What Is Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)?
Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) is an annual federal registration and fee that interstate motor carriers — including for-hire passenger carriers — must pay each year, based on fleet size. It's separate from your USDOT number and your operating authority (49 CFR Part 367).
Who has to pay UCR?
Carriers, brokers, leasing companies, and freight forwarders operating in interstate commerce. For a chauffeured fleet, that's any for-hire passenger operation that crosses state lines — the same fleets that carry a USDOT number and operating authority.
How much is the UCR fee?
The fee is tiered by fleet size — from the smallest bracket (0–2 vehicles) up to the largest (1,001+). The dollar amounts are set annually, so register and pay for the current year at ucr.gov rather than trusting a figure that may have changed.
When is UCR due?
Annually. Enrollment for the coming year usually opens in the fall, with the fee generally due by December 31 for the following calendar year. Operating without a current UCR registration invites fines and roadside enforcement.
How is UCR different from your USDOT number?
Your USDOT number is a permanent registration and safety ID; your operating authority (MC) is permission to haul passengers for hire. UCR is a separate annual fee layered on top — easy to forget precisely because it's its own thing.
Common questions
Who has to pay Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)?
Motor carriers, brokers, leasing companies, and freight forwarders that operate in interstate commerce. For a chauffeured fleet, that means for-hire passenger carriers running across state lines. It's separate from your USDOT number and your operating authority.
How much is the UCR fee?
The fee is tiered by fleet size, from the smallest bracket (0–2 vehicles) up to the largest (1,001+ vehicles). The exact dollar amounts are set each year, so register and pay for the current year at ucr.gov rather than relying on a figure that may have changed.
When is UCR due?
It's an annual registration. Enrollment for the coming year typically opens in the fall, and the fee is generally due by December 31 for the following calendar year. Operating in interstate commerce without a current UCR registration can lead to fines and roadside enforcement.
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Track every registration and renewal
VettyFleet tracks every license, filing, registration, medical card, and DOT test your fleet answers to — federal, state, and city — warns you before anything expires, and prints audit packets on demand.
General information, not legal advice — verify against current federal (FMCSA/DOT) regulations and your state and local rules, or counsel, before relying on it. Fees are set annually; confirm current amounts with the agency.