FMCSA has paused enforcement for updates due on or after June 1, 2026 while Motus settles in. The filing requirement itself hasn't changed. Details below.
Which month is mine?
Find the last two digits of your USDOT number in the boxes below. For USDOT 3456782 that is "82": the 2 means February and the 8 is even, so it files in February of even years.
2026 even year: next-to-last digit 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8
- Jan01 21 41 61 81
- Feb02 22 42 62 82
- Mar03 23 43 63 83
- Apr04 24 44 64 84
- May05 25 45 65 85
- Jun06 26 46 66 86
- Jul07 27 47 67 87
- Aug08 28 48 68 88
- Sep09 29 49 69 89
- Oct00 20 40 60 80
- Novnone due
- Decnone due
2027 odd year: next-to-last digit 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9
- Jan11 31 51 71 91
- Feb12 32 52 72 92
- Mar13 33 53 73 93
- Apr14 34 54 74 94
- May15 35 55 75 95
- Jun16 36 56 76 96
- Jul17 37 57 77 97
- Aug18 38 58 78 98
- Sep19 39 59 79 99
- Oct10 30 50 70 90
- Novnone due
- Decnone due
For a lookup that does this from your full number, use the MCS-150 due-date tool.
Five numbers, worked
| USDOT | Last digit | Next-to-last | Files in | Next due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USDOT 3456782 | 2 = February | 8 (even) | February, even years | Feb 29, 2028February 2026 has passed |
| USDOT 1234567 | 7 = July | 6 (even) | July, even years | Jul 31, 2028July 2026 has passed |
| USDOT 2847019 | 9 = September | 1 (odd) | September, odd years | Sep 30, 2027 |
| USDOT 987653 | 3 = March | 5 (odd) | March, odd years | Mar 31, 2027 |
| USDOT 4001250 | 0 = October | 5 (odd) | October, odd years | Oct 31, 2027 |
Rule: 49 CFR 390.19T(b). "Next due" counts from October 26, 2026. These are example numbers, not real carriers.
Is a USDOT number ending in 0 due in October?
Yes. The regulation's table runs "1 January" through "9 September" and ends "0 October" (49 CFR 390.19T(b)), and FMCSA's own page prints the same table (FMCSA). November and December have no filers. If a website or a letter gives you another month for a 0, go by the regulation.
The year rule in the regulation's words:
"If the next-to-last digit of its USDOT Number is odd, the motor carrier or intermodal equipment provider shall file its update in every odd-numbered calendar year. If the next-to-last digit of the USDOT Number is even, the motor carrier or intermodal equipment provider shall file its update in every even-numbered calendar year."
49 CFR 390.19T(b)
Do I have to file if nothing changed?
Yes. FMCSA: "You are required to provide this update every two years even if your company has not changed its information, has ceased interstate operations since the last update, or is no longer in business and you did not notify FMCSA." (FMCSA). The update also has to be filed once before you start operating, which for a new carrier happens with the authority application (49 CFR 390.19T(b)(1), (e)).
Outside the two-year cycle, FMCSA asks for an update when your details change: "Any time a motor carrier or other regulated entity changes its Legal Business Name, address, or other details in their record, they should update their US DOT and Operating Authority records with FMCSA in a timely manner." (FMCSA). Your truck count matters beyond FMCSA, too: the UCR Plan's auto-renew program uses "the number of power units on their most current MCS-150 form" (UCR Plan), which sets your UCR bracket.
How do I file the MCS-150?
Online, in Motus
FMCSA's registration system moved to Motus on May 19, 2026 (FMCSA). Log in at motus.dot.gov and complete the biennial update for your USDOT number. "Updating your information is free." (FMCSA)
Or upload the form to FMCSA
FMCSA's update page, last revised Oct 22, 2025 before Motus launched, lists uploading forms through the Ask FMCSA site at ask.fmcsa.dot.gov, with a confirmation number by email, as the "strongly encouraged" route (FMCSA).
Or mail it, early
"Forms must be received by FMCSA on or before the date your Biennial Update is due to avoid deactivation of your USDOT number and the assessment of civil penalties." The address is FMCSA Office of Registration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W65-206, Washington, DC 20590 (FMCSA).
Help: FMCSA's registration line is 1-800-832-5660 (FMCSA). Ignore offers to file it for a fee unless you want the help; the update itself costs nothing.
MCS-150, 150B or 150C: which form is mine?
An owner-operator running interstate files the plain MCS-150. The regulation splits it three ways (49 CFR 390.19T(a)):
| Form | Who files it |
|---|---|
| MCS-150 | A motor carrier "conducting operations in interstate commerce", whether based in the U.S., Canada, Mexico or elsewhere |
| MCS-150B | An intrastate carrier that needs a hazardous materials safety permit under part 385, subpart E |
| MCS-150C | An intermodal equipment provider offering equipment in interstate commerce |
Use one name on it: "Only the legal name or a single trade name of the motor carrier or intermodal equipment provider may be used on the forms" (390.19T(f)). A false or misleading entry carries the same penalties as not filing (390.19T(g)). FMCSA lists forms and instructions on its site, at its service centers, and at 1-800-832-5660 (390.19T(c)).
What happens if I miss my MCS-150 update?
| Consequence | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number deactivated | The number goes inactive | 390.19T(b)(4); FMCSA |
| Civil penalty, as FMCSA's page states it | Up to $1,000 a day, max $10,000 | FMCSA, Updating Your Registration |
| Recordkeeping penalty, inflation-adjusted | Up to $1,584 a day, max $15,846 | 49 CFR 386, appendix B (a)(1) |
The regulation points to the statute for the penalty: "A person that fails to complete biennial updates to the information pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this section is subject to the penalties prescribed in 49 U.S.C. 521(b)(2)(B) or 49 U.S.C. 14901(a), as appropriate, and deactivation of its USDOT Number." (49 CFR 390.19T(b)). FMCSA's penalty schedule adjusts statutory amounts for inflation and says the adjusted amounts "supersede the corresponding civil penalty amounts identified in title 49, United States Code"; for a failure to prepare a required record under parts 390 to 399, a carrier "is subject to a maximum civil penalty of $1,584 for each day the violation continues, up to $15,846." (appendix B). That is why the two penalty rows differ.
Is MCS-150 enforcement paused in 2026?
Yes, for now. FMCSA's notice, updated September 10, 2026:
"FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of biennial updates and the inactivation of USDOT Numbers for entities that have not completed the required biennial update."
"Registrants whose biennial update was due on or after June 1, 2026 will receive additional time to complete any required biennial updates and will not have their USDOT Number inactivated for failing to submit a biennial update."
FMCSA, Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement
FMCSA hasn't announced an end date. The rule in 49 CFR 390.19T is unchanged, so file in your month anyway; an up-to-date record also keeps your UCR truck count right.
Questions
What is the fine for not filing the MCS-150?
FMCSA's penalty schedule puts a failure to prepare a required record at up to $1,584 for each day the violation continues, up to $15,846, and the rule also allows deactivation of the USDOT number.
Where do I mail the MCS-150?
FMCSA Office of Registration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W65-206, Washington, DC 20590. It has to arrive on or before your due date, so mail it early or file online in Motus.
Do I file the MCS-150 if I stopped running interstate?
Yes. FMCSA says the update is due every two years even if your company has ceased interstate operations or is no longer in business and you didn't tell FMCSA.
Who do I call about my MCS-150?
FMCSA's registration line, 1-800-832-5660. Filing the update is free, so you don't have to pay a service to do it.
Not legal advice. FMCSA is the authority on your due date. Not affiliated with FMCSA.