FMCSA Motus: the new USDOT registration system, explained
Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 6, 2026
FMCSA's registration system: apply for a USDOT number or operating authority and manage your registrations. [2]
Motus is the U.S. DOT's new registration system for FMCSA customers, at motus.dot.gov. It replaces the Unified Registration System (URS) and the FMCSA Portal. It's where you now apply for a USDOT Number or operating authority and keep your registration up to date. [2][3][4]
On this page
Timeline
Motus opened in stages. Registration systems went offline on the evening of May 14, 2026, and Motus went live on May 19.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| December 8, 2025 | Phase I: limited access for supporting companies only (blanket BOC-3 companies, insurance and surety filers, and transportation service providers) |
| May 14, 2026, 8:00 PM ET | Registration systems went offline; registration changes were unavailable for about four days for data migration and testing |
| May 19, 2026 | Motus went live (DOT announcement) |
What you do in Motus
In Motus you can apply for a USDOT Number or operating authority, submit the biennial update (the old MCS-150 update), change your name or address, add authority types, reinstate a suspended authority or reapply after revocation, inactivate or reactivate a USDOT Number, and track the status of your requests.
You can no longer start a new application in URS; FMCSA says it's permanently offline. The FMCSA Portal's "Registration Options" are permanently disabled too, so name, address and other business updates are made in Motus. The Portal itself stayed up when Motus launched. [2][3]
Motus login: Login.gov and identity verification
Every Motus user needs a Login.gov account. Motus doesn't use the old USDOT PINs.
Identity verification is run by IDEMIA. You scan a QR code with a smartphone or tablet, photograph a government ID (ID card, driver's license, passport or resident card), and scan your face. Business verification, done with CLEAR, checks your legal name, principal place of business, ownership and company officials.
If you can't finish identity verification online, call the FMCSA Contact Center at 1-800-832-5660. You may be referred to a physical location to complete it. [3][4]
Claiming an existing USDOT number
If your company already has a USDOT Number, you claim it in Motus. Use the same Login.gov email the company official used in the FMCSA Portal. Existing registrants also go through identity verification the first time they sign in. You keep your current USDOT Number. [2][3][4]
What didn't change
MC numbers still exist. MC and FF docket numbers were not eliminated when Motus launched. FMCSA dropped that change from the Phase II release, along with safety registration and changes to the BOC-3 filing process. FMCSA has proposed no longer assigning MC numbers. It says that change is under consideration and will be open for comment in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
No fee changes were planned for the initial release. FMCSA says any fee adjustments would be proposed in a future Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
USDOT suffixes are display-only. Motus shows letter suffixes at the end of the USDOT Number for each type of registration granted. For now they're only visible in the system: they aren't required for marking vehicles, and formal FMCSA letters, notices and orders won't change. [3][4][5]
Paper forms
The registration forms are now built into Motus as online fields, except Form OP-1(MX). Until a rule eliminates them, FMCSA still accepts the paper forms, sent with a copy of a government ID. Expect at least eight business days for the initial review of a paper filing. [4]
Filing services can't start your application
A filing service (FMCSA calls them transportation service providers) can't start your application for you. You must begin it and pass identity and business verification first, then designate the provider. The company official still has to review and submit the final oaths. [3]
Payments
Since September 30, 2025, FMCSA accepts only debit or credit cards. It no longer takes checks or money orders, including for authority application fees. [6]
Biennial updates are on pause
While Motus settles in, FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of biennial updates and the inactivation of USDOT Numbers for updates due on or after June 1, 2026. See MCS-150 biennial update. [7]
Watch for out-of-date FMCSA pages
Some FMCSA pages haven't caught up. Its "Get Operating Authority" page, for example, still gives processing times for URS applications. You can no longer start an application in URS; apply in Motus. [2][3][8]
Common questions
Is URS still available?
No. You can't start a new application in URS; FMCSA says it's permanently offline. New USDOT Number and authority applications go through Motus at motus.dot.gov. [2][3]
Do I still need my USDOT PIN?
No. Motus uses Login.gov sign-in instead of PINs. [3]
Did Motus get rid of MC numbers?
No. MC and FF numbers were not eliminated. FMCSA has proposed no longer assigning MC numbers. It says that change is under consideration and will be open for comment in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. [4][5]
Can my filing service set up my Motus account for me?
No. You have to start the application and pass identity and business verification before you can designate a service provider. [3]
What do I need for identity verification?
A smartphone or tablet and a government ID (ID card, driver's license, passport or resident card). You photograph the ID and scan your face. [4]
Who do I call for help?
The FMCSA registration contact center at 1-800-832-5660. During the Motus rollout it's open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern on weekdays, plus Saturdays. [7]
Sources (8)
- U.S. DOT press release - Secretary Duffy Launches New Anti-Fraud Registration System (May 19, 2026) (accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- FMCSA - Move into Motus (last updated May 18, 2026) (accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- FMCSA - Registration Modernization FAQs (accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Federal Register - Availability of Motus, FMCSA's New Registration System (91 FR 23144, Apr 29, 2026; docket-number correction 2026-08819, May 6, 2026) (accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- FMCSA - Motus USDOT Number Suffixes (last updated Apr 16, 2026) (accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- FMCSA - Registration Alerts (last updated June 29, 2026) (accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- FMCSA - Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement (last updated Sept 10, 2026) (accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- FMCSA - Get Operating Authority (Docket Number) (last updated Apr 20, 2026; partly stale, still references URS) (accessed Oct 6, 2026)