What changed
On September 1, 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a final rule adopting the Unified Carrier Registration Plan's fee increase for the 2027 registration year (91 FR 56063, FR Doc. 2026-17893, Docket FMCSA-2025-0655, RIN 2126-AC72). The rule takes effect October 1, 2026 - the same day 2027 registration opens.
The rule creates a new 49 CFR 367.50 covering "registration year 2027 and subsequent years" and redesignates the 2025–2026 fee schedule to 49 CFR 367.40. Anyone citing 367.50 for the 2026 fees after October 1, 2026 is citing the wrong section; the 2026 schedule now lives at 367.40.
The increase averages 20 percent across the six brackets. Per-entity increases range from $9 for Bracket A (0–2 power units) to $9,329 for Bracket F (1,001 or more). FMCSA adopted the increase to cover a projected $21.79 million shortfall against the UCR program's $118 million statutory revenue requirement. Even after the increase, the 2027 fees remain below the 2019–2022 levels.
The 2026 vs 2027 fee schedule
Bracket A (0–2 power units): $46 in 2026, $55 for 2027 (+$9). Brokers, freight forwarders without vehicles, and leasing companies pay this bracket regardless of any equipment.
Bracket B (3–5 power units): $138 in 2026, $167 for 2027 (+$29).
Bracket C (6–20 power units): $276 in 2026, $333 for 2027 (+$57).
Bracket D (21–100 power units): $963 in 2026, $1,163 for 2027 (+$200).
Bracket E (101–1,000 power units): $4,592 in 2026, $5,548 for 2027 (+$956).
Bracket F (1,001+ power units): $44,836 in 2026, $54,165 for 2027 (+$9,329).
The bracket is still set by the number of power units on your most recent MCS-150 (or operated in the 12 months ending June 30 of the prior year). Trailers do not count. Our UCR Fee Calculator at /tools/ucr-fee-calculator now computes both years from your power-unit count.
A single increase, not an escalator
Because the rulemaking discussed a 20 percent figure, some carriers have read it as a 20-percent-per-year schedule. It is not. FMCSA stated that this is a single increase for the 2027 registration year that stays in force for subsequent years until a future rulemaking changes it. The 2028 fees will be the 367.50 figures above unless FMCSA publishes a new rule.
The fees also stay flat within a registration year. There is no proration for a mid-year start and no adjustment if you add trucks after registering; the new count shows up in the following year's bracket.
Dates that matter
Registration for the 2027 UCR year opens October 1, 2026. The final rule restates the standing practice that collections for a fee year begin October 1 of the preceding year, so there is no longer any reason to hedge on the opening date.
The deadline is December 31, 2026. Enforcement of 2027 registration starts January 1, 2027, and there is no grace period - participating states run UCR status at weigh stations and roadside inspections and can place an unregistered carrier out of service on the first day of the year.
2026 registration is still open. A carrier that never filed for 2026 can still register late at the 2026 fee ($46 for Bracket A), and 2026 enforcement stays active through December 31, 2026. Filing 2027 does not cure a missing 2026 registration.
What to do next
If you operate in interstate commerce as a carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or leasing company, put 2027 UCR on your October checklist and file before the year-end rush. The fee is paid through your base state (or the national registration system at ucr.gov if your state does not run its own portal).
Fast Trucking Compliance is a third-party filing service, not a government agency. Our FastUCR service files Tier 1 (0–2 vehicles) for $90 - the $55 federal fee plus a $35 service fee - or $80 per year on auto-renew, which charges on October 1 each year so the December deadline never becomes a deadline. Tier 2 (3–5 vehicles) is $255, Tier 3 (6–20) is $475, and Tier 4 (21–100) is $1,500, each including the federal fee.
Source: Federal Register, Fees for the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement, 91 FR 56063 (September 1, 2026): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/01/2026-17893/fees-for-the-unified-carrier-registration-plan-and-agreement