For new motor carriers
You have a USDOT number. Here is what comes next.
The dates and rules that trip up new carriers most, what is free on FMCSA's own site, and the letters you can throw away. DOTScreener is an independent service, not FMCSA or a government agency.
1. The MCS-150 biennial update
Every USDOT number must be updated every 24 months, even when nothing has changed, by the last day of a month your number sets (49 CFR 390.19T). The last digit picks the month: a number ending in 1 files in January, through 9 for September, and 0 for October. The next-to-last digit picks the year: odd digits file in odd-numbered years, even digits in even-numbered years.
FMCSA counts any update made in the 12 months before a deadline toward it, so the registration that gave you the number usually covers the first scheduled month after it. Missing a biennial update can lead FMCSA to deactivate the USDOT number and assess civil penalties.
Look up your exact date, then confirm it on the FMCSA Portal, which shows the official record.
2. Never pay anyone to update your registration
New carriers start getting official-looking letters, emails and calls within days of registering, asking for money to “update,” “renew,” or “activate” a USDOT number. FMCSA does not charge for the MCS-150 update, and you do not need a third party to file it.
Update it yourself at portal.fmcsa.dot.gov . DOTScreener never files for you and never charges to file.
3. The New Entrant Safety Audit (interstate carriers)
A carrier that begins interstate operations enters the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program (49 CFR part 385, subpart D). For 18 months FMCSA watches roadside performance closely and conducts a safety audit once the carrier has operated long enough to have records to review. A carrier found without adequate basic safety management controls can have its registration revoked unless it corrects the problems in time.
Have these ready from day one:
- Driver qualification files, including the medical certificate and motor vehicle record.
- Hours-of-service records and supporting documents.
- Vehicle inspection, repair and maintenance records.
- Proof of insurance at the required minimum.
- A drug and alcohol testing program if your drivers hold a CDL.
Intrastate-only carriers are regulated by their state and are not in the federal new entrant program.
4. Hauling for hire across state lines takes more than a USDOT number
For-hire interstate transportation also needs operating authority from FMCSA (the MC number), an insurance filing from your insurer at the required minimum (49 CFR part 387; $750,000 for most general freight), and a BOC-3 process-agent designation (49 CFR part 366). If the insurance filing or BOC-3 lapses, FMCSA can revoke the authority.
Private carriers hauling their own goods, and carriers that stay inside one state, do not need an MC number.
5. Brokers will screen you before they offer a load
Brokers and shippers check a carrier's FMCSA record, insurance and history before tendering freight. Your public DOTScreener profile is built from that record and is free to claim; claiming lets you add direct contact details and insurance so a broker sees more than a bare federal entry.
Keep track of all of it: Carrier Pro
Alerts when important FMCSA records change on your number, MCS-150 deadline reminders, broker screening, and the tools to prepare a broker bond claim. 30 days free, then $29.99/month. Card required; cancel before the trial ends and you are not charged.
Start your free trialQuestions
Do I have to pay to update my MCS-150 or keep my USDOT number active?
No. Updating the MCS-150 is free on FMCSA's portal. Companies that send official-looking letters or emails offering to update or renew your registration for a fee are not FMCSA, and you never need to use one.
When is my first MCS-150 update due?
Every USDOT number is updated every 24 months, by the last day of a month set by the number itself: the last digit picks the month (1 is January through 9 is September, 0 is October) and the next-to-last digit picks odd or even years (49 CFR 390.19T). FMCSA counts a filing made in the 12 months before a deadline toward it, so your registration usually covers the first scheduled month after it.
Does the New Entrant Safety Audit apply to me?
The New Entrant Safety Assurance Program (49 CFR part 385, subpart D) covers carriers that begin interstate operations. For 18 months FMCSA monitors the new carrier's roadside performance and conducts a safety audit once there are enough records to review. Intrastate-only carriers are regulated by their state instead.
Do I need an MC number too?
Only if you haul for hire across state lines (or in interstate commerce). That takes operating authority from FMCSA, an insurance filing from your insurer, and a BOC-3 process-agent designation. A USDOT number alone does not authorize for-hire interstate hauling.
Is DOTScreener part of FMCSA?
No. DOTScreener is an independent carrier-screening service used by brokers and shippers. We never file anything with FMCSA for you and never charge to file.