These messages may be confusing, especially for new carriers. The key thing to understand is that USDOT numbers are assigned randomly. For example, if you received your new USDOT number in May 2024, and the last two digits are “58,” your official biennial update is now due in August 2024 because it’s an odd-numbered year.
In simpler terms, the biennial update isn’t based on when you got your USDOT number but is required every two years, determined by the last two digits. The last digit indicates the month it’s due (8 for August), and the second-to-last digit indicates whether to file in an odd or even year (5 for an odd number, so you file in August of odd-numbered years).
