The FMCSA recently sent out registration update reminders to carriers and owner operators via the agency’s new online service.
Today, a CDLLife reader forwarded an email he received from a company calling themselves the FMCSA’s Office of Registration and Safety Information. In the email, they offer to update your information at a low cost, however, according to the FMCSA updating registration information is free.
Updating your information through the FMCSA is free.
The email came from the following email address: [email protected] (NOT AN OFFICIAL FMCSA EMAIL ADDRESS)
The FMCSA has confirmed that messages “from [email protected] are legitimate communications from FMCSA.” (OFFICIAL FMCSA EMAIL ADDRESS)
The email reads as follows:
Dear Company Official,
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all
entities under its jurisdiction to update their information every two years
as part of the new Unified Registration System (URS) regulation. Under
URS, you are required to provide this update every two years, even if
your company has not changed its information, has ceased interstate
operations since the last update, or is no longer in business and you did
not notify FMCSA.
Failure to complete a Biennial Update may result in deactivation of
your USDOT number and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day,
not to exceed $10,000.
Updating your information is at a very low cost. We have included
instructions below to help you complete your biennial update.
Sincerely,
Office of Registration and Safety Information
Update Your Information Online: See Attachment for Instructions
ACTUAL FMCSA EMAIL:
Dear Company Official,
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all entities under its jurisdiction to update their information every two years as part of the new Unified Registration System (URS) regulation. Under URS, you are required to provide this update every two years, even if your company has not changed its information, has ceased interstate operations since the last update, or is no longer in business and you did not notify FMCSA.
Failure to complete a Biennial Update may result in deactivation of your USDOT number and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, not to exceed $10,000.
Updating your information is free. We have included instructions below to help you complete your biennial update.
Sincerely,
Office of Registration and
Safety Information
Follow this link to the FMCSA press release.
*CDLLife spoke with the FMCSA today, and they said the email is likely coming from a 3-rd party service that is working to update registration information for a fee, though the FMCSA cannot confirm or deny whether or not this 3-rd party service is actually updating registration information.