MCS-150 biennial update: when it's due and how to file
Every registered carrier has to refresh its FMCSA record every two years, even when nothing has changed. In 2026 the filing moved to a new system, and FMCSA paused deactivations while carriers make the switch.
The biennial update in numbers
The MCS-150 biennial update is the free report FMCSA requires from every registered carrier every 24 months, whether or not anything changed. The last digit of your USDOT Number sets the month, the next-to-last digit sets odd or even years, and since May 2026 you file it in Motus.
The biennial update is one of the simplest filings in trucking, and one of the easiest to miss. It carries no fee and asks mostly for information you already have, but it runs on a two-year clock that is easy to lose track of.
Our team handles registration filings for carriers, and this guide covers what we check: the schedule, the 2026 move to Motus, FMCSA's temporary pause on deactivations, and what to do if your number has already gone inactive.
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Key takeaways
It's required even with no changes
FMCSA requires the update every 24 months, even if your information is the same or you stopped operating without telling FMCSA.
Your USDOT Number sets the deadline
The last digit sets the month, and an odd or even next-to-last digit sets odd or even years. It's due by the last day of that month.
It's filed in Motus now
FMCSA's new registration system opened to all registrants on May 19, 2026, and replaced the FMCSA Portal for registration updates.
Deactivations are paused, for now
For updates due on or after June 1, 2026, FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement and USDOT inactivation. It has not announced an end date.
Filing is free; missing it is not
FMCSA charges nothing to file. A missed update can mean deactivation and civil penalties of up to $1,584 per day, capped at $15,846.
In this articleContents
What is the MCS-150 biennial update?
It is a refresh of your company's record in FMCSA's registration system, filed every 24 months. Under 49 CFR 390.19T, it applies to motor carriers in interstate commerce, intrastate hazmat carriers that need a safety permit, and intermodal equipment providers.
FMCSA is explicit that the update is due even if nothing changed, if you stopped interstate operations since your last update, or if you went out of business without notifying the agency.
The name comes from Form MCS-150, the Motor Carrier Identification Report. For a biennial update, FMCSA's instructions ask you to complete:
- Legal and DBA names, principal place of business, mailing address, and phone numbers
- Your USDOT Number
- Mileage for all your commercial motor vehicles over the previous 12 months, to the nearest 10,000
- Your company officers and a signed certification
- Anything else that changed, such as vehicle or driver counts, operation type, or cargo
The principal place of business must be a physical address where you run operations and keep safety records. FMCSA does not accept a P.O. box, private mailbox, or virtual office for it.
When is your biennial update due?
It's due by the last day of a month set by the last digit of your USDOT Number. The next-to-last digit sets the year: odd digits file in odd-numbered years, even digits in even-numbered years.
| Last digit of USDOT Number | File by the last day of |
|---|---|
| 1 | January |
| 2 | February |
| 3 | March |
| 4 | April |
| 5 | May |
| 6 | June |
| 7 | July |
| 8 | August |
| 9 | September |
| 0 | October |
Example: USDOT Number 1234568 ends in 8, so the update is due by August 31. The next-to-last digit, 6, is even, so it's due in even-numbered years: August 31, 2026, then August 31, 2028.
Still ahead in 2026: if your next-to-last digit is even, a number ending in 9 is due by September 30, and one ending in 0 is due by October 31.
The biennial update is separate from UCR, which renews every year on its own deadline.
What changed for the biennial update in 2026?
Two things changed: where you file, and what happens if you're late. As of September 2026, both are still in transition.
Motus replaced the FMCSA Portal
FMCSA opened Motus, its new registration system, to all registrants on May 19, 2026. It replaces the Unified Registration System and the registration functions of the FMCSA Portal, so guides that walk you through the Portal's Registration menu are out of date.
Motus did not eliminate MC numbers. FMCSA's April 2026 notice deferred that change, along with safety registration and BOC-3 changes, to later releases. Our guide to the Motus registration system covers the migration itself.
FMCSA paused deactivations
To limit disruption during the transition, FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of the biennial update and the inactivation of USDOT Numbers. Registrants whose update was due on or after June 1, 2026, get additional time to file.
How do you file the biennial update in Motus?
Filing online takes a one-time account setup, then a review of your record. Have your USDOT Number, a smartphone or tablet, and a government-issued ID ready.
Step 1: Check your due date and status
Look up your USDOT Number on FMCSA's SAFER Company Snapshot. It shows your USDOT status and the date of your last MCS-150.
Step 2: Create your Motus user profile
Sign in to Motus with Login.gov and complete identity verification. The process uses a smartphone or tablet to photograph a government-issued ID and scan your face.
Step 3: Claim your USDOT Number
The company official claims the existing record, which imports your company data. FMCSA's instructions say to use the same Login.gov email you used as company official in the FMCSA Portal.
Step 4: Review, update, and certify
Check every field against your current operation, especially addresses, mileage, and vehicle and driver counts. Then certify and submit the biennial update.
Step 5: Confirm it posted
Check your record again on SAFER or Motus public search, and keep a copy of what you filed. If you'd rather hand the filing off, our authority packages can include MCS-150 updates.
Filing on paper instead
FMCSA still accepts a paper MCS-150 with a copy of a government-issued ID until a rule change retires the form, but expects at least eight business days for the initial review. A mailed form must reach FMCSA by your due date.
Is the biennial update free, and what if you miss it?
Yes, filing your own biennial update with FMCSA is free. If a website charges you, you're paying a private company for its service, not an FMCSA fee.
Missing it is what costs money. Under 49 CFR 390.19T(b)(4), a carrier that fails to file is subject to:
- Deactivation. SAFER then lists your USDOT status as inactive because the biennial update was not completed.
- Civil penalties. After inflation adjustments in 49 CFR Part 386, Appendix B, the main penalty statute allows up to $1,584 per day, capped at $15,846.
FMCSA's registration page still quotes the older, unadjusted figures of $1,000 per day and $10,000. The amounts in Part 386 are the current ones. Our guide to DOT fines and penalties explains how the adjustments work.
If your USDOT Number is already inactive
File the overdue update. Motus lets you reactivate a USDOT Number, and the paper MCS-150 has a Reactivate option. If a Motus access problem is holding you up, FMCSA directs registrants to open a ticket with its contact center.
How Simplex helps with your biennial update
The filing itself is short. Keeping the record accurate, and the rest of your registrations current, is where we help.
Authority packages
Our trucking authority packages cover USDOT and MC applications, BOC-3, and insurance filing coordination, and can include MCS-150 setup and updates.
UCR, every year
Our UCR registration and renewal service handles the annual filing that runs alongside your biennial update.
The compliance behind the record
Our DOT safety compliance team supports audits, driver qualification files, drug testing, and ELD and hours of service.
Frequently asked questions
Is the MCS-150 biennial update free?+
Do I have to file if nothing changed?+
Can I still file the biennial update in the FMCSA Portal?+
What happens if I miss my biennial update in 2026?+
How do I find my MCS-150 update schedule?+
Where this information comes from
The requirements below come from federal regulation, the Federal Register, and FMCSA's registration pages, checked on September 24, 2026.
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1
eCFR — 49 CFR 390.19T
Who must file, the 24-month schedule by USDOT digit, and penalties and deactivation for missed updates.
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2
eCFR — 49 CFR Part 386, Appendix B
The inflation-adjusted penalty of $1,584 per day, up to $15,846.
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3
FMCSA — Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement
The pause on enforcement and inactivation for updates due on or after June 1, 2026.
-
4
Federal Register — Availability of Motus (91 FR 23144)
Motus replacing URS and the FMCSA Portal, deferred MC number changes, and paper-form processing times.
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5
FMCSA — Move into Motus
Creating a profile, claiming a USDOT Number, and filing biennial updates in Motus.
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6
FMCSA — Updating Your Registration or Authority
The update is required even with no changes, it is free, and mailed forms must arrive by the due date.
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7
FMCSA — Form MCS-150 Instructions
Items a biennial update must complete, the mileage rule, and the principal place of business rule.
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8
FMCSA SAFER — Company Snapshot
Where to check your USDOT status and the date of your last MCS-150.
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
Keep your USDOT record current, on schedule
The biennial update asks for little, but a missed one can take a USDOT Number offline. File on your normal schedule, even while FMCSA's pause is in place.
If you want help with Motus, your due date, or the filing itself, talk to our team.