Last reviewed November 15, 2026, against FMCSA's public pages.
FMCSA's rule
FMCSA says registrants must designate a service provider, and the provider must accept the designation, before the provider gets access to the company account. FMCSA says it does not have a separate vetting process for transportation service providers, but providers must create user profiles and company accounts and complete identity verification.
Why it works this way
FMCSA says the process makes sure only authorized parties can access a company's information, and only after the company gives permission.
What happens for a new application
FMCSA says new registrants start the application themselves and complete required information, including identity and business verification, before designating a provider. Motus then notifies the provider to confirm the relationship. Once the provider accepts, it can complete actions for the registrant, including data entry. The company official still reviews the provider's entries and submits the final oaths and certifications.
What this site will not do
This site will never ask for your Login.gov password, one-time codes, or ID images. If you want help with Motus, designation is the path FMCSA describes.
The steps
FMCSA has not posted a carrier-side designation walkthrough on the pages we checked, so this site does not invent button names. Follow the designation option in your Motus company account, check FMCSA's Resources Hub for job aids, or contact FMCSA.
If your email was already used as a TSP by mistake
See registered as a TSP by mistake.
What this part of the process involves
- Your own profile, identity check and company account first
- Designating the provider in Motus
- The provider accepting the designation
- Reviewing their entries and signing the final certifications yourself
Rather not work through every step yourself? A Personal Compliance Specialist can prepare and file the parts that can be handed off.
Consult with a Compliance SpecialistDo it yourself, or hand it off
Do it yourself in Motus
- No FMCSA charge for a USDOT number or for updates. Government fees still apply to things like operating authority.
- You handle every screen, form and certification.
- You track recurring deadlines, such as the biennial update, yourself.
Have a Personal Compliance Specialist handle it
- A paid, optional service. The fee is quoted before work starts and is separate from government fees.
- Once you designate them in Motus as a service provider, they can prepare filings and do data entry for you.
- You still complete your own identity check and the final certification. No one can speed up FMCSA's review.
Related guides
Where this information comes from
We write these guides from FMCSA's public pages and update them when FMCSA changes its guidance. Check the source before you act: