An FMCSA biennial update (or MCS 150 update) is required if you operate a trucking company in the United States.
You’re required to make an update to your Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) record every two years.
There are many reasons why it’s important to stay on top of your updates—if there are mistakes or inaccuracies on your record, you might be removed from commercial driving altogether.
In addition, if you fail to check your update within the allotted time period, this could mean fines or penalties that could put a serious dent in your finances.
You can update your MCS 150 online in about 10 minutes by following our 8 step process below!
Who files the FMCSA Biennial Update?
You need to file an MCS 150 if you’re a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) owner/operator or a regulated motor carrier business (trucking company) in the US.
We update all of our My Safety Manager client’s MCS 150 as part of the monthly DOT compliance services that we provide.
How often do I need to do the biennial MCS 150 update?
The biennial MCS 150 update must be done every 2 years.
The first FMCSA biennial update is due two years after you complete your initial FMCSA registration. Every two years after that, you need to update your FMCSA MCS 150 with any changes to your business operations or contact information.
If you don’t, it’s a pretty expensive mistake—one violation can lead to up to $10,000 in fines from FMCSA! There are three ways you can keep your MCS 150 up-to-date: paper form (that’s right), web form or eLogs by Excel®.
If the next to last digit of your USDOT number is odd, you need to complete your MCS 150 update during every odd numbered year. Same for even numbered numbers and years too.
The last digit of your USDOT number depends on the month that you must file in.
So, if your DOT number is 2641521, then you would have to file by January 31, 2024 and every even numbered year after that.
How to update your MCS 150: 8 Steps
Great news! Your can update MCS 150 online! Here’s how:
1) Click on this link to access the FMCSA biennial update system.
2) Select the radio button next to “I need to update my USDOT number registration information or file my FMCSA biennial update (MCS 150)“. (It’s the 4th option). Hit the “Continue” Button on bottom.
3) Click on the “File Electronically” button on the bottom of this screen.
4) Input your US DOT Number, your PIN and your US Federal ID and hit “Continue”.
5) Make sure that’s your company and then hit the “Continue” button.
6) Select the Company Type that represents your operations and hit the “Continue” button.
7) Update any needed information (Highlighted in Yellow). On the second screen, input your most current total mileage for your fleet and update the “Mileage Year”.
Be sure to update your current fleet and driver pool size as well!
8) Hit the “Modify” button on the bottom left side of the page and print off your updated MCS 150 form!
How do I know if I need to update MCS 150?
You must complete your FMCSA biennial update update every two years.
We recommend doing it every year to avoid any penalties.
Depending on your company, you may be required to update your MCS 150 for a few reasons. First, if your number of employees has increased beyond 10 or 20, you will have to update your FMCSA MCS 150 form within 30 days.
Alternatively, if there are changes to any of your biographical information (address, phone number), or you made any changes to operations, you will need to update it with FMCSA within 30 days as well.
If you’re unsure if your records are up to date, you can check your file in a few simple steps.
1) Enter your information into FMCSA website and confirm that all of your info is correct.
2) Look at whether or not you need to update anything on your record and change it accordingly.
3) Print out a copy of what you updated so that you have it on hand if needed.
How long does it take to complete your FMCSA Biennial Update?
Completing the update process only takes about 10 minutes (assuming you have your FMCSA PIN and other information handy).
It takes approximately 24 hours to update your record in the FMCSA system. But, you can check your FMCSA biennial update status immediately.
At first, it will be in submitted status. Within 20 minutes to two hours after completing and submitting your application, it will switch to processing status.
Be sure to print out your MCS 150 form for your records! Paper MCS 150 form updates will take 1 to 2 months to process and show in the FMCSA system.
Of course, you can hire a DOT compliance company, like us, to do this for you too!
About My Safety Manager
My Safety Manager is a leading provider of fleet safety management and trucking compliance services for fleets of all sizes!
Our specialized safety management solutions help deliver results—safe drivers out on the road who are staying compliant with regulations.
We work with you to create customized solutions that meet your unique needs, taking what’s typically far too much work off your plate so you have more time to grow your business!
You must be logged in to post a comment.