The MCS-150 Biennial Update That Deactivates Carriers Every Year

Every carrier with a USDOT number must update its MCS-150 registration every two years, in the month the number was issued, based on the last digit of the DOT number. Miss it and FMCSA begins an involuntary deactivation process that takes your authority offline.

How to find your deadline

The last digit of your USDOT number sets the year (1 or 2 means January 2027, 3 or 4 means February 2027, and so on); the update is due by the last day of that month. File free through the Unified Registration System; third-party services charge up to $150 for this ten-minute filing.

What changes trigger an update anyway

• Adding vehicles or drivers beyond what is on file.
• Changing operation type from private to for-hire.
• Adding hazmat cargo classifications.

Filing early never hurts. The complete compliance calendar with every deadline explained lives at Haul Handbook's FMCSA guides.

Last updated August 2026.