TRUCKING PERMIT, SAFETY AND BUSINESS CONSULTANTS
"A Place Where Stress-Free Compliance Begins"
Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)
Who should pay it?
-
Interstate motor carriers of property, both private and for hire, who have at least one vehicle exceeding 10,000 pounds
-
Interstate passenger carriers who have at least one vehicle designed to transport 10 passengers (including driver) or more
-
Brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies
Does it apply to owner operators?
If you work as an owner-operator and lease your truck(s) to another company, it is that carrier's responsibility to pay.
How much does it cost?
If you're a broker, the fee is the same as for 0 trucks.
If you're a trucking company or any other type of entity, the fee depends on the number of the vehicles that operate under your license. Simply add up the vehicles that you own, the ones that you lease from someone else, and owner operators that you employ. In the past, the fee applied to trailers as well. It's no longer a case, so leave those out of the equation.
$41 - 0-2 vehicles
$121 - 3-5 vehicles
$242 - 6-20 vehicles
$844 - 21-100 vehicles
$4,024 101-1000 vehicles
$39,289 - 1001 or more vehicles
*The above fees do not include any state payment processing and/or service provider fees
What is UCR?
Created by the Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005 (UCR Act - 49 United States Code (USC) section 14504a), it replaces the former system for registering and collecting fees from the operators of vehicles engaged in interstate travel – the Single State Registration System (SSRS).
So, what is UCR again?
The above FMCSA-provided definition does not explain a lot. In fact, most US states that participate in collection of the fees have their own websites where they explain who should pay it, when, and how much. However, there is almost no information out there what exactly your hard-earned money is spent on. In fact, the money is supposed to be used on promoting safety and enforcement of safety for vehicles participating in interstate commerce.
When is the deadline?
UCR must be paid annually. For example, if you started operating in October and have already paid for UCR, you will have to pay again for the next calendar year. Although historically it wasn't always like this, it is safe to assume and remember that your payment must be processed before January 1st of each year. There is an exception for the year of 2019. The deadline is 03.31.2019. If you're unsure whether your payment went through, you can check it here:
https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/UCRQueryForm.aspx
If you need assistance in processing your UCR payment or have additional questions, contact WIX Consulting.
What are the record-keeping requirements?
You don't have to keep a payment confirmation in your vehicle. State enforcement officers will be looking at the FMCSA's website to check if you're in compliance. Remember that your DOT Company Snapshot profile should always reflect your current number of power units and that number should match the quantity of vehicles that you paid UCR for.