General Information

What Is UCR?

The unified carrier registration (UCR) program is a federal mandate designed to fund state highway motor carrier registration and safety programs. The federal program creates funds for state programs by charging interstate and international motor carriers an annual registration fee based on the size of their fleet. Any individual or company that makes arrangements for interstate or international shipments (including freight brokers and forwarders) are subject to the UCR fee, and these annual fees provide funds for the state programs. 

Who Needs UCR?

Any person or company that operates commercial motor vehicles in interstate or international commerce must register their business with a participating state and pay an annual fee based on the size of their fleet. Motor carriers, brokers, leasing companies, or freight forwarders must register if they operate a commercial vehicle across interstate lines.

If you did not file in a previous year, yet you were operating commercial vehicles involved in interstate travel, you are still required to pay registration fees for that year to avoid issues with UCR enforcement in the coming year. 

Motor vehicles that require unified carrier registration:

• Cargo vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or greater
• Passenger vehicles designed to carry more than 10 passengers (including driver)
• Any vehicle that transports hazardous materials in quantities requiring placarding under federal regulations

Who Is Exempt From the Unified Carrier Registration?

1. Vehicle weight: GVWR or GCWR of 10,000 pounds or less.
2. Registered as Intrastate: Operate exclusively within one state and do not engage in interstate commerce.
3. Government vehicles: Operated by federal, state, or local government entities.
4. Private carriers: Transport only property you own, lease, or control, without offering for-hire services.
5. Non-business use: Vehicles used for personal, recreational, or household purposes.
6. Agricultural operations: Certain seasonal agricultural transport under 150-mile radius (may vary by state).
7. Passenger carriers: Some non-commercial passenger transportation (e.g., churches, schools) may be exempt.

Why Are Brokers & Forwarders Required to Register?

Even though they do not have any trucks, freight brokers and freight forwarders must comply to the UCR program regardless of vehicle ownership because the UCR applies to any entity involved in arranging or facilitating interstate transportation for compensation. The requirement is based on the role in commerce, not vehicle weight or ownership.

The 10,000-pound exemption applies only to carriers whose vehicles fall under that weight threshold. Brokers and forwarders are not eligible for vehicle-based exemptions.

The UCR Process

If an individual or company is involved in interstate shipping they are required to pay the annual UCR fee in their base state. If their state of primary residence is not a UCR participating state, the individual or company is still required to pay the UCR fee but must do so in a participating state. The UCR fee is based on the number of motor vehicles in the fleet and the larger the fleet, the higher the fee. 

More on Participating States

UCR is a base state program and this means that operators must file in their state of primary residence. However, not all states participate in UCR and this is a common source of confusion for operators. If a company needs UCR but resides in a non-participating state, they must file in a neighboring participating state.

As of 2025, 41 states and D.C. participate in UCR. The non-participating states are: Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Wyoming. In these cases, a company involved in interstate or international shipping must file their UCR in another nearby participating state.

The Cost

Number Of Trucks	Fee Bracket	Total Fee With Royalty Speed
0-2	$46	$191
3-5	$138	$271
6-20	$276	$392

UCR requires annual filing and is not a one-time registration. Brokers and leasing companies are only required to pay the minimum registration fee. However, the registration fee for carriers depends on the amount of vehicles in the company’s fleet. Again, the more vehicles, the higher the fee.

Penalties for Not Filing When Required

If a motor carrier is caught crossing state lines without UCR, law enforcement could detain the vehicle. It is also possible to be fined and penalized for not filing the UCR. There can also be penalties if audited without UCR. The fine amount depends on the state, however the range for first time offenders is from $100 to $5000.

This website is not affiliated with the Unified Carrier Registration Plan. This website is operated by a private company that provides a private registration service for an additional fee. You are not required to use this site to register with the UCR Plan. You may register directly with the UCR Plan at www.ucr.gov.

Review

All interstate carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies need UCR, an annual registration fee. If the vehicle is only involved in intrastate shipping, they do not need UCR. Individuals and companies who make arrangements for the shipment of goods, such as brokers, freight forwarders and leasing companies are subject to the UCR fee even if they only travel through non-participating states.

Frequently Asked Questions

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