What FMCSA changed
FMCSA updated its registration guidance on September 10, 2026, saying it has temporarily suspended enforcement of the biennial-update requirement and the inactivation of USDOT numbers for entities that have not completed a required biennial update. The agency tied the relief to disruption during the transition to Motus, its new USDOT Registration System.
The relief applies to registrants whose biennial update was due on or after June 1, 2026. FMCSA says those registrants will receive additional time and will not have their USDOT number inactivated for failing to submit the biennial update during this temporary period.
What the notice does not do
This is temporary enforcement guidance, not a final rule canceling the biennial-update requirement. The current regulation still describes the 24-month filing schedule and possible USDOT-number deactivation for noncompliance.
FMCSA did not publish an expiration date for the relief on the guidance page. It said more guidance will follow as Motus recovery and stabilization continue, so carriers should not treat the pause as permanent or assume that unrelated registration duties are suspended.
What it means for drivers and carriers
Owner-operators, carrier officials, and registration staff with an affected due date have protection from automatic USDOT-number inactivation for the missed biennial update while this relief remains in place. Employee drivers usually do not file the carrier's biennial update unless the carrier assigned them that administrative role.
Affected registrants should keep their company information ready, monitor FMCSA registration alerts, and use the agency's contact center for an urgent registration problem. This relief does not authorize operation under an otherwise inactive, revoked, or suspended USDOT number or operating authority.
Primary sources and supporting records
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update RequirementPrimary temporary-enforcement guidance • Published 2026-09-10 • Checked September 11, 2026 at 5:08 PM
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 49 CFR 390.19T — Motor carrier and intermodal equipment provider identification reportsCurrent biennial-update rule context • Checked September 11, 2026 at 5:08 PM
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