How to File a Complaint with the FMCSA Complaint Center: Step-by-Step Guide
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has updated and rebranded its legacy National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB) into the FMCSA Complaint Center at complaint.fmcsa.dot.gov.
This portal allows the general public, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, and transportation industry professionals to report safety hazards, regulatory violations, and unfair or deceptive business practices involving large trucks, buses, brokers, and service providers.
Below is the step-by-step guide explaining how to navigate the 10-step online complaint portal.
What Types of Entities Can You Report?
Complaints can be filed against:
- Moving Companies and Moving Brokers
- Truck and Bus Companies
- Drug and Alcohol Service Agents (MRO, SAP, collection sites, C/TPAs)
- Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Providers
- Property Brokers
- Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) Providers
- Hazardous Material Transportation Carriers
- Cargo Tank Facilities
- Intermodal Equipment Providers (IEP)
- Motorist Safety Issues (reckless driving, unsafe equipment)
- Registration-Related Misrepresentation and Identity Theft
Step-by-Step Guide: Filing Your Complaint (10 Steps)
Step 1: Choose Your Role
Go to complaint.fmcsa.dot.gov/complaint and select the option that describes your situation:
- General Public: Select this if you hired a moving company or broker, traveled as a bus passenger, observed safety issues on the road, or witnessed a CMV leaking hazardous materials.
- CMV Driver: Select this if you operate commercial trucks or buses and need to report employer issues, coercion, hours-of-service pressure, or broker issues.
- Industry Professional: Select this if you represent a bus or truck company, shipper, insurer, broker, owner-operator, C/TPA, cargo tank user, or work as a safety manager.
Step 2: Select Who Your Complaint Is Against
Choose the specific category of the entity you are reporting:
- Moving Company
- Truck Company
- Bus Company
- Electronic Logging Device Provider
- Property Broker
- Hazardous Materials Transportation
- Entry-Level Driver Training / Training Provider
- Intermodal Equipment Provider
- Motorist Safety
- Drug and Alcohol Service Agents
Step 3: Enter Incident Information
Provide the basic factual details about where and when the incident took place:
- Incident Date: Enter the exact date (Format: Oct 20, 2026).
- Incident Location: Enter the location where the incident occurred.
- Incident Description: Write a summary detailing what happened.
Step 4: Select an Allegation Category
Select the primary allegation category for your complaint (e.g., Drug and Alcohol Service Agents (SA), Coerced to Commit a Violation, Truck Safety, Operating Authority and Financial Responsibility, or Deceptive Business Practice).
Step 5: Choose a Topic
Select the specific topic corresponding to your chosen allegation category. For example, under Drug and Alcohol Service Agents (SA), choose from:
- Collection Site
- Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA)
- Medical Review Officer (MRO)
- Substance Abuse Professional (SAP)
Step 6: Answer Topic-Specific Questions
Complete the tailored questionnaire presented based on the topic selected in Step 5. You will answer questions directly related to your chosen category to specify the nature of the violation.
Step 7: Enter Contact Information & Privacy Option
Provide your contact details so FMCSA investigators can follow up regarding your report:
- Filer Information: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone Number (xxx-xxx-xxxx), Address, City, Country, State/Province, Zip Code.
- Representative Box: Check the box if you are filing on behalf of someone else.
- Company / U.S. DOT# (Optional): Include company name, U.S. DOT number, and company type if applicable.
- Employee Status: Indicate (Yes or No) whether you are an employee of the reported company.
- Privacy Sharing Options: Select what portions of your complaint (such as allegations only) may be shared with the reported entity.
Step 8: Add Subject Information (Entity/Professional Information)
Enter the details of the specific individual, company, or service agent your complaint is against:
- Required Field: Name (Full name of the company, service agent, or professional).
- Optional Fields: Email, Phone, Website, Address, City, Country, State/Province, Zip Code.
- Click Add to attach the information to your report table. You can add multiple entities or professionals if your complaint involves more than one.
Step 9: Upload Supporting Documentation
Attach any supporting evidence or files to strengthen your report:
- Required: Enter a File Description before uploading.
- Accepted File Formats: DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, GIF, JPEG, JPG, PDF, TIF, TIFF, TXT, WPD, ZIP, MSG, MP4, RTF, PNG, MPG, WMV, MOV.
- Size Limit: Up to 2 GB per file upload.
Step 10: Review and Submit Your Complaint
Review all submitted information, verifying your answers, contact details, subject information, and uploaded documents before submitting your final complaint to the FMCSA.
How the Process Works After Submission
- Tell Us What Happened: Submit your detailed report through the 10-step online portal.
- Receive Notification: FMCSA sends you an official letter notifying you of the status of your complaint.
- Your Complaint Drives Safety: FMCSA uses submitted complaints alongside other data sources to target non-compliant entities, carriers, and service providers for formal investigations and enforcement actions.
Alternate Ways to File & Contact Information
- By Phone (Hotline): Call 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Language Assistance: Non-English speaking individuals should call the hotline directly for live translation assistance.
- Technical Support Email: To submit website feedback or report technical issues with the portal, email complaintsupport@dot.gov.