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Heard on the CB

FMCSA Motus: What Truckers Need to Know About the New Registration System

If you run a trucking company, you have a USDOT number, and the way FMCSA manages that number just changed. Motus is FMCSA's new online registration system. It replaced the old Unified Registration System and the FMCSA Portal's registration screens in May 2026, and every existing registrant has to claim an account in it. This post explains what Motus is, what changed, what you need to do, and what went wrong at launch.

What Motus is

Motus is a single online place to register and manage your federal motor carrier credentials. FMCSA says it can be used to:

  • apply for a USDOT number or for operating authority,
  • file your biennial update (the MCS-150),
  • update company information and manage who can act for the company,
  • reinstate operating authority or reactivate a USDOT number,
  • upload supporting documents and track the status of a filing.

It checks information as you type, works on a phone or tablet, and ties each filing to a verified person and company. In a Federal Register notice dated April 29, 2026, FMCSA said Motus would replace the Unified Registration System (URS) for new USDOT number and operating authority applications, along with the registration parts of its older databases.

The timeline

  • December 8, 2025. Phase I: companies that file on behalf of carriers, such as BOC-3 process agents and insurance and surety companies, could open accounts.
  • May 14, 2026. The old FMCSA Portal registration functions went offline that evening, at 8:00 PM Eastern.
  • Mid-May 2026. Phase II: Motus opened to all registrants. Sources report the public opening between May 14 and May 19, so check FMCSA's registration page for the official date.
  • Since then. FMCSA says it is improving the system based on user feedback. I could not find an official status update after the launch period as of late October 2026.

What existing carriers have to do

Your USDOT number and your authority did not change, and you do not have to re-register. But the first time you use Motus you have to claim your company's account, and FMCSA reported that roughly 800,000 existing registrants would need to go through identity verification on first use. In practice:

  1. The Company Official claims the account. Only the person listed as the Company Official on your FMCSA Portal account can do the first claim, and they must sign in to Login.gov with the same email address as the Portal account. If that email is old, belongs to a former employee, or a consultant, you can be locked out.
  2. Verify your identity. Expect to provide a government-issued ID (a driver's license, passport or resident card) and a face scan on a smartphone or tablet.
  3. Verify the business. FMCSA checks your legal name, principal place of business, ownership and registration standing, so these should match across your USDOT record, insurance and state filings.
  4. Have your USDOT PIN. If your company has no PIN, it is mailed to the address on your USDOT record, which can take 7 to 10 business days.
  5. Keep your biennial update current. Motus does not change the rule that carriers file an MCS-150 update every two years. Heavy Duty Trucking reported that FMCSA paused enforcement of biennial updates for carriers with due dates on or after June 1 while it stabilizes Motus. Do not rely on that pause, and file when yours is due. See How to update your MCS-150 and Why brokers are asking for an updated MCS-150.

Portal accounts that went unused have been reported to go inactive after 90 days and to be archived after 12 months, so sign in occasionally.

What did not change

  • MC, FF and MX docket numbers are still here. FMCSA has proposed phasing out MC numbers and using the USDOT number as the main identifier, with operating authorities shown as suffixes. That is a separate proposal that would need public rulemaking. It was not part of the Motus launch.
  • BOC-3 process agent filings work the same way, and your process agent can file through Motus.
  • Your insurance filings still come from your insurance company.
  • Paper forms are still being accepted for now, but reported processing times are at least eight business days.

How the launch went

Not smoothly, by many accounts. FreightWaves reported error messages, lockouts, intermittent access, and small carriers that could not claim their account because the Company Official's email on file was out of date. It also reported that of 2.2 million letters FMCSA mailed to registrants, about 396,000 came back undeliverable. Long waits for PINs and phone support were common. These are press reports from the first weeks, and FMCSA has been working on fixes, so your experience now may be different.

A practical checklist

  • Find out who is your Company Official and which email they use for Login.gov and the FMCSA Portal. Make sure you can reach that inbox.
  • Confirm your company name, address and ownership match your insurance and state records. Fix mismatches before you file anything.
  • Check when your next MCS-150 update is due, and do it in Motus.
  • Do not create a second or duplicate account to get around a problem.
  • If something fails, take screenshots and note the date, time and what you tried. It shows you made a good-faith effort if a deadline is missed.
  • Go only to the official site, fmcsa.dot.gov. FMCSA has warned about fake Motus sites, and says the real one is motus.dot.gov. See how to protect your company from scam emails and calls.
  • Brokers and freight forwarders use the same system. Brokers should also keep up with the financial responsibility rules, which are covered in Is your freight broker legit?

What it means for your Trip Sheet Central account

Nothing changes in the app. Your USDOT number is the same number, and you keep it in your company profile. It is worth checking that the name and numbers there match your FMCSA record. If you are starting a company, the new application path is explained in How do I start a trucking business?

Registration rules and systems are changing quickly, so check FMCSA's site for the latest. Sources for this post: FMCSA's Federal Register notice on the availability of Motus, FMCSA registration, and the Scopelitis and DAT summaries and FreightWaves reporting cited above.