📖 Table of Contents
Quick answer
Need the filing plan, not just the reading assignment? Start with a plain-English authority checklist and transparent pricing.
Active name change
See which total applies, then file
Confirm you are not pending. Then start the change. The review screen shows $30 or $44 before you pay.
The two totals
Paid name change is never a single made-up number. It is one of these two.
No MCSA-5889
$30
Single payable total for a USDOT-only record change (MCS-150).
MCSA-5889 needed
$44
Single payable total when MCSA-5889 is required.
Still pending?
Then this bill does not apply. Pending name changes are free. No checkout.
Confirm you are not pending
Check the public record first. Pending means the free path.
Authority status checker
USDOT or MC number. Look for pending vs active on common, contract, or broker.
August 2026 Motus update
Why the change goes through Motus now, not the retired Portal or URS.
File the change
Turn the guide into a filing plan
Know what you need, what it costs, and what to file next.
We help new carriers get MC authority, USDOT, BOC-3, UCR, and startup compliance handled without the usual bureaucratic jump scares.
What you pay
The payable total is $30 for a USDOT-only change or $44 when MCSA-5889 is required.
FAQ
How much is a name change if my MC is already active?
$30 without MCSA-5889, or $44 when that form is needed. Start at /services/business-name-change after you confirm you are not pending.
When is MCSA-5889 needed?
When the packet updates an MC, MX, or FF authority record, not just the USDOT. Then the total is $44.
Is motorcarrier.ai the FMCSA?
No. We are a private filing and compliance help service. Motus is the government system.
We help new trucking companies get set up and stay compliant — from MC authority to insurance to ongoing DOT requirements. No jargon, no overcharging, just straight answers.
Learn more about us →Keep Reading
ELD for a One-Truck Company
One truck does not skip the ELD. If you keep RODS most days, you need a registered device. True short-haul on timecards may not. Brokers may still ask.
Authority Revoked or Inactive: How to Turn It Back On in Motus
Inactive, lapsed, and revoked are not the same. Motus shows a status plus a reason. Fix insurance, BOC-3, and USDOT first, then request reinstatement. FMCSA lists $80; payable checkout is $85.
How Insurance Gets on File With FMCSA
You buy the policy. The insurer files BMC-91 or BMC-91X. Why Motus can show insurance missing when the policy is fine, and what the official minimums are.
Ready to turn this into an actual filing?
We handle MC authority, BOC-3, UCR, and startup compliance steps so you can focus on getting the business moving.