“We'll fix your Motus login for $300” mail or robocall

What the letter asks

Pay a few hundred dollars to "fix your Motus login," "claim your USDOT," or submit your biennial update.

Typical amount: $150–$400

How to recognize it

• Rides the 2026 Motus chaos — offers to "fix your login," "claim your number," or "push your biennial through" for a fee.
• Comes as official-looking mail with a due date, or a robocall leaning on urgency.
• Charges hundreds for something FMCSA does for free.

What it really is

FMCSA's Motus rollout locked a lot of carriers out, and third parties are exploiting the panic — mailing and calling to "fix" it for a fee. But claiming your own record is free, and the lockout is almost always a simple Login.gov / FMCSA Portal email mismatch you can fix yourself.

The real way

The lockout is usually an email mismatch between your Login.gov account and the "Company Official" email on your old FMCSA Portal record — line them up and re-claim. Still stuck? Call FMCSA registration at 1-800-832-5660 (free) or open a ticket at ask.fmcsa.dot.gov. And FMCSA paused USDOT inactivations during the Motus mess, so a stuck biennial isn't costing you your number right now.

Other mail people ask about

• “USDOT number renewal / activation fee” letter
• “Certificate of Registration / official carrier document” offer
• “MCS-150 / biennial update renewal” notice

Common questions

Does FMCSA charge to fix a Motus login or claim my USDOT?

No. Claiming your record and filing your biennial update in Motus are free. Any letter or call demanding a few hundred dollars to "fix your Motus" is a third party exploiting the rollout chaos, not FMCSA.

What's the real fix for a Motus lockout?

It's usually an email mismatch: Motus verifies you through Login.gov against the "Company Official" email on your old FMCSA Portal record. Make those emails match and re-claim. If it still won't work, call FMCSA at 1-800-832-5660 — free.