How to Set Up Login.gov and Verify Your Identity for FMCSA Motus

FMCSA's Motus registration system does not use the old username and password from the FMCSA Portal. It signs you in through Login.gov and asks you to prove who you are before you can register or manage your USDOT account. The process is straightforward once you know what to have ready, and getting it right the first time avoids a stalled registration. Here is how to do it.

What you need before you start

• An email address for your Login.gov account. If you used the old FMCSA Portal, use the same email you had as the company official.
• A phone that can receive a code, or another method Login.gov offers for a second security step.
• A device with a camera: a smartphone, a tablet, or a computer with a webcam.
• A valid government issued photo ID, such as a driver license, passport, or resident card.

Step by step

1. 1Go to the Motus sign in and choose Login.gov. If you already have a Login.gov account, sign in. If not, create one for free with your email and a strong password.
2. 2Set up the second security step Login.gov requires, such as a phone code or an authentication app, so your account is protected.
3. 3Use the same email you used as the company official in the old FMCSA Portal. This is what links your existing USDOT number to your new account. Using a different email can leave your number unclaimed.
4. 4Complete the identity document check. FMCSA uses IDEMIA for this: you photograph your government issued ID and a selfie so the system can confirm the ID is yours.
5. 5Complete the business verification. FMCSA uses CLEAR to confirm your connection to the business as part of registering in Motus.
6. 6Once verified, you land in your Motus account, where you can claim your USDOT number, review your information, and manage your registration.

Tips that prevent a hold

• Match the email. The single most common snag is signing up with a new email instead of the one tied to your company official record.
• Have your ID in hand and good lighting before you start the document step, so the capture is clear on the first try.
• Finish in one sitting where you can. Switching devices partway through the verification can mean starting the step again.

How this connects to your Form 2290

Logging in to Motus and verifying your identity handles the FMCSA registration side. It does not file your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax. Form 2290 is a separate IRS filing, and its stamped Schedule 1 is still what your state wants when you register or renew a heavy vehicle. Keep the two on parallel tracks: verify and register through Motus, and file your Form 2290 with an IRS Authorized e-file provider so your Schedule 1 is ready when registration needs it.

Source

Steps here are based on FMCSA's Motus registration guidance (fmcsa.dot.gov/registration), including its notes on Login.gov and the IDEMIA and CLEAR verification partners. Rollout details change as new phases go live, so confirm the current process with FMCSA directly before you register.