Nothing is sent anywhere. The date is calculated on your own device from the digits themselves.
The rule in one sentence
The last digit of your USDOT number sets the month your MCS-150 is due, the next-to-last digit sets whether you file in odd or even-numbered years, and the update is due by the last day of that month every two years.
Which month each USDOT number files in
Read the last digit of your USDOT number:
| Last digit of USDOT number | Month the MCS-150 is due |
|---|---|
| 1 | January |
| 2 | February |
| 3 | March |
| 4 | April |
| 5 | May |
| 6 | June |
| 7 | July |
| 8 | August |
| 9 | September |
| 0 | October |
November and December are never assigned as filing months, so if you have been told your update is due in either, something has been misread.
Which year you file in
Read the next-to-last digit. If it is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) you file in odd-numbered years. If it is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) you file in even-numbered years. A USDOT number with only one digit is treated as having a next-to-last digit of zero, so it files in even years.
A worked example
Take USDOT 3891042. The last digit is 2, so the filing month is February. The next-to-last digit is 4, which is even, so the carrier files in even-numbered years. Its update is therefore due by the last day of February in each even year: February 2028, February 2030, and so on.
What happens if you miss it
FMCSA can deactivate your USDOT number. A deactivated number is not a paperwork inconvenience: brokers check authority before tendering, so loads stop. Civil penalties can also apply. Reinstatement typically takes days to weeks, and you are not hauling during them.
FMCSA sends no reminder. That is the entire reason this deadline gets missed so often, and it is why the deadline is worth writing down the day you get your number.
Three things carriers get wrong about the MCS-150
Thinking it is annual. It is biennial, every two years. Filing it in the wrong year is harmless, but assuming you filed recently when your cycle was two years ago is not.
Thinking no changes means no filing. The update is required even when nothing changed. There is no exemption for a quiet year.
Paying for it. The biennial update has no government fee. Official-looking mail offering to handle your MCS-150 for a few hundred dollars is selling you a free filing. You can do it yourself at the official FMCSA portal, and it is free every time.
Frequently asked
How do I calculate my MCS-150 due date?
Take the last two digits of your USDOT number. The last digit sets the month (1 is January through 9 is September, and 0 is October). The next-to-last digit sets the year: an odd digit means you file in odd-numbered years, an even digit (or no second digit) means even-numbered years. The update is due by the last day of that month.
Is the MCS-150 due every year or every two years?
Every two years. It is called the biennial update. The year you file is fixed by the next-to-last digit of your USDOT number, so you file in either odd or even years, never both.
Does the MCS-150 cost anything to file?
No. There is no government fee for the biennial update. You can file it yourself for free at the official FMCSA portal. Any company charging you a fee is charging for a filing that is free.
Do I still have to file if nothing about my company changed?
Yes. The biennial update is required even when nothing changed. You also file it to report that you have stopped interstate operations.
Will FMCSA remind me when it is due?
No. FMCSA sends no reminder for the biennial update, which is the single most common reason small carriers miss it and have their USDOT number deactivated.
What happens if I miss my MCS-150 deadline?
FMCSA can deactivate your USDOT number. Brokers stop tendering loads to a deactivated number, and civil penalties can apply. Reinstatement usually takes days to weeks, during which you are not moving freight.
Related
For the full rule, the deactivation process, and what FMCSA does with the data, read the MCS-150 biennial update explained. The MCS-150 is one of several recurring obligations: see also UCR registration and the new entrant audit checklist.