Flagship access guide
The Complete FMCSA Motus & Login.gov Migration Guide for Carriers
A carrier-controlled plan for Company Official eligibility, identity ownership, email alignment, access recovery, and safer registration administration.
Short answer
Direct answer
Official registration access represents authority over the carrier’s record. The owner or eligible authorized direct employee should control identity, authentication, review, and recovery while outside professionals remain in support roles.
Treat account access as carrier governance
Official registration access represents authority over the carrier’s record. The owner or eligible authorized direct employee should control identity, authentication, review, and recovery while outside professionals remain in support roles.
Confirm current FMCSA rollout instructions before acting. Platform dates and workflows can change, and unsolicited activation requests may be fraudulent.
Source: FMCSA Portal
Name and verify the Company Official
Document the person’s ownership or direct-employment relationship, authority, current contact information, and responsibility for approving registration actions. Do not solve urgency by placing an outside consultant in the carrier’s identity role.
- Confirm eligibility and authority
- Use an individually controlled Login.gov account
- Verify email and authentication access
- Document an internal backup and continuity procedure
Source: Login.gov Help Center
Reconcile email and company records
Inventory the email in Login.gov, the contact data in official FMCSA systems, and the company details associated with the USDOT record. Follow official update and recovery procedures when they do not align.
Avoid duplicate identities, shared passwords, and copied one-time codes. Those shortcuts weaken accountability and can make later recovery harder.
Source: FMCSA Portal
Test access before the deadline
Perform a controlled sign-in, confirm the correct company context, and document who can approve actions. Review authorized users after staffing or ownership changes and remove obsolete access promptly.
- Retest primary and backup authentication
- Confirm the legal name, address, and USDOT number
- Record authorized support users
- Keep passwords and authentication codes private
Source: Login.gov Help Center
Create a safe escalation path
Keep official support links, relevant identifiers, and a log of recovery attempts. When access fails, preserve error details without exposing credentials and escalate through official channels.
The course places access control inside the broader audit-readiness system so the carrier can retrieve and manage records when the agency requests them.
Source: FMCSA Portal
Primary sources
Verify the current rule
Questions carriers ask
Frequently asked questions
Can a consultant control the carrier’s Login.gov account?
Login.gov credentials are personal. The eligible Company Official should retain control while a consultant may provide support.
What should a carrier check before Motus migration?
Company Official eligibility, Login.gov access, email alignment, official company information, recovery methods, and current FMCSA instructions.
Should authentication codes be shared?
No. Passwords and one-time authentication codes should stay with the individual account holder.
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