MCS-150 Biennial Update: When It's Due and How to Avoid USDOT Deactivation

Your USDOT number isn't "set it and forget it." FMCSA requires every registered company to update its information on the MCS-150 every two years. Miss it, and FMCSA can deactivate your USDOT number. That can park your trucks until it's fixed.

What is the MCS-150?

The MCS-150, the "Motor Carrier Identification Report," is the form that created your USDOT registration. It records your legal name, address, phone, operation type, cargo, number of power units, number of drivers, and annual mileage. FMCSA uses this data for safety targeting and inspections, and it's what shippers and brokers see when they look you up.

The requirement is in 49 CFR 390.19. Every motor carrier, and certain hazmat shippers and intermodal equipment providers, must file an updated MCS-150:

• Every 24 months, on a schedule set by your USDOT number, and
• Whenever your information changes, such as a new address, phone, or fleet size, or a change of operation.

You have to file the biennial update even if nothing changed.

How to find your due date

Your schedule comes from the last two digits of your USDOT number:

Month: the last digit sets the month.

Year: the next-to-last digit sets the year.

• If it's odd, you file in odd-numbered years (2027, 2029…).
• If it's even, you file in even-numbered years (2026, 2028…).

What happens if you miss it

Under 49 CFR 390.19, failing to complete the biennial update can lead to:

• Deactivation of your USDOT number. A deactivated number means you can't legally operate under it until it's reactivated.
• Civil penalties. FMCSA can assess fines for each day of the violation, up to a maximum, under its penalty rules in 49 CFR Part 386. The amounts are adjusted for inflation each year.
• Problems with brokers and shippers, who often reject carriers with outdated or inactive records.

Out-of-date fleet and mileage numbers can also skew your safety data and your UCR bracket.

How to file the MCS-150

• Online: through FMCSA's registration system, using your FMCSA account or login. FMCSA is moving its registration functions to a new system. Check fmcsa.dot.gov for the current login process.
• By form: FMCSA posts the MCS-150 form and instructions on its website.
• Through a filing service: USAFE confirms your due date, reviews your current record, gathers your updated fleet, driver, and mileage numbers, and files the update for you.

FMCSA doesn't charge a fee to file the MCS-150. If you use a service, you're paying for convenience and accuracy, not a government fee. Be wary of letters that look official and demand payment for a "required" update. Plenty of them come from private companies.

Information to have ready

• USDOT number and your FMCSA login, or the company officer's details
• Legal and DBA names, physical and mailing addresses, phone, and email
• Number of power units, owned and leased
• Number of drivers (interstate and intrastate, and CDL holders)
• Total mileage for the last full calendar year
• Type of operation and cargo classifications
• Any hazmat carried

Already deactivated?

If your USDOT number shows inactive because the biennial update was missed, filing the update is usually the first step to reactivating it. Our guide to DOT out-of-service and reinstatement walks through the other common causes, such as insurance lapses and unpaid penalties.

What's included — Motus-ready update

• Complete MCS-150 form review and update
• Current business information verification
• Insurance and safety compliance check
• Electronic filing with FMCSA
• Official confirmation of filing
• Motus migration readiness verification
• Deadline reminder before next update is due

Let us handle it

Run our free DOT compliance check to see your MCS-150 due date, or order the update online. Call 702-988-9990, or visit USAFE Services at 9079 W Post Rd, Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89148.

USAFE Services is registered with FMCSA as a Supporting Company, Filer #5191541.

Sources: 49 CFR 390.19, Motor carrier identification reports (ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-390.19); FMCSA, "Biennial Update," fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/biennial-update; 49 CFR Part 386.