Maintain Your USDOT Number To Keep Your Trucks on the Road

The USDOT number is one of the most important credentials for a motor carrier. It’s required for any carrier operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. Whether carriers are private, for-hire, exempt for-hire, passenger carrying, or property carrying — all need a USDOT number to operate commercial vehicles in interstate commerce.

Commercial intrastate carriers who haul hazardous materials requiring a safety permit must also register for a USDOT Number.

The following tips will help you keep this critical business credential accurate, active, and up to date.

One FEIN = one USDOT number

DOT policy is one USDOT number per corporate entity. A single entity, with several divisions, all operating under the same Federal Tax Identification Number (FEIN) should have a single USDOT number. The divisions should not file to obtain separate USDOT numbers.

Which form?

The MCSA-1 is the online-only form that carriers use to obtain a new USDOT number. This form provides the FMCSA with details of the motor carrier operation, such as carrier’s name and address, mileage, operation type, classification, number of trucks operated, number of drivers, etc. The MCSA-1 is currently used only by new entrants to obtain a USDOT number.

If you need to update any of your information originally filed with the FMCSA, you would then use the Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150) to complete the update. The MCS-150 is also used to complete the required biennial update.

Biennial updates

All motor carriers are required to file an MCS-150 once every 24 months. Reminders of the schedule for updating the MCS-150 are regularly included at the end of this newsletter.

If you fail to submit the biennial MCS-150 update as required, you’ll be subject to penalties and your USDOT number could be deactivated.

The biennial update is required even if your company information has not changed.

MCS-150 information may be updated as often as necessary to keep your information current; however, your scheduled biennial update must always be filed according to the update schedule.

Remember to keep your USDOT number “active”

Coming soon, changes to DOT’s Licensing & Insurance system will not allow you to reinstate your motor carrier operating authority online if your USDOT number is in “inactive” status or “out of service.” Additionally, emailed, mailed, and faxed motor carrier authority reinstatement applications will only be processed when the USDOT number is active and not out of service.

Keeping your USDOT number active is easy. If your number is active and you need to make updates, you can do so online. If your USDOT number is already Inactive, you won’t have online access to make updates, so you’ll need to send an updated Form MCS-150 via e-mail or fax for quickest processing.

The MCS-150 can be updated electronically and this is the recommended filing method. A credit card is required to act as a digital “signature,” but there is no charge for filing an MCS-150.

What’s your status?

Let J. J. Keller help you with find out! Fill out the form on this page or call 888-601-2017 and our authority experts can assist.

Key to remember: To stay in business as a carrier operating commercial motor vehicles, you must have an active USDOT number.