MCS-150 biennial updates: the rule, the schedule and why agents care
Every carrier with a USDOT number must update its MCS-150 every two years on a schedule set by its DOT number. How the rule works and why it matters to agents.
The MCS-150 is the form a motor carrier uses to register with FMCSA and get a USDOT number. It records who the carrier is, where it operates, what it hauls, how many power units and drivers it has, and how many miles it ran. The registration is not a one-time event: federal rules require every carrier to update it every 24 months, even when nothing has changed.
The rule
The requirement is in 49 CFR 390.19. A carrier files the MCS-150 before it begins operations, then every two years on a schedule set by its USDOT number:
- The last digit sets the month. 1 is January, 2 is February, and so on to 9 for September. A last digit of 0 means October.
- The next-to-last digit sets the year. An odd digit means the carrier files in odd-numbered years; an even digit (including 0) means even-numbered years.
- The deadline is the last day of that month.
So a carrier whose USDOT number ends in 83 files by the end of March (last digit 3) in every even-numbered year (next-to-last digit 8). Try any number in our MCS-150 due date calculator.
What happens if a carrier misses it
The regulation provides for civil penalties and for deactivation of the USDOT number if a carrier fails to complete its biennial update. A deactivated carrier should not be operating, and a carrier that discovers this at a roadside inspection or when a broker checks its record has a bad day.
Why insurance agents should care
It is a reason to call. Every carrier has a deadline, and it is predictable from a number printed on the side of the truck. A short call or email offering a reminder is useful, low-pressure and easy to justify.
The numbers on the form feed the insurance conversation. Power units, drivers, annual mileage, cargo classes and operating radius are exactly what an underwriter asks about. A carrier that has grown since its last update may be underinsured, or its policy may list the wrong vehicles.
Stale records are a warning sign. A carrier that has not kept its registration current may also have gaps elsewhere: an expired BOC-3, a lapsed insurance filing, or an authority problem. Check FMCSA’s records before quoting.
Common questions
Is the MCS-150 the same as operating authority? No. The MCS-150 is registration, tied to the USDOT number. Operating authority (the MC number) is a separate application for carriers that haul for hire across state lines. See USDOT number vs MC number.
Do intrastate carriers file it? Carriers required to have a USDOT number file it, and some states require intrastate carriers to have one. If a carrier has a USDOT number, the biennial schedule applies.
Does it cost anything? FMCSA does not charge a fee for the biennial update itself. Be wary of third-party services that imply otherwise.
The MCS-150 data is also the backbone of every carrier record in a Trucking Leads list: fleet size, drivers, cargo and radius, next to pending cancellations and new authorities. Get a free sample list for your state.
More for truck insurance agents
- How to find trucking companies whose insurance is cancellingWhere pending trucking insurance cancellations show up in public FMCSA data, how to tell a real lead from a carrier that already switched, and when to call.
- What is a BMC-91X filing? A guide for truck insurance agentsWhat the BMC-91 and BMC-91X insurance filings are, who files them with FMCSA, what each filing shows, and how agents can use the public record to find leads.
- New authority trucking leads: why days 10 to 21 matterNew trucking companies must have insurance on file before they can haul. Here is when new carriers get their MC number, and the window to reach them first.