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UCR Registration · 5 min read

UCR Tiers and Fees, Broken Down

Reviewed by Korey Sharp-Paar · Updated

Quick answer

UCR fees follow a six-tier schedule keyed to fleet size, set by FMCSA rulemaking on the UCR Plan Board's recommendation; the 2027 fees stay in effect until a future rule changes them. The schedule is published in the Federal Register. Brokers, forwarders, and leasing companies with zero vehicles file at Tier 1.

  • Tier 1 covers 0–2 vehicles, Tier 6 covers 1,001+ vehicles.
  • Fast Trucking Compliance Tier 1 = $90 ($55 UCR government fee + $35 service fee), one-time per registration year.
  • Brokers and forwarders default to Tier 1 because UCR counts CMVs operated, not loads moved.
  • Federal portion funds state-level commercial vehicle enforcement and new-entrant safety audits.
  • Service fees from third-party filers are itemized separately from the federal fee on legitimate invoices.

UCR fees are set on a six-tier schedule keyed to the number of commercial motor vehicles an entity operated in interstate commerce during the prior 12 months. The schedule is set by FMCSA rulemaking on the UCR Plan Board's recommendation; the 2027 fees stay in effect until a future rule changes them. It is published in the Federal Register. Verify the authoritative schedule before filing.

The Six Tiers

The tier structure is consistent year to year even when the dollar amounts shift. For the full bracket-by-bracket walkthrough including 2027 boundary cases, see the UCR tier by fleet size guide. To get your own bracket and exact federal fee from a vehicle count — plus the fleet sizes where the fee jumps — use the UCR fee calculator.

UCR fee tier schedule by fleet size, 2027 registration year.
TierFleet size (CMVs)Typical registrant
Tier 10–2Owner-operators, brokers, freight forwarders, leasing companies with no vehicles
Tier 23–5Small fleets - carriers running 2–3 drivers beyond a single owner-operator setup
Tier 36–20Mid-sized regional carriers, LTL operations with a handful of routes
Tier 421–100Established regional fleets, smaller dedicated-contract carriers
Tier 5101–1,000Large regional and national carriers
Tier 61,001+Major national fleets, typically publicly traded

Why Tiers, Not a Flat Fee

UCR is a cost-recovery program funding state enforcement. A fleet operating 500 trucks generates more inspection activity than a single owner-operator, and the tier structure scales the fee accordingly. The progressive curve also keeps the entry-level tier affordable for small carriers who cannot absorb a flat rate sized for a 100-truck fleet.

What the Fee Actually Covers

The federal UCR fee is remitted to the participating-states pool. It covers state enforcement of federal motor carrier safety regulations, new entrant safety audits, and interstate commercial vehicle inspection programs. When you pay UCR, you are funding the scale house inspection you will eventually drive through. Professional filing services (like Fast Trucking Compliance) add a flat service fee on top of the federal portion for submission and support — the federal and service fees should be itemized separately on any legitimate filer's invoice.

Special Cases

A few edge cases come up every year:

  • Brokers and forwarders with no trucks file at Tier 1, regardless of revenue or number of loads brokered.
  • Carriers who dropped trucks mid-year file at the tier matching their actual 12-month count, not their current fleet size.
  • Leasing companies are charged the smallest bracket fee (Tier 1) under 49 USC §14504a(f)(1), the same as brokers.
Bottom line: Six tiers, keyed to your honest 12-month interstate fleet count. The fee schedule is set by FMCSA rulemaking on the UCR Plan Board's recommendation; the 2027 fees stay in effect until a future rule changes them. Always cross-check the current schedule against the UCR Plan's published schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are UCR fees calculated?

Fees are set by FMCSA rulemaking on the UCR Plan Board's recommendation; the 2027 fees stay in effect until a future rule changes them. The 6-tier schedule is keyed to the number of commercial motor vehicles the registrant operated in the prior 12 months. Brokers, forwarders, and leasing companies with no vehicles file at Tier 1. The board publishes the fee schedule in the Federal Register; verify it against the authoritative UCR Plan schedule before filing.

Why does my broker friend pay less than my trucking company?

Because UCR is fleet-sized. A broker who operates no vehicles sits at Tier 1 regardless of revenue. A fleet operating 25 trucks sits at Tier 4. The program’s design passes the cost of state enforcement onto the carriers most likely to be inspected — which is roughly the carriers with more trucks on more highways.

Is there a way to lower my tier?

Only honest counting. Your UCR count is the CMVs you operated in interstate commerce during the prior calendar year — not the CMVs you own today. If you sold trucks or dropped leased units mid-year, make sure your filing reflects the accurate 12-month count. Intentionally under-counting is a federal violation of 49 USC §14504a and exposes you to audit and penalty.

Order your UCR registration online

We prepare your UCR registration; it is submitted to the National UCR System. The UCR government fee is itemized separately from our service fee, and both are shown before you pay.

Start your UCR order — from $90 UCR registration overview

Submitted to the National UCR System.

Independent filing service operated by Fast Filing Group LLC. Not affiliated with FMCSA, USDOT, UCR.gov or any government agency.

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