Glossary · updated October 30, 2026
49 USC §14504a
Also known as: Unified Carrier Registration Statute
By Korey Sharp-Paar · Reviewed by the Fast Trucking Compliance team
Definition
49 USC §14504a is the federal statute that created the Unified Carrier Registration system in 2005, replacing the Single State Registration System. It authorizes the annual fee on interstate carriers, brokers, forwarders, and leasing companies, defines the fleet-size fee brackets, and sets the base-state collection mechanism. It is the legal foundation every UCR obligation traces back to. Under the statute a carrier registers in its home state if that state participates in UCR, or in the nearest participating state if it does not. FMCSA sets the fee schedule through rulemaking under the statute, and the fees stay in place until a later rulemaking changes them (91 FR 56063).
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What Is the Unified Carrier Registration Plan?The Unified Carrier Registration Plan is the state-federal-industry body running UCR per 49 USC 14504a: 15-member board, the Agreement, ucr.gov, where fees go.
Related terms
- UCR(Unified Carrier Registration)
- 49 CFR Part 367(UCR Fee Regulation)
- Unified Carrier Registration Plan(UCR Plan)