Unified Carrier Registration Fees to Rise 20% for 2027 Registration Year

What Changed in UCR Fees

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finalized a rule that increases Unified Carrier Registration fees for the 2027 registration year. The increase averages 20 percent over the fee structure used in 2025 and retained for 2026. The adjustment varies by fee bracket, with a range of $9 to $9,329 per entity. Although the new rates are higher than those in 2025 and 2026, they are still lower than the fees that were in place during 2019 through 2022. The rule became effective on October 1, 2026.

Who Is Affected

The fee change applies to all entities that participate in the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement. This includes motor carriers, motor private carriers of property, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. The 15‑member Board of the UCR, composed of state and industry representatives, recommends fee adjustments based on revenue shortfalls or surpluses. The new fee schedule will be collected by the participating states and allocated to the UCR Plan.

What Carriers Should Do

Carriers should first identify their current fee bracket and calculate the new fee for the 2027 registration year. Updating financial plans to account for the increased cost is advisable. Because the rule applies to a broad range of entities, carriers that also act as brokers or leasing companies should verify that the new rates apply to those activities. Finally, carriers should confirm how the fee increase will be collected by their state and whether any additional administrative steps are required.

What Is Still Unclear

The rule does not specify whether future fee adjustments will follow the same 20 percent pattern or if other factors will influence the schedule. It also does not detail how the collected fees will be allocated among the participating states beyond the general statement that revenues are distributed to the UCR Plan. Carriers should monitor FMCSA communications for guidance on these matters and consider submitting petitions for reconsideration if the new fees impact their operations significantly.