FMCSA Motus Registration System: What Owner-Operators Need to Know

If you have been in trucking for more than a few years, you know the FMCSA Portal. It is where you filed your MCS-150 biennial update, updated your company information, and managed your operating authority registration.

As of May 14, 2026, it is gone.

The FMCSA launched a new centralized registration platform called Motus and the old systems did not just get an update. They were permanently retired. The Unified Registration System, the FMCSA Portal registration functions, and the L&I public filing platform are done. Everything those systems handled now runs through Motus.

-UCR and clearinghouse  official websites are still functioning. Both will transition, if not already done so to using the same login system to complete. 

If you have not set up your Motus account yet, this post tells you exactly what to do. If you have, there are still things here worth knowing about how the new system affects your ongoing compliance.

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What Is Motus?

Motus is the FMCSA's new centralized registration platform. It is a single system where carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and supporting companies manage all FMCSA registration functions, applying for a USDOT number, applying for operating authority, completing biennial updates, updating company information, and managing authority status.

The system features a mobile-friendly dashboard, real-time data validation that catches errors before you submit, auto-populated fields from your existing registration data, and integrated payment processing. In theory it should be faster and cleaner than the systems it replaced.

But the transition period is exactly that, a transition. And like any major system change, operators who are not paying attention can fall behind.

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Why This Matters More Than It Might Seem

Your MCS-150 biennial update is the filing that keeps your USDOT number active. If you miss it, your carrier profile can go inactive and is visible to every broker, every shipper, and every enforcement officer who looks you up. An inactive USDOT number is not a minor administrative issue. It affects your ability to book loads and creates compliance exposure.

The filing itself has not changed. You still update every two years in the specific month determined by the last two digits of your USDOT number. Off-cycle updates are still required within 60 days of significant changes to your operation.

What has changed is where and how you file. And if you cannot access Motus when your filing is due, you have a problem.

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The Login.gov Issue You Need to Know About

Motus uses Login.gov for authentication - the same system used by many federal agencies. Your access to Motus is tied to a Login.gov account, and specifically to the Login.gov email used by the Company Official listed in your FMCSA Portal.

Here is where operators are running into problems: if the email on your FMCSA Portal account belongs to a former employee, a third-party compliance service, a shared office email, or anyone other than you or an authorized internal person you may have difficulty claiming your Motus account.

The FMCSA is specific about who the Company Official can be: it must be the actual company owner or an authorized internal employee. It cannot be a transportation consultant, a freight broker, or any outside party.



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 New Identity Verification

Motus introduced mandatory identity verification as part of the account claiming process. This is a direct response to a significant increase in carrier identity fraud and account hijacking.

The verification process involves scanning a QR code within the Motus system using your smartphone, photographing your identification document, and completing a facial scan. The FMCSA has stated that identity information collected through this process will not be stored, shared, or sold.

It sounds more complicated than it is. For most operators it takes a few minutes. But it is a new step that did not exist before and it requires a smartphone with a working camera.

**As of posting, this is one step that is causing many issues for carriers when registering. If you run into a roadblock, you should submit a ticket directly to FMCSA for assistance. The company official is the only person who can complete the identity verification portion of the account set up. 
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Step-by-Step: Claiming Your Motus Account

If you have not claimed your account yet, here is what to do:

First, log into the motus site using your login.gov credentials. 

Second, verify your Company Official and complete the identity verification step.

Third, be sure to choose the correct account. there will be three options. one for new DOT numbers, one for existing and one for third party companies. 

Fourth, verify all of your information with your DOT number is correct and claim your DOT number
 Fifth - Complete set up. 

Once your account is linked, all future registration functions including your next biennial update  go through Motus rather than the Portal.

If you run into issues along the way, which many carriers are with the rollout, then you must submit a ticket through FMCSA online portal. You option to access them through chat or phone. Wait times are long for all three options during this period. 

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What About Paper Forms?

Paper MCS-150 forms are still being accepted during the transition period. But they now face a minimum processing delay of at least eight business days. For anything time-sensitive, including a biennial update approaching its deadline, paper is not a practical option. Use Motus.

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 What This Means for Your Ongoing Compliance

The biennial update requirement itself has not changed. You still file every two years in your specific month. Off-cycle updates are still required within 60 days of significant changes. The schedule and the triggers are exactly the same.

What is different is that Motus is a more connected system than what it replaced. Real-time data validation means inconsistencies surface faster. An address that does not match your insurance filing, a fleet size that does not match your IRP registration, a Company Official whose identity cannot be verified — these kinds of discrepancies have more visibility now.

Clean, current, accurate records have always been important. In the Motus era they matter more than ever.

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Find Your Biennial Update Schedule Right Now

Your biennial update month is determined by the last digit of your USDOT number: 1 means January, 2 means February, through 9 means September, and 0 means October. The second-to-last digit determines your year: an even digit means even-numbered years, an odd digit means odd-numbered years.

Look at the last two digits of your USDOT number right now. Calculate your schedule. Add it to your compliance calendar permanently. The government does not send reminders and missing your biennial filing can cost you your active status.

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Want the Complete Guide?

Our MCS-150 & USDOT Number Management Guide covers everything in this post in detail  including the full Motus account setup process, the off-cycle update requirements most operators miss, how to read and manage your carrier profile, and the most common filing mistakes we see after 60+ years in this industry.



And if you would rather have our team managing your biennial updates and carrier registration on your behalf, that is one of the core services our compliance team provides.

[Learn about Hire Our Team →]

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*Casey, Shane & The Rolling Line Team have been managing FMCSA registrations for owner-operators for a combined 60+ years. We monitor regulatory changes — including the Motus transition — for every active compliance client.*