If your business crosses state lines, 2027 UCR registration is one filing you can’t skip. The Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) applies to for-hire motor carriers, motor private carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and leasing companies engaged in interstate commerce, and what you owe depends on the size of your fleet. A three-truck operator and a 200-truck fleet pay very different amounts under the same program.

This page covers who needs to file for 2027, the finalized government fees, what to have ready before you start, and what you get once your filing is processed. Read it once, and you’ll know exactly what to file, what it costs, and what happens next before you start your 2027 UCR registration with FMCA Filings.

Who Needs to File UCR for 2027?

UCR may apply to your business if you’re engaged in interstate commerce as one of the following:

• For-hire motor carriers
• Motor private carriers
• Freight forwarders
• Brokers
• Leasing companies

UCR isn’t tied to your USDOT number by itself. It’s tied to whether you’re actually moving freight, brokering loads, or leasing equipment across state lines, which is why eligibility depends on your operations, not just your paperwork. If you’re not sure your business needs to register, the official UCR “Do I Need to Register?” resource can help you confirm eligibility before you file. If you don’t yet have a USDOT number, you’ll need one before you can complete UCR. You can apply for a new USDOT number here first.

Why 2027 UCR Registration Matters

Businesses required to register for UCR that don’t complete their 2027 filing by January 1, 2027, may face citations, fines, and penalties from individual states, the DOT, and the UCR Plan’s board. Non-compliance can also block renewal of your vehicle registrations and IFTA credentials because states use UCR compliance as a gate for those renewals. Handle it before the deadline, not after.

2027 UCR Fees

FMCSA finalized the 2027 UCR fee schedule on September 1, 2026. The government fee brackets below are set by the Federal Register’s final 2027 fee rule and are based on the number of vehicles a business operates:

Fee information reviewed and updated September 1, 2026.

For example, a three-truck operator falls into the 3–5 vehicle bracket and owes $167 for 2027, while a 50-truck fleet falls into the 21–100 bracket at $1,163.

These amounts are the government-assessed UCR fee only. FMCA Filings’ service charge and filing fee are itemized separately in the filing form and at checkout, along with optional add-ons such as expedited processing or a printed certificate, priced separately if you choose them. No surprises at checkout.

Pre-Registration Pricing

Pre-registrations submitted before October 1, 2026 include a reduced FMCA Filings filing fee of 10% off across every vehicle tier except 1,001+ vehicles, which does not receive a pre-registration discount. This discounted pricing is only available during the pre-registration period and ends once official registration opens on October 1, 2026.

How Your UCR Fee Bracket Is Determined

For motor carriers and freight forwarders, your bracket is based on the total number of vehicles reported on your most recent MCS-150 / Biennial Update. If your fleet has grown, shrunk, or your MCS-150 information is outdated, your UCR fee bracket could be wrong. Outdated fleet information may mean an MCS-150 update is also needed. Filing UCR does not automatically update your MCS-150 on file.

Brokers and leasing companies are generally placed in the 0–2 vehicle bracket, since UCR fees for these entities are not based on a vehicle count in the same way. If you’re unsure which bracket applies to your business, you can check your motor carrier compliance before filing.

Before You Start

Have the following ready before you begin your 2027 filing:

• Your USDOT number
• Current fleet information used to determine your UCR fee bracket
• Your business classification (carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or leasing company)
• Current company and contact information
• Payment information

How 2027 UCR Filing Works

1. Enter your required company and USDOT information.
2. Review the 2027 government fee and FMCA Filings’ service charges before you pay (these are itemized separately).
3. Submitting your 2027 UCR filing gets you an email confirmation once FMCA Filings has processed it.

What You Receive After Filing

Once your information is submitted, FMCA Filings processes your 2027 UCR filing during normal business hours and sends confirmation to the email on file. We can’t guarantee specific processing times, acceptance, or protection from fines or enforcement action, since these are ultimately determined by the UCR Plan and individual states, but we’ll keep you informed of your filing’s status throughout the process.

Filing Directly or Through FMCA Filings

FMCA Filings is a private third-party filing service. We are not affiliated with FMCSA or the Unified Carrier Registration Plan, and we charge an additional service fee for our filing assistance. You are not required to use FMCA Filings to register. You may also register directly through the official UCR system at UCR.gov.

Already registered and need to make a change? You can correct an existing UCR registration instead of filing again, or file a BOC-3 if that’s the filing you actually need.

2027 UCR Frequently Asked Questions