Filing your Form MCS-150 is a necessary part of your business if you have an active US Department of Transportation (USDOT) number. But what is the MCS-150?
MCS-150 – AKA the Motor Carrier Identification Report
The MCS-150 is a mandatory form required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Not only is it used to calculate your Compliance, Safety, and Accountability score, it is necessary to maintain your USDOT number.
Once you obtain your USDOT number, you are expected to update your MCS-150 on a biennial basis, meaning every two years. You are also expected to update this form whenever business details change, such as changing the address of your business, or changing the number of trucks in your fleet.
How to Determine Your MCS-150 Deadline
The month and date are used to determine when you need to update and this can be calculated by using the last two digits of your USDOT number.
For the example below, we will use the USDOT Number 12345678, making the last two numbers 7 and 8.
- The second to last number assigns the years you will file your update. An odd number means you are required to update every odd-numbered year. With the second to the last number being 7, you would be required to file in 2025, 2027, 2029, and so on.
- The last number assigns the month you will file and follows the order of months in a year. The last number in the example is 8. The 8th month of the year is August, so you would be required to file by the last day of August.
With the USDOT Number 12345678, you would be required to file your update by August of 2025, 2027, 2029, etc.
Note: A last digit of 0 means October, and there are no MCS-150 deadlines in November or December.
Failure to Update your MCS-150
You don't want to miss your deadline. You may face financial penalties of up to $1,000 per day with a maximum penalty of $10,000. Depending on the business your carrier performs, you may even be subject to additional penalties. Deactivation of a USDOT number is also possible if you fail to comply in time.
Take Action Today
If you would like help filing your MCS-150 form, or any other trucking paperwork, you can get help here from the experts at Sky Transport Solution. You don't have to navigate this process alone.