MCS-150 Update in California
The MCS-150 is FMCSA's biennial check-in form for every USDOT holder - fleet size, driver count, operational mileage, and safety contact information.
Direct answer
Every California carrier with a USDOT number must update Form MCS-150 every 24 months under 49 CFR 390.19T. The due month follows the last digit of the USDOT number, and the next-to-last digit sets odd or even years. A missed biennial update can lead to civil penalties and deactivation of the USDOT number (49 CFR 390.19T(b)(4)). The update is free to file in FMCSA's Motus system. New MCS-150 filings through FastMCS150Filing are paused right now.
Reviewed by Korey Sharp-Paar · Updated
Filing price
Paused
California carriers
62,000+
IFTA base
California
FMCSA region
FMCSA Western Service Center
What does the MCS-150 report, and why can't California carriers skip it?
Form MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report) is the biennial update FMCSA collects from every USDOT holder. It captures total power units, total drivers, operational mileage, cargo classifications, principal place of business, and safety contact information. The data feeds CSA scoring and FMCSA's compliance-review prioritization.
For California carriers, a missed biennial update can lead to civil penalties and deactivation of the USDOT number (49 CFR 390.19T(b)(4)).
When is a California carrier's MCS-150 due?
The due month follows the last digit of the USDOT number: a number ending in 1 is due in January, 5 in May, 9 in September and 0 in October. The next-to-last digit sets the year: odd digits file in odd-numbered years, even digits in even-numbered years (49 CFR 390.19T).
California's 62,000+ carriers each update on their own two-year cycle, set by their USDOT number.
Should California carriers file the MCS-150 themselves or use a service?
FMCSA accepts MCS-150 updates through its Motus registration system (which replaced the legacy URS portal on May 14, 2026) at no charge. The form asks for fleet size, drivers, mileage, cargo and safety contact details, and carriers comfortable with FMCSA terminology often file it themselves.
New MCS-150 filings through FastMCS150Filing are paused right now. Carriers that manage more than one USDOT number can set a reminder for each number's due month and file each update in Motus.
Do California inspections and audits look at the MCS-150?
Inspectors can see a carrier's USDOT status and the date of its last MCS-150 update when they look up the carrier.
New-entrant safety audits compare reported fleet and driver counts with drug-testing records, IFTA filings, and insurance documents. Keeping the MCS-150 accurate and current helps California carriers avoid mismatches during an audit.
What's different about MCS-150 Update in California?
California is the largest carrier-registration state in the US and runs the most rigorous state-level enforcement layer in the country. The CHP commercial enforcement program operates 7 fixed weigh stations plus roving inspections, and CARB emissions agents work independently of CHP. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handle 40% of US containerized imports - drayage carriers serving them face the most expensive insurance market in the country plus stringent Clean Truck Program rules. The Grapevine downgrade on I-5 is the highest-violation brake-inspection corridor in the state.
- CA Number (CA #) from CHP - required for any commercial vehicle 10,001+ lbs operating in California
- CARB emissions compliance - diesel trucks 2010+ engine year, Clean Truck Check annual inspections for 14,000+ lb GVW
- State-level drug & alcohol testing program reporting in addition to federal Clearinghouse
- Separate CARB registration (TRUCRS) for in-state fleets running older equipment
MCS-150 Update: new orders paused
New MCS-150 filings through FastMCS150Filing are paused right now. You can file directly with FMCSA in Motus (motus.dot.gov).
Running MCS-150 Update in California? You probably also need BOC-3 Filing in California. A BOC-3 designates a process agent in every US state so the FMCSA has a local point for service of legal process on your operating authority.
Other filings California carriers need
BOC-3 Filing
$75 flat (lifetime)
A BOC-3 designates a process agent in every US state so the FMCSA has a local point for service of legal process on your operating authority.
USDOT & MC Authority
Paused
A USDOT number is the FMCSA safety identifier every commercial motor vehicle operator needs; MC operating authority is the for-hire interstate license that lets you legally haul freight for compensation.
UCR Registration
$90 first year, Bracket A ($55 federal fee + $35 service)
UCR is the annual federal fee that every interstate motor carrier, broker, and freight forwarder pays through their base state to fund safety and economic enforcement programs.
Form 2290 (HVUT)
From $115 per return
Form 2290 is the federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) return for trucks 55,000 lbs taxable gross weight or higher. Filing produces the stamped Schedule 1 - proof of payment that state DMVs require for truck registration renewal.
State Trucking Permits
From $75 (varies by program)
State trucking permits cover any state-specific authorization, weight-distance tax, or commercial surcharge that stacks on top of federal UCR, MCS-150, and Form 2290 - required when operating commercial vehicles on a particular state's highways.
Driver Screening
From $40 (MVR only); full pre-hire pack $100
Driver screening combines the Motor Vehicle Record (MVR), CDLIS query, Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report, and FMCSA Clearinghouse query - the core pre-hire checks for a commercial driver position.
Authority Reinstatement
$275 flat
Authority reinstatement restores a revoked or inactive MC operating authority once the underlying cause, such as lapsed insurance, a missing BOC-3 or an unpaid civil penalty, is cleared.
MCS-150 Update in neighboring states
Looking at California compliance more broadly? See the full California compliance guide.
Common questions, plainly answered.
The due month follows the last digit of your USDOT number, and the next-to-last digit sets odd or even years (49 CFR 390.19T).
A missed biennial update can lead to civil penalties and deactivation of the USDOT number (49 CFR 390.19T(b)(4)). A USDOT number deactivated for a missed update is reactivated by filing the MCS-150 update.
Yes. New-entrant safety audits compare reported fleet and driver counts with drug-testing records, IFTA filings, and insurance documents, so California carriers should keep MCS-150 data accurate.
Yes - through FMCSA's Motus registration system, at no charge. New MCS-150 filings through FastMCS150Filing are paused right now.
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