A main account holder creates and maintains the company account (business profile) in Motus. Main account holders will have full access to company information and all functionality within the company account. These users are responsible for managing account access, including inviting additional main account holders or sub-account holders to access the company account. For financial responsibility and blanket company (BOC-3) filers, main account holders will have the ability to claim an existing Licensing and Insurance (L&I) filer account during company account creation.

The new registration system will make the registration process more efficient and will be easy to use on a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Currently, updates submitted on paper take days to process, and conducting business online is cumbersome with multiple logins in addition to a personal identification number. The goal of the new registration system is to transition from a paper-based registration system to a completely online process where common transactions can be completed in minutes. We recognize, however, that a small percentage of applicants may not have a computer or smart device, Internet access, computer skills, or a combination of the above. The elimination of paper-based forms is a subject for future Agency rulemaking. Until there is a regulatory change, FMCSA will continue to accept the forms in place today after system launch. Paper-based requests are expected to take longer to process than those completed online in the new system. The additional time is needed for the Agency to manually review, verify/confirm, and process information that otherwise would be conducted automatically and electronically by the system.

Registrants will be required to access the new registration system through Login.gov, removing the need for USDOT PINs. All electronic updates to company records, applications for reinstatement, applications for new registration, and requests for voluntary suspension or voluntary revocation, will be managed directly within the new system.

Yes. There are significant data modernization and centralization efforts occurring in conjunction with the development of the new registration system, which will allow FMCSA to eventually maintain data in one central system and avoid conflicting information.

You will be unable to submit filings during the transition to Motus. When Motus launches, you will be able to update filings, including back dating insurance using the “effective date” field.

Motus: USDOT Registration System is part of a larger IT modernization effort that aims to eventually eliminate the FMCSA Portal and create a more centralized solution for all FMCSA regulated entities. While the FMCSA Portal will be operational upon Motus launch, registration options in the FMCSA Portal will no longer be available beginning Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.

No, the Unified Registration System will be permanently offline.

Registration changes will be unavailable for approximately four days for essential data migration and testing activities before Motus launch. This pause in service prevents conflicting information and ensures your business records are accurate from Day 1. The downtime occurs over a weekend to minimize disruption. 

FMCSA is sunsetting legacy registration tools in preparation for the launch of Motus: USDOT Registration System. Systems that support registration actions will be impacted beginning Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET. To avoid any interruption to your business, update your company information in the FMCSA Portal and complete any urgent registration actions before May 14. This ensures your updates are processed before we move to the new system.

Sub-account holders are authorized users associated with a company account in Motus. Sub-account holders may be any employee or associate who needs access to the company account. These users must be invited to access the account by a main account holder; sub-account holders should not create user profiles in Motus until invited by a main account holder. Once a main account holder initiates an invitation in Motus, the sub-account holder will receive an automated email from the system to begin user profile creation. Sub-account holders cannot manage other users’ access to a company account.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require employers and persons subject to the Agency’s safety jurisdiction to maintain records at the principal place of business (PPOB), or if the entity operates multiple locations those records must be available at the PPOB within 48 hours following a demand. The FMCSRs specifically define a principal place of business as “the single location designated by the motor carrier, normally its headquarters, for purposes of identification under this subchapter.” Further, in 2009, FMCSA published “Regulatory Guidance on the Definition of Principal Place of Business,” articulating how the Agency determines whether a designated location meets the definition of PPOB. The Agency reviews all applications for correctness and accuracy, and is required to review all applications for the applicant’s willingness and ability to comply with all applicable statutes and regulations. If FMCSA discovers evidence through the validation process or through registration vetting that an address submitted on an application could never satisfy the requirements of the FMCSRs, FMCSA is required to reject the application for registration.

Yes. Any individual, business, insurance or financial institution, blanket company (BOC-3 filer), transportation service provider, or authorized agent using the new system will need Login.gov account credentials to access the system. Executive Order (EO) 14028, Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity, and Office of Budget Memorandum (OMB) memorandum M-22-09, Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles (Federal Zero Trust Strategy), requires federal agencies to use multi-factor authentication for access to government systems. The new registration system will use Login.gov to provide this required multi-factor authentication.

Yes, all users who make filings or submissions with FMCSA will need an account to access the new registration system. Public users may access and view public data through the system's website without an account. FMCSA will allow all service providers, financial responsibility filers, blanket companies, and process agents to establish accounts in the new system before it is actively used for regulated entity registration management.

To ensure data integrity and accuracy in the new registration system, all existing registrants will complete identity and business verification before completing any transactions in the new system. FMCSA will share more information on when and how to complete this process in the future.

FMCSA is introducing identity verification to maintain data and integrity and to fulfill the Agency mandate to only register entities who are willing and able to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements. If you have issues completing identity verification, you can reach out to the FMCSA Contact Center at 1-800-832-5660 and may be referred to a designated physical location to complete the process.

The user profile is a collection of information associated with each individual user. Each user will only need one user profile to access multiple company accounts in Motus, if applicable. To create a user profile, you will either sign in with an existing Login.gov account or create a new Login.gov account (only one Login.gov account is required), enter your information, and complete identity verification. For more information on the identity verification process, please visit our identity verification page. Note that sub-account holders should wait to receive an invitation from a company’s main account holder before creating a user profile in Motus. During the early limited access period beginning December 2025, only supporting company personnel should create user profiles in Motus.

No, you will not be required to use a USDOT PIN to create a company account or register in the new registration system.

The company account is an account established by a business or organization to access and manage its information within Motus. When Motus launches for all users in 2026, motor carriers, brokers, and other entities will be required to enter business information and complete business verification to create a company account. The company account will enable authorized users to perform administrative and operational functions, such as managing user access, maintaining company information, applying for and managing registrations, and/or submitting required filings. During the early limited access period beginning December 2025, only supporting companies should create company accounts in Motus.

You can prepare for the first release of the new registration system by following news and information shared on the Registration Modernization Resources Hub. We encourage you to subscribe to email updates based on your role in registration for information specific to your business operations. FMCSA will continue to share ways that you can prepare as the launch of the new registration system approaches.

Since December 2025, supporting companies—transportation service providers, blanket companies (BOC-3 filers), and financial responsibility filers (insurance/surety companies and other financial institutions)— have had limited access to Motus: USDOT Registration System to create user profiles and company accounts. Starting May 19, 2026,  all other customers, including new and existing registrants, are able to create profiles.