Biennial Update
Are you filing the update as mandated?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all motor carriers to refresh their information biennially. If you operate as a motor carrier under FMCSA jurisdiction, it is essential to ensure your company's ongoing status by filing an update every two years. Regardless of whether your business has undergone significant changes recently, this update is necessary to ensure seamless carrier operations.
What are the Consequences of Non-Compliance?
Delaying your biennial update empowers FMCSA to deactivate your U.S. DOT Number.
Additionally, you risk incurring a fine of $1,000 per day, with a maximum fine of $10,000, significantly impacting your business's finances.
Are you Going Out of Business?
Shutting Down Operations
Deactivating your U.S. DOT Number involves a distinct process that cannot be executed online. Merely visiting the official website will not suffice. Instead, you must submit the required information and a signed, updated MCS-150 form via mail or fax. Ensure to check the "out of business" box, indicating cessation of motor carrier operations, even if your company remains operational. Thus, if you're ceasing your transport operations, complete the form and send it to the relevant authorities.
Update Every Two Years
A carrier is obligated to provide this update biennially, regardless of whether the company's information has remained unchanged, it has ceased interstate operations since the last update, or it is no longer operational, even if the FMCSA was not notified.
Odd-Even Method
If the penultimate digit of the DOT Number is odd, the carrier must file the update in every odd-numbered calendar year. Conversely, if it is even, the update should occur in every even-numbered calendar year. The final digit of the DOT Number corresponds to the due month: 1 for January, 2 for February, and 0 for October.
If There are No Changes
Companies are required to refresh their information with the authority every two years, even if there have been no alterations or updates to their fleet size, company name, address, or any other company-related details.
VMT Outdated
FMCSA requires all motor carriers to update their Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150) every two years (biennially). VMT is the measure of vehicle miles traveled per capita, which is calculated by the total annual miles of vehicle travel divided by the total population in a state or in an urbanized area. VMT is used to calculate Crash Indicator Behavior Analysis and Unsafe Driving and for Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) percentiles.
Regular Update
According to the FMCSA, it is mandatory for all motor carriers under its authority to update their information every two years. Any time a carrier or other regulated entity changes its address or other details, such as name in their record, they should update their U.S. DOT and operating authority record with FMCSA in a timely fashion.
Filing Your Biennial Update CAN Be Simple!
All you need is an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number (SSN). If you are an independent owner-operator, you need a U.S. DOT Number. Other information includes the official name and mailing address of your company in addition to your Personal Identification Number (PIN). The official FMCSA website sends you a pin after your formal request. The rest is usually conveyed to you as you go through their directions.
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You must know when you need to file the update and provide the FMCSA with the necessary information it requires before or at the renewal date.
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Remember, your renewal date will correspond with the last digit of your U.S. DOT Number.
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As a part of the trucking industry, you need to keep track of all your information and update it regularly.
How Do You File Your MCS-150 Form?
The ideal way to file this form is to understand the due date. The due date is different for every company and is determined by the last two digits of your U.S. DOT Number. You will note the second-to-last digit of your number is for the filing year:
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If this number is odd, you must file your MCS-150 form in odd years (e.g., 2021, 2023, 2025...)
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If this number is even, you must file your MCS-150 form in even years. (e.g., 2020, 2022, 2024...)
Now, the last digit of your U.S. DOT Number is for month: If this number ends in 1, you must file this form by the last day of January. If the number ends in 2, you must file this form by the last day of February. Similarly, if the number ends in 3, you will have to file this form by the last day of March…
Compulsory Obligations:
There are several additional mandatory requirements that every trucking company should understand, including:
Regardless of the timing of your previous biennial update filing, you must submit another updated report when the due date arrives.
Even if your business has undergone minor changes in the past, you must still file this update.
FMCSA mandates notification within 30 days of ANY operational changes between filing dates (such as changes in address, phone number, drivers, vehicles, or operations).
Failure to communicate changes to the FMCSA may result in fines and potential revocation of your U.S. DOT Number.
Have You Checked For Inaccuracies?
Inaccurate Information Can Cost Big Money!
If the information filled out by you on any of the forms is incorrect, it could negatively impact your account. In the following situations, you may need to submit a new updated MCS-150 form:
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Whenever you add a new truck or vehicle to your fleet
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Whenever you change the name of your company
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When you make other significant changes in your organization or structure