Requirements

What You Need Before You Apply for a USDOT Number

This is a preparation checklist, not a rewrite of every application question. Those questions stay on the home page. Gather these items before you sign in to Motus, or before you ask us to prepare a filing.

Who should be sitting at the computer

The person who certifies the application should be the owner, a partner, or an authorized corporate officer. That is the certification language used in FMCSA's Motus claim materials. An employee can be involved later as a designated user, but the first registration should be completed or closely controlled by someone who can honestly make that certification. See who can file or certify.

The certification has to come from someone who can honestly make it. Finding that person and keeping them involved takes coordination if someone else has been gathering documents.

Identity-verification items

Motus identity verification uses a valid government-issued ID and a photo of the person who is signing in. FMCSA's verification FAQ names a driver's license, passport, or permanent resident card, and describes using a device with a camera, often a phone or a QR code. Have the ID and the device ready. Details are in What should I expect in the verification process?. If the check fails, do not start a second application. Use fmcsamotus.help for sign-in and verification problems.

You need a valid government-issued ID and a camera-equipped device, and the person signing in has to complete the check personally. A failed check should be fixed, not followed by a second application.

Business identity items

Have the legal name as it appears in state records, the principal place of business, a mailing address, contact information, and the tax ID that belongs to the legal person being registered (an EIN, or, where it actually applies, an SSN). See EIN or SSN on the application. Do not invent a stack of extra documents, such as articles, bank letters, or leases, unless Motus or FMCSA asks for them. If business verification later requests supporting documents, follow the prompt you are given.

The legal name, addresses, and tax ID have to belong to the same legal person and match other records. Aligning those details is usually slower than typing them in.

Operation details you should have ready

Know your operation type, the cargo or passengers you will carry, a count of vehicles and drivers if asked, and whether you also need operating authority. FMCSA's USDOT Wizard can help you sort that last question. If you expect to apply for both a number and authority, see applying for both.

Operation type, cargo, and whether you need authority are easy to rush and hard to unwind later, because later filings have to use the same answers.

A Login.gov account

Motus sign-in goes through Login.gov, which is free and uses two-factor authentication. See USDOT application sign-in for the path to motus.dot.gov. This site does not collect Login.gov passwords or one-time codes.

Login.gov is a separate sign-in with two-factor authentication. It has to be completed before you can work in Motus.

If you already have a USDOT number, stop and claim it instead

Do not start a new registration to replace or "refresh" an existing number. Claim the record you already have. If you are not sure whether a number exists, look it up before you apply, and read common application mistakes.

Looking up an existing number and claiming it is slower than clicking "new," but filing again is how a second record gets created.

Frequently asked questions