How to read your USDOT number
FMCSA sets the biennial schedule by the last two digits of your USDOT number.
- Last digit = month. 1 is January, 2 February, 3 March, 4 April, 5 May, 6 June, 7 July, 8 August, 9 September, and 0 is October.
- Next-to-last digit = year. If it is odd, you file in odd-numbered years. If it is even, you file in even-numbered years.
- Deadline: the last day of that month, every 24 months.
| Last digit | Due 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 only: a USDOT number ending in 47 has 7 as its last digit (July) and 4 as its next-to-last digit (even). That carrier's update is due by July 31 in even-numbered years, such as 2026 and 2028. A number ending in 30 would be due by October 31 in odd-numbered years.
Source: FMCSA, Updating Your Registration or Authority.
What this usually involves 5 steps
- Read the last digit of your USDOT number for the month
- Read the next-to-last digit for odd or even years
- Gather current company details
- Sign in to Motus with Login.gov and finish identity verification with a government-issued photo ID
- Submit the update and confirm the new date on SAFER
Recurring deadline: Every 24 months, by the last day of your month. Changes: within 30 days.
Rather not deal with this? Hand it to a Personal Compliance Specialist.
Consult with a Compliance SpecialistYou also file before you begin operations, and when information changes
The biennial date is not the only deadline. FMCSA's schedule also requires a filing before a company begins operations, and FMCSA asks for an update within 30 days of a change in your information. If something changed, see updating after a change.
If you already updated in the prior 12 months
FMCSA considers the biennial update met if changes were reported within the 12 months before your due date. In that case you will not get a biennial reminder until the next due date. Source: FMCSA, When am I required to file a biennial update?.
The requirement still exists during the temporary pause
FMCSA says that, to help reduce disruptions during the Motus transition, it has temporarily suspended enforcement of biennial updates and the inactivation of USDOT numbers for entities that have not completed the required biennial update. Its notice adds that registrants whose biennial update was due on or after June 1, 2026 will get additional time and will not have their USDOT number inactivated for failing to submit it. Source: FMCSA notice.
That is a pause on enforcement and inactivation, not permission to skip your due date. Read what it does and does not cover on missed MCS-150 penalties and the pause.
How to file once you know the date
Biennial updates are filed in Motus, FMCSA's registration system, and updating your information is free. The step-by-step is on our MCS-150 and biennial update guide. If you prefer to use paper, get the form from FMCSA only; see the MCS-150 form.
What it costs at FMCSA: updating your USDOT record, including the biennial update, is free when you file it yourself. Reinstating revoked operating authority is a separate request, and FMCSA lists an $80 fee for it.
Common mistakes that cause delays
- Reading the year from the wrong digit. (FMCSA: How do you complete a biennial update?)
- Skipping the update because nothing changed. (FMCSA: How do you complete a biennial update?)
Do it yourself
- Free to file in Motus
- You set up Login.gov and verify your identity
- You work out which form or request fits your record
- You match names, addresses and filings exactly
- You follow up until the change shows on SAFER
Have a specialist handle it
- A Personal Compliance Specialist reads your public record first
- You get a plain list of what is outstanding
- We prepare the filings with you and check they post
- You still complete Login.gov identity verification yourself
- Paid service. Any government fee is separate
Prefer to hand it off? A Personal Compliance Specialist can take it from here.
Talk to a Personal Compliance SpecialistCommon questions
How do I calculate my MCS-150 due date?
Use the last digit of your USDOT number for the month (1 is January through 9 for September, and 0 is October) and the next-to-last digit for the year: odd means odd-numbered years, even means even-numbered years. File by the last day of that month.
What if my USDOT number ends in 0?
File by the last day of October. If the next-to-last digit is even, that is in even-numbered years; if it is odd, odd-numbered years.
Is the update still due if nothing about my company changed?
Yes. FMCSA says you must provide the update every two years even if your company has not changed its information.
If I updated my address last month, do I still file on the biennial date?
If the change was reported within 12 months before your biennial due date, FMCSA considers the biennial update met and will not send a reminder until the next due date.
Is there a fee to file the biennial update?
No. FMCSA says updating your information is free.
Still unsure after the questions above? Ask a Personal Compliance Specialist.
Consult with a Compliance SpecialistFMCSA sources
- FMCSA: Updating Your Registration or Authority
- FMCSA: When am I required to file a biennial update?
- FMCSA: Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement
Checked November 15, 2026. FMCSA pages change; check the source before you rely on a detail. DOT Number Help is an independent service, not FMCSA, and you can file any of this directly with FMCSA.