FMCSA registration system
MOTUS replaced the FMCSA Portal
On May 14, 2026 FMCSA shut down the FMCSA Portal and the Unified Registration System and moved registration to MOTUS. If your authority is showing differently in different places, you are not imagining it. Here is what changed, and a free check of what the public census data says about your record right now.
What changed on May 14
May 14, 2026
FMCSA retires the legacy registration systems. The FMCSA Portal and the Unified Registration System are shut down permanently and replaced by MOTUS.
Migration window
FMCSA temporarily suspends enforcement of biennial update requirements and the inactivation of USDOT numbers for entities that have not completed migration.
Since the cutover
Carriers report authority status appearing differently in MOTUS and SAFER, insurance-minimum misclassifications, and long waits for manual corrections.
The transition itself is documented by FMCSA and by transportation counsel. The failure modes below are drawn from carriers describing their own experience publicly, and individual cases vary. The full write-up is in MOTUS vs SAFER: why a carrier's authority shows two different answers.
If you are a carrier
- Check both systems and screenshot what each shows, with dates.
- Call FMCSA and press for a ticket. Carriers report that an MCS-150 update does not fix the misclassification.
- Escalate to your congressional representative if it stalls.
- Tell your brokers proactively, with documentation, before they quietly stop offering you freight.
If you are a broker
- An out-of-service flag is still a stop. Do not move the load on the carrier's say-so.
- Record which system you checked, what it showed, and when.
- Do not accept a carrier's screenshot as resolution. Verify it yourself.
- Watch the inverse error: "it's just the MOTUS glitch" is now a ready excuse for a carrier that genuinely is out of service.
Common questions
What is MOTUS?
MOTUS is the FMCSA USDOT Registration System that replaced the agency’s legacy registration tools on May 14, 2026. The FMCSA Portal and the Unified Registration System were shut down permanently on that date. FMCSA intends MOTUS to become the hub through which federal, state, and industry users reach registration and safety data.
Is the FMCSA Portal gone?
Yes. The FMCSA Portal was retired on May 14, 2026. If you are searching for the Portal login, the replacement is MOTUS. Existing Portal credentials do not carry over automatically; entities had to migrate their accounts.
Why does my authority show active in MOTUS but out of service in SAFER?
Carriers have reported this mismatch repeatedly since the cutover. SAFER is a separate public lookup surface that sits downstream of the registration system, and the two can disagree during the transition. Brokers generally check SAFER, so a stale record there can stop you getting loads even when MOTUS shows you are fine. Verify with FMCSA directly and document what each system shows, with dates.
Why does MOTUS say I need $5,000,000 in insurance?
Carriers have widely reported a misclassification in which standard freight carriers are treated as hazmat or passenger carriers, which raises the displayed insurance requirement from the usual $750,000 to $5,000,000. Because the filed policy then looks insufficient, authority can display as pending or inactive. Carriers report that filing an MCS-150 update does not resolve it and that a support ticket has to be raised. This is a user-reported issue, not an FMCSA statement.
How do I get a MOTUS record corrected?
Carriers report calling the FMCSA contact center and pushing for a ticket rather than accepting advice to file an MCS-150 update. Several also report that contacting a congressional representative was what finally moved a stalled correction. Keep dated screenshots of what each system shows while you wait.
Does this check show MOTUS data?
No. This page checks the FMCSA Company Census file, which is the public dataset we refresh daily. It is a useful second opinion and it shows you what a data-driven third party sees, but it is not the MOTUS record and it is not a substitute for verifying with FMCSA directly if your status is disputed.