MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report)
A biennial update form that motor carriers must file with FMCSA reporting fleet size, driver count, mileage, cargo types, and contact info. An MCS-150 older than 2 years is a compliance red flag. CarrierOk tracks MCS-150 filing dates and flags stale filings as a risk signal.
Definition
The MCS-150 form (Motor Carrier Identification Report) is a mandatory biennial filing that every FMCSA-registered motor carrier must submit to update their registration information. The form captures key operational details including: the carrier's legal name and address, fleet size (owned and leased power units and trailers), total drivers, annual mileage, types of cargo hauled, types of operations (interstate, intrastate, both), and hazmat involvement. Carriers must update their MCS-150 within 30 days of any change in this information and, regardless of changes, must refile every 24 months based on the last digit of their DOT number (FMCSA assigns filing months by DOT number to spread the workload). Failure to file the MCS-150 on schedule can result in deactivation of the carrier's DOT number and operating authority. An MCS-150 filing date older than 2 years is a meaningful risk signal — it indicates the carrier is not maintaining basic compliance and the fleet data on file (power units, drivers, mileage) may be inaccurate. CarrierOk surfaces the MCS-150 filing date (mcs150_date) and last-reported mileage (mcs150_mileage) in the carrier profile, and flags stale filings in risk signals so underwriters and compliance teams can identify carriers with outdated registrations.
Why It Matters
For Underwriters
A stale MCS-150 means the fleet size, mileage, and operations data on file may be wildly inaccurate — you could be rating a 5-truck policy based on 2-year-old data that said 2 trucks.
For Brokers
An expired MCS-150 is a basic compliance failure that suggests the carrier isn't actively managing their regulatory obligations — a red flag for the quality of their broader operations.
For Developers
Compare mcs150_date against today's date to flag carriers with overdue filings — this is a simple but high-signal risk indicator that requires zero ML or complex scoring.
In the API
/v2/profileRelated Fields
mcs150_datemcs150_mileagetotal_power_unitstotal_driverstotal_trailersFrequently Asked Questions
What is the MCS-150 form?
The MCS-150 is FMCSA's Motor Carrier Identification Report, a mandatory biennial filing for all registered motor carriers. It reports fleet size, driver count, annual mileage, cargo types, and contact information. Carriers must update it every 24 months or within 30 days of any operational change. Failure to file can result in deactivation of the carrier's DOT number.
How often do carriers need to file the MCS-150?
Every 24 months, with the filing month determined by the last digit of the carrier's DOT number. FMCSA staggers filing months to distribute processing workload throughout the year. Additionally, carriers must file an update within 30 days of any significant change to their operations, such as a change in fleet size, address, or cargo types.
What does a stale MCS-150 mean for risk assessment?
An MCS-150 older than 2 years means the carrier has failed to meet a basic compliance requirement. The practical implication is that all fleet data on file — power units, trailers, drivers, mileage — may be inaccurate. For underwriters, this means the exposure basis may be wrong. For brokers, it's a signal that the carrier isn't actively managing compliance. CarrierOk flags stale MCS-150 filings in its risk signals.
Related Terms
Power Units
The industry-standard measure of fleet size, counting only vehicles with an engine — trucks and tractors, not trailers. When someone says a carrier has 50 trucks, they mean 50 power units. CarrierOk reports power units separately from trailers via the total_power_units field, sourced from MCS-150 filings.
DOT Number (USDOT Number)
A unique identifier assigned by the U.S. Department of Transportation to every motor carrier, broker, and freight forwarder in interstate commerce. The DOT number is the primary key for looking up safety records, insurance, and authority in FMCSA databases. CarrierOk indexes over 4.2 million DOT numbers.
FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
The federal agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates the trucking and bus industries. FMCSA issues operating authority, sets safety standards, and maintains the databases — SAFER, SMS, MCMIS, L&I — that CarrierOk indexes four times daily to power its carrier intelligence platform.