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How to get a USDOT number: free FMCSA registration in Motus

Short answerYou apply directly with FMCSA online. Since May 2026 that happens in Motus, FMCSA's new USDOT Registration System at motus.dot.gov, which replaced the old Unified Registration System (URS). FMCSA says there is no charge to get a USDOT number, though operating authority (an MC number), if you need it, costs $300 per authority type. Expect to verify your identity with a government ID, a smartphone and a selfie before you can apply.

First, check if you need one

FMCSA has a free USDOT Wizard that asks about your operation and tells you whether you need only a USDOT number, operating authority too, or nothing. In general you need a USDOT number for interstate commerce with a vehicle over 10,000 lbs, passenger work above certain seat counts, or placarded hazmat. Many states also require one for intrastate trucks. The full list is in Do I need a USDOT number?

Where to apply now: Motus, not URS

A lot of older guides still tell you to use URS. That changed. FMCSA's legacy registration systems shut down for new applications on May 14, 2026, and Motus, the USDOT Registration System, took over in May 2026. FMCSA says you cannot start a new USDOT application in URS anymore.

Go to motus.dot.gov.
Create a user profile through Login.gov.
Pass identity verification.
Create a new company account and apply for what you need: a USDOT number, operating authority, or both.

What you need to have ready

FMCSA's April 2026 Federal Register notice says all new applicants must pass identity proofing. You need a smartphone or tablet and a valid government-issued ID. You scan a QR code, photograph the ID and take a selfie.

FMCSA also verifies the business itself: legal name, principal place of business address, ownership structure, company officials and status. The registration forms collect information about your operation, safety policies, and the drivers and vehicles you plan to use. The MCS-150, the form behind a USDOT number, also covers your tax ID (EIN or SSN).

Use your exact legal name. It is the name that has to go on your truck doors later, and changing it afterward takes paperwork.

Cost and timing

FMCSA states plainly: there is no charge to get a USDOT number. Updating your information later is free too. If you are for-hire and cross state lines with regulated freight, you also need operating authority, and as of October 2026 FMCSA lists that as a one-time, non-refundable $300 fee per authority type. See How to get an MC number.

FMCSA has not published a fixed turnaround for online Motus applications. For the paper forms it still accepts, its April 2026 notice says to expect at least eight business days. FMCSA says newly issued USDOT numbers in Motus are randomized.

Watch out for look-alike sites and sales calls

FMCSA's fraud alerts page says the government does not endorse and generally does not require private registration services, and FMCSA does not charge for its downloadable forms. It also says FMCSA will not call you right after you apply, and official email comes from addresses with @dot.gov. A USDOT number also cannot be bought, sold or leased. FMCSA says it will inactivate numbers used that way. Questions go to FMCSA at 1-800-832-5660.

After you get the number: mark the truck

Once you have the number, 49 CFR 390.21T says the truck has to show your legal name or single trade name (the one on your MCS-150) and the number with the letters USDOT in front of it, on both sides of the power unit. The letters have to contrast sharply with the background and be readable from 50 feet in daylight while the truck is parked. See USDOT number size requirements for the details, or build yours on a photo of your truck type at USDOT truck lettering. Both doors start at $59, ship free, and take about 15 minutes a door to apply.