. Then accept FMCSA's Rules of Behavior.
Step 3: Verify your identity
The check is run by FMCSA's vendor, IDEMIA. On a computer, you scan a QR code to continue on your phone; on a phone, you use its own camera. You choose your document type, photograph the ID, then scan your face.
FMCSA says neither it nor its vendor stores, shares, or sells the information from this check.
Step 4: Complete your user profile
Your name fills in exactly as it appears on your ID, and you add your address and phone. Because business contact information is public, FMCSA recommends not using your public business email for your profile.
Step 5: Choose what to do
Link an existing USDOT number, start a new registration, or register as a supporting company. New carriers start a new registration; our guide on how to start a trucking company puts it in order with everything else you need.
If the identity check fails
FMCSA lists worn or scratched IDs, poor lighting, a weak internet signal, and a badly captured selfie as common causes. If you still can't finish, open a ticket with FMCSA's contact center, which may refer you to an in-person enrollment center.
How do you claim an existing USDOT number in Motus?
The company official claims the record, which imports your company data into a new Motus company account. FMCSA's claim guide says you must sign in with the same Login.gov email you used as company official in the FMCSA Portal.
- After your first login, a pop-up lists the USDOT numbers tied to your email. Choose Link USDOT Number and select yours.
- Enter the verification code sent to your Login.gov email.
- Accept the first certification, confirming you are the owner, an official partner, or an authorized corporate officer, and sign with your name.
- Review and correct your business information in the company account.
- Click Certify in the orange banner, then accept the final certification.
If your USDOT number doesn't appear, FMCSA asks you to contact it through Motus. One known snag: if your email was registered as a transportation service provider, close that account first, as FMCSA's registration alerts explain.
Can someone else claim it for you?
Not the claim itself. Identity verification belongs to each person, and the claim runs on the company official's Login.gov email and certification. Once the company account exists, its main account holder invites employees as sub-account holders, and service providers connect to it from their own supporting company accounts.
The filings after that are where outside help fits. Our trucking authority packages cover USDOT and MC applications, the BOC-3, and MCS-150 updates.
What did Motus not change?
Motus did not eliminate MC numbers. In its April notice, FMCSA said the launch would leave out three changes stakeholders had raised concerns about: a new safety registration, eliminating MC and FF docket numbers, and changes to how the BOC-3 is filed.
| Item | Existing registrants | New registrants |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number | Unchanged | Randomized number |
| Docket number (MC, MX, FF) | Unchanged; authorities that share one docket keep sharing it | Randomized; one docket number per new authority |
| USDOT suffix letters | Not shown | Shown in Motus; not a vehicle marking requirement |
The rules are unchanged too. Parts 365, 366, and 390 of the federal regulations still govern registration, and your principal place of business must still be a real location: FMCSA's MCS-150 instructions reject a P.O. box, private mailbox, or virtual office.
What is new is the checking. Motus adds business verification, run by CLEAR, to confirm legal names, addresses, ownership, and company officials. FMCSA built it against account hijacking and sold or fake registrations, the same fraud our guide to freight fraud covers from the carrier's side.
What rulemaking is still pending?
The rule that would make Motus mandatory for everyone has not been proposed yet. FMCSA's April notice said it expected to propose, in spring 2026, requiring Motus for all registrants and eliminating the paper registration forms. As of September 24, 2026, no such proposal has appeared in the Federal Register.
FMCSA says safety registration, the future elimination of docket numbers, and BOC-3 filing changes will go out for public comment in a proposed rule first. Until a final rule, the paper forms stay available, and FMCSA has said it will not cite or penalize Motus users for not using them.
How Simplex helps with FMCSA registration
Motus moved the filings online. Getting them right is still on you, and that is where our team comes in.
Authority packages
Our trucking authority packages cover USDOT and MC applications, the BOC-3, coordination of your insurance filings, and MCS-150 updates.
Starting a new carrier
Starting from scratch? We help you start your trucking business with registration, permits, insurance, and compliance.
Compliance after registration
Our compliance programs cover driver qualification files, CSA monitoring, mock audits, and HOS management once you're running.
Frequently asked questions
Is Motus replacing the FMCSA Portal?+
Did Motus eliminate MC numbers?+
What do I need for Motus identity verification?+
Does my USDOT number change in Motus?+
How do I register a new company on Motus?+
Where this information comes from
The facts below come from FMCSA's Federal Register notice and its own Motus pages and guides, checked on September 24, 2026.
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1
Federal Register — Availability of Motus, FMCSA's New Registration System (91 FR 23144)
The phases, identity and business verification, what the launch left out, paper forms, and the expected rulemaking.
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2
FMCSA — Move into Motus
Who can use Motus, what registrants can do in it, and the email rule for claiming a USDOT number.
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3
FMCSA — About Registration Modernization
Randomized numbers, suffixes, what stays the same, and the changes still headed for a proposed rule.
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4
FMCSA — Motus Quick-Start: A Guide to Your First Login
What to have ready, and the login, identity verification, and user profile steps.
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5
FMCSA — How to Claim Your USDOT Number in Motus
The claim steps and the two certifications a company official signs.
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6
FMCSA — Registration FAQs
The May 14 cutoff, the Portal's status, URS going offline, and help when identity verification fails.
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7
FMCSA — Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement
The May 19 launch, the pause on biennial update enforcement, and Motus public search.
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8
FMCSA — Form MCS-150 and Instructions
The principal place of business rule: no P.O. box, private mailbox, or virtual office.
Written by
Simplex Group
Permits & Fuel Tax Team, Simplex Group
Reviewed for technical accuracy by a Simplex permitting manager before publication. Simplex has registered and filed permits and fuel taxes for interstate carriers across all 50 states for more than 20 years.
Published · Updated
Related articles and services
Claim your Motus record before you need it
A mismatched Login.gov email or an outdated company record is easier to fix before a filing is due than on the day it is.
If you want help with your USDOT, authority, or MCS-150 filings in Motus, talk to our team.