MCS 150 update is quick and easy with this guide! An FMCSA biennial update (or FMCSA MCS 150 revision) 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 at least 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 do your MCS 150 update online in about 10 minutes by following our 10 step process below!
Who files the FMCSA MCS 150 Form?
You must 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 complete all of our My Safety Manager client’s MCS 150 as part of the monthly DOT compliance services that we provide. We can also complete your MCS 150 update for you for only $20.
How often do I need to update the biennial MCS 150?
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! The only way that you can keep your MCS 150 up-to-date currently is to complete the MCS 150 form manually and submit it to the FMCSA via their online customer service ticketing system.
If the next to last digit of your USDOT number is odd, you need to update your MCS 150 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 the biennial update of MCS 150 by January 31, 2024 and every even numbered year after that.
MCS 150 Update in 10 Steps
When the FMCSA system is back up and running, you can update your FMCSA MCS 150 online! Until that happens, here’s the process:
1) Click on this link to access the FMCSA biennial update system.
2) Scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says “Take Me To The FMCSA Portal” and click on that button.
3) Click on the “Sign in with Login.gov” link to access your FMCSA Portal.
4) Input your Login.gov Information and hit “Submit”.
5) Once logged into your FMCSA Portal dashboard, click on the “Update Company Information (MCS-150)” link:
6) Click on the MCS 150 Form Fillable PDF Link.
7) Complete your MCS 150 form with your updated information and save to your computer.
7) Go back to the page that you found the fillable MCS 150 form on and scroll down to the bottom. Click the link to create an FMCSA customer service ticket.
8) Input your information into the contact form. Be sure to select “USDOT Number” as the Inquiry Type. The “I Need To” section should be set to “Change/update my USDOT Company information”.
9) First, click the “Choose File” button and attach your MCS 150 form AND a copy of your current driver’s license to the form. Attaching your driver’s license is a critical requirement and your online MCS 150 update request will be rejected if this is not included.
You can do this by taking a photo of your Driver’s License on your cell phone and then uploading it from your photos (if you’re completing the process using your phone. (Completing the update process on your phone isn’t recommended).
To update MCS-150 on your computer, you can email a copy of your DL to yourself. Just download the image to your computer. You can then drop the image into the form from there.
10) Hit the “Continue” button on the bottom left side of the page and you will have submitted your MCS 150 form!
How do I know if I need to update Form 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 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 Safety Measurement System 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).
Currently, it takes approximately 10 business days to update your MCS 150 in the FMCSA system once they receive your update request.
Once the MCS 150 system is back up and running, it should update within 24 hours once your request is processed via your FMCSA Portal.
Be sure to print out your MCS 150 form for your records! Once you submit your update request via the FMCSA Customer Service Ticket System, they will send a confirmation email to the email address on file for the FMCSA Portal administrator listed in the system. Outside of this, you’ll have no other proof that you submitted the request.
If your MCS 150 hasn’t been updated in about 10 to 14 days after your send in your FMCSA biennial update request, then I would contact the FMCSA to check on the status just to be sure.
Of course, you can hire a DOT compliance company, like us, to do this for you too!
About My Safety Manager
At My Safety Manager, we make fleet safety and compliance simple.
Whether you run a small fleet or manage dozens of trucks, we deliver tailored solutions that keep your drivers safe and your operations compliant.
Our team works with you to build a safety management program that fits your operation—taking time-consuming compliance tasks off your plate so you can focus on what matters most: growing your business.
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