How often must I file the MCS-150 biennial update?

Every 24 months. The month is set by the last digit of your USDOT number, and the next-to-last digit determines whether you file in odd or even numbered years.

What is the penalty for missing the biennial update?

Your USDOT number is deactivated, and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, not to exceed $10,000, may be assessed.

The MCS-150 Biennial Update: Schedule, Penalties and Why It Matters

Q: Do I need to file the biennial update if nothing has changed?

Yes. FMCSA requires it every two years even if your information has not changed, even if you have ceased interstate operations, and even if you are no longer in business.

A free filing that takes ten minutes, that almost nobody diaries, and that deactivates your USDOT number when missed.

What it is

Every entity registered with FMCSA must update its registration information every 24 months. The form is the MCS-150, and the update confirms or corrects your address, your fleet and driver counts, your operation type and your commodities.

It costs nothing. It is not a renewal, it is not a fee, and it is not the same as UCR — which is an annual payment to the participating states and an entirely separate obligation.

Working out your month

The schedule comes from your USDOT number, not from when you registered.

Digit	What it decides
Last digit	The month: 1 is January through to 0 for October
Next-to-last digit	The year: odd means odd-numbered years, even means even-numbered years

So USDOT 123456 would be due in June, and the digit before it decides which years. Work yours out once, put it in a calendar as a repeating event, and you never think about it again.

Yes, even if nothing changed

FMCSA is explicit that the update is required every two years even if your company's information has not changed, even if you have ceased interstate operations since the last update, and even if you are no longer in business and did not tell FMCSA.

That last case catches people who wound a business down informally and assumed the registration lapsed on its own. It does not.

What missing it costs

Failing to complete the biennial update deactivates your USDOT number, and may carry civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, to a maximum of $10,000.

Deactivation is the part that stops your week. A deactivated number means you are not authorised to operate, and brokers checking your status see it immediately. Reinstating takes time you will not have.

How it connects to everything else

Your MCS-150 fleet count is what determines your UCR bracket. An out-of-date vehicle count there produces the wrong UCR fee, which is the sort of small inconsistency that surfaces at exactly the wrong moment.

Changes to your carrier record also feed the Safety Measurement System, generally appearing the following month.

Frequently asked questions

How often is the MCS-150 due?

Every 24 months, on a schedule set by your USDOT number: the last digit gives the month, the next-to-last digit determines whether you file in odd or even years.

Do I file if nothing has changed?

Yes. FMCSA requires the update regardless of whether information changed, whether you stopped interstate operations, or whether you are still in business.

What happens if I miss it?

Your USDOT number is deactivated, and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, capped at $10,000, may apply.

Is this the same as UCR?

No. The biennial update is a free FMCSA filing. UCR is an annual fee administered by the participating states.

The MCS-150 Biennial Update