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Free compliance schedule tool

MCS-150 Update Guide and Due Date Checker

Calculate the standard FMCSA biennial update month, odd/even filing-year cycle, and next scheduled deadline from a USDOT number.

The result is a schedule—not a compliance decision. It does not know whether an update was already filed or whether the rule applies to a particular entity.

Calculated in your browser. The number is not sent or stored.

How the FMCSA filing schedule works

FMCSA assigns the month with the final USDOT digit and the filing-year cycle with the next-to-last digit. Updates are scheduled by the last day of the assigned month.

USDOT final digit and assigned MCS-150 filing month
Final digitFile by the last day of
1January
2February
3March
4April
5May
6June
7July
8August
9September
0October

Odd or even year?

An odd next-to-last digit means odd-numbered filing years. An even next-to-last digit means even-numbered filing years.

Current Motus transition notice

Inactivation is temporarily suspended

FMCSA says it temporarily suspended USDOT inactivation for missed required biennial updates during Motus stabilization. The agency still directs registrants to complete required updates and says more guidance will follow.

Read the current FMCSA notice

What to check after calculating

  1. 1. Confirm the USDOT number. Similar company names can point to different records.
  2. 2. Review the reported MCS-150 date. A schedule alone does not show whether FMCSA received an update.
  3. 3. Use Motus for protected actions. FMCSA now manages registration updates through its current system.
  4. 4. Keep confirmation evidence. Save FMCSA's confirmation for the actual submission.

Use the official record for action

USDOTData helps calculate and inspect public carrier information. Only FMCSA can receive the update or confirm its regulatory status.

FMCSA update rulesLearn how to use Motus

End-to-end filing workflow

How to update an MCS-150 without losing the audit trail

1. Match the entity

Confirm the USDOT number, legal name, DBA, address, and authorized relationship. Never update a record from a company-name match alone.

2. Reconcile the facts

Review contact details, operation and cargo classifications, vehicle and driver totals, mileage year, hazmat status, and whether the entity remains in business.

3. Use the current channel

Follow FMCSA’s current registration instructions and Motus access path. A downloaded form or third-party service is not evidence of agency acceptance.

4. Verify and retain

Save the confirmation, note the submitter and time, then recheck the official record after processing. Escalate a mismatch instead of filing repeated blind updates.

Changes that should trigger a review

  • Legal name, DBA, physical or mailing address, phone, email, or responsible contact.
  • Interstate or intrastate operation, carrier classification, cargo, passenger, or hazardous-material activity.
  • Power units, drivers, mileage, mileage year, or operating status.
  • Going out of business, reactivating, or discovering that the public record no longer matches the operation.

Do not confuse four separate actions

MCS-150 update
Updates the USDOT registration/census record.
Operating authority filing
Changes an MC, MX, or FF authority record through its own process.
Insurance or BOC-3 filing
Must be filed by the authorized insurer or process agent where required.
UCR registration
Is a separate annual registration obligation for covered entities.

Official filing and verification sources

FMCSA updating your registrationFMCSA MotusSAFER Company Snapshot

MCS-150 due date questions

How is an MCS-150 biennial update date calculated?

FMCSA uses the final digit of the USDOT number for the filing month and the next-to-last digit for the odd- or even-numbered filing-year cycle. The filing is scheduled by the final day of that month.

Does this checker show whether a carrier already filed?

No. It calculates the standard schedule only. Check the carrier record and the current FMCSA Motus registration record for filing history and current status.

Must an entity update when its information has not changed?

FMCSA says entities under its jurisdiction must provide the biennial update every two years even when their information has not changed. Confirm how the rule applies to the specific entity with FMCSA.

Is FMCSA currently inactivating USDOT numbers for missed biennial updates?

FMCSA announced a temporary suspension of USDOT inactivation for entities that have not completed a required biennial update during Motus stabilization. The filing requirement remains, and the agency says it will publish additional guidance.

When should a carrier update the MCS-150 outside its biennial month?

FMCSA directs registrants to update the record when key identifying, contact, operation, cargo, mileage, vehicle, or driver information changes, and to file an out-of-business notification when operations end. Do not wait for the biennial month when the public record is materially wrong.

How can a carrier verify that FMCSA received the update?

Keep the submission confirmation, then recheck the current FMCSA registration record and public carrier snapshot after the applicable processing period. A locally completed form is not proof that the agency accepted it.

Related carrier compliance resources

Connect the carrier identity, registration, authority, insurance, and supporting filings before relying on one record.

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MCS-150 Update Guide and Due Date Checker | FMCSA