The Federal Cybersecurity plan under White House Executive Order 14028, Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity, and Office of Budget Memorandum M-22-09, Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles (Federal Zero Trust Strategy) requires all Federal agencies to adopt secure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to enhance information security by Dec. 31, 2023.

As FMCSA introduces Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to its systems, all users with credentials for any FMCSA system will be required to transition to a Login.gov account in lieu of their current credentials to access FMCSA systems.

Please follow the step-by-step directions, which can be found on the FMCSA website, to establish your account.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a method to verify your identity requiring two or more pieces of evidence (factors). These factors can be something you know (like a password), something you have (like an access card) or something you are (like facial recognition or fingerprint). 

The entity’s physical address or PPOB is the designated central location where the company is engaged in business operations.  Normally, this is where officials routinely report to work, and where safety records and/or business records are regularly maintained.  

The entity must make safety records available for inspection at this location within 48 hours upon FMCSA’s request.  

You cannot designate as your PPOB any location where your entity is not actively engaged in business operations. FMCSA will not accept a P.O. Box, a private mailbox, post office box centers that hold mail or packages for pickup, or other location with no legal or functional relationship to the applicant’s business including process agents. 

When submitting FMCSA Registration forms, all required fields must be complete and required supporting documentation must be attached.  Incomplete applications are returned to the applicant and must be resubmitted, which delays the process. 

Note: Each form is prefaced with detailed instructions to assist filling out the form.  

7 reasons your MCS-150 may be incomplete and not processed: 

• Sending expired forms 
  Ensure you have the latest version. The expiration date is located at the top right of each page of the form.  The current FMCSA Registration forms are here. 

• Acceptable form of ID not submitted  
  With exception of New Applications, a Driver’s License of the individual signing the form must be submitted (and must match a company officer listed on Line 30). An MCS-150 form to request updates cannot be processed until the proper Driver’s License is submitted and verified. 

• Section 1 – Legal Business Name  
  The name must match the company name on record unless you are requesting a Name Change.  In that case, Articles of Incorporation or Amendment are required. If your company has Operating Authority, an Operating Authority Name Change request is required. 

• Section 22 and 23 must correspond (Interstate + Authorized For-Hire) 
  If Interstate and Authorized For-Hire are selected but the company does not currently have an Operating Authority, the form cannot be accepted. You must either apply for Operating Authority or make the appropriate selection on the MCS-150 and resubmit the form. 

• Section 24 and 25 must correspond (Motor Vehicles, Driveaway/Towaway and Class 9/Carried/Non-Bulk)  

If Motor Vehicles or Driveaway/Towaway is selected on line 24, Class 9, Carried, and Non-bulk must be checked on line 25 (for miscellaneous hazardous material like flammable liquids). 

• Section 31 - Company Officer Signature (i.e., owner, president, partner) 
  A signature is required and must match a company officer listed on line 30  

• Section 31 - Filing Date  

If you update your MCS-150 online, the system will be updated as of that date.  If you send a paper MCS-150 on the same date or earlier, it cannot be processed. Ensure the date on your MCS-150 is greater than the last online update

An application for operating authority is Dismissed if the applicant fails to provide evidence of financial responsibility (proof of insurance) and a designation of process agent Form BOC-3 approximately 90 days from the date of filing of the application. 

A dismissal is the equivalent of a rejection, and you have two options to proceed:  

1. Submit an Appeal: If you have evidence that insurance was filed on time and the dismissal was made in error, you can choose to submit an appeal. Make sure to provide the necessary documentation to support your appeal. 

2. File a New Application: You can file a new application for operating authority. You have the option to apply online or by sending the corresponding OP series form as applicable. Additionally, you will need to pay the appropriate fee of $300 per type of operating authority requested. Applications following a rejection/dismissal must be filed under the same USDOT and MC/FF numbers.   

Important Note:  Any subsequent applications following a rejection or dismissal cannot be filed via the Unified Registration System.  

A process agent is a legal representative upon whom court papers may be served in any proceeding brought against a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder. Every motor carrier (of property or passengers) shall make a designation for each state in which it is authorized to operate and for each state traversed during such operations (using Form BOC-3). Brokers are required to list process agents in each state in which they have an office and in which they write contracts. Many commercial firms will arrange process agents in any state for a fee.

Carriers who operate exclusively in either Alaska or Hawaii need only designate a process agent in that state.

Mexican carriers operating in the Commercial Zone need only designate a process agent in the states they will be operating in.

A list of process agents can be found in the instruction packet accompanying an application or on our website.

For questions regarding transportation of hazardous materials, cylinders, scuba tanks, etc., please contact the The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). 

• Website: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
• Toll-free Number: 1-800-HMR-4922 (1-800-467-4922)
• Alternative Phone Number: 202-366-4488.

For the PHMSA regional offices, the site is: Offices | PHMSA (dot.gov)

For Hazmat Regulations and Interpretations, the site is: Regulations and Compliance | PHMSA (dot.gov)

To access HAZMAT regulations and interpretations, please see 49 CFR 171-185. (Note: This link is to the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-cfr).

Carriers and other regulated entities should NOT submit insurance certificates directly to FMCSA. They should request that their insurance company submit the insurance filings online. Please contact your insurance company directly to make these arrangements. 

All insurance companies can contact e-mail the FMCSA Insurance Division at mc-ecc.comments@dot.gov.

Please open a ticket requesting that your password be reset. Include your name, the company name, the account filer name, and phone number. 

Failure to complete biennial updates to FMCSA will subject the entities to civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day with a maximum penalty of $10,000. Certain for-hire carriers of passengers and freight, freight forwarders, and brokers may be subject to additional civil penalties as authorized by 49 U.S.C. 14901(a). FMCSA may also deactivate the USDOT Number for any entity that fails to comply with the updating requirements.

Your SDLA will notify you that you are no longer medically certified to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in non-excepted interstate commerce. The SDLA will then downgrade all your CDL privileges. Click here for more information.

Household goods carriers and freight forwarders of household goods are required to have cargo insurance. For the minimum levels of financial responsibility required for each type of motor carrier, please see 49 CFR 387.9.  

To interline a shipment is to transfer the shipment between two or more carriers for movement to final destination. For example, where the point of origin is Washington, DC and the final destination is Los Angeles, CA, Motor Carrier “A” may transport a shipment from Washington, DC and then interline with Motor Carrier “B” in San Antonio, TX. Motor Carrier “B” will then complete the transportation of the shipment to Los Angeles, CA.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, part 49, sections 300-399.

You can access the official version of current FMCSA regulations on our regulations web page. Look under "Related Links" for other regulations that may affect motor carrier operations, such as drug and alcohol regulations (section 40) and hazardous materials program procedures (section 107).

An up-to-date, unofficial version of the regulations can be found on the eCFR site.

To access previous versions of the Code of Federal Regulations (including 49 CFR 300-399) by year, back to 1996, go to the US Government Printing Office (GPO) FDsys site and select the year, then the part/section you want. If you need older versions, please contact your local library, which may have access to earlier versions of the CFR in print or online.

Proposed and final rules amending regulations (and other regulatory documents) are published daily in the Federal Register, also on the GPO website.

Recent regulatory documents published by FMCSA can be found on our "Rulemaking Documents" page.

Regulatory documents (including proposed and final rules and notices) for the FMCSA and other government agencies can be found on the Regulations.gov website. You can submit comments on proposed and final rules at this site.

A new entrant that operates a CMV in violation of an out-of-service order is subject to the penalty provisions in U.S.C. 521(b)(2)(A) for each offense as adjusted for inflation by 49 CFR 386, Appendix B.

Depending on State laws, your company may also be subject to suspension and/or revocation of state vehicle registration privileges.

For more information on the New Entrant Program, click here.

A private motor carrier transports its own cargo, usually as a part of a business that produces, uses, sells and/or buys the cargo that is being hauled. A private motor carrier transports its own goods and is required to have a USDOT number but does not need operating authority (MC number).