FMCSA Pauses USDOT Number Inactivations During Motus Transition

FMCSA has temporarily stopped inactivating USDOT numbers when a registrant misses a required biennial update during the transition to Motus, the agency's new registration system. FreightWaves reported the relief September 9, and FMCSA's official guidance confirms that it covers entities whose biennial update was due on or after June 1, 2026. The pause remains in effect until further notice.

Motus launched May 19 as the federal system for applying for and managing USDOT numbers, operating authority and related registrations. FMCSA says the temporary measure is intended to reduce disruption while access and system issues are stabilized. A carrier covered by the pause should not have its USDOT number made inactive solely because the qualifying update has not yet been completed.

The underlying reporting duty has not been eliminated. Motor carriers and other covered registrants normally must keep company, mileage, vehicle, driver and operating information current through a biennial filing, even when little has changed. FMCSA says affected registrants will receive additional time and that more guidance will follow. The agency also directs users to its registration alerts, Motus public search and customer-service channels for status and support.

Carriers should treat the announcement as temporary enforcement relief, not permission to ignore their records. Confirm that the legal name, address, contact information, power-unit count and driver totals in Motus are accurate; keep screenshots or confirmation numbers for completed actions; and monitor FMCSA notices for a restart date. Dispatch and safety teams should verify the public USDOT record before moving freight under a new or recently updated account. The pause can prevent an immediate administrative shutdown, but it does not replace operating authority, insurance, UCR or any other requirement that applies to the business.