Who is required to register for UCR?
The UCR Agreement covers every type of interstate transportation business, whether or not it is paid to haul:
- For-hire motor carriers that haul property or passengers across state lines
- Private motor carriers of property, such as a business hauling its own goods between states
- Exempt for-hire carriers, such as those hauling agricultural commodities interstate
- Property brokers and freight forwarders
- Leasing companies that lease commercial motor vehicles for interstate use
- Carriers based in Canada or Mexico that operate in the United States
A carrier in interstate commerce that runs no commercial motor vehicles, such as one using only light pickups, still registers and pays the lowest fee.
What counts as a commercial motor vehicle for UCR?
For UCR, a commercial motor vehicle is a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the highways in commerce to carry passengers or property that meets any one of these tests:
- A gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or more, or a gross combination weight of 10,001 pounds or more when towing
- Designed or used to carry more than 10 passengers, including the driver
- Carries hazardous materials in amounts that require placards, at any weight
The number of these vehicles you operate sets your fee bracket.
Who is exempt from UCR?
- Carriers that operate solely within one state (intrastate only)
- Private motor carriers of passengers, such as a group transporting its own members
- A carrier whose only interstate moves are made under another carrier's lease: the carrier that leases the vehicle registers instead
If your USDOT record lists you as interstate, UCR expects a filing even if you have since stopped crossing state lines. Update your MCS-150 to match how you actually operate.
Do carriers in non-participating states need UCR?
Yes. A few states and the District of Columbia do not take part in the UCR Plan, but a carrier based there that operates interstate still registers, through a participating state it operates in. What matters is interstate operation, not your home state.
What do you need to file UCR?
- Your USDOT number
- Your legal business name and address as they appear on your USDOT record
- Your number of commercial motor vehicles, usually the count on your MCS-150
- Your carrier classification: motor carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or leasing company
- A card to pay your filing total
Frequently asked questions
Is UCR mandatory?
Yes, for motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies in interstate or international commerce. It is required by the Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005 and enforced by the states.
Do brokers need UCR?
Yes. Property brokers in interstate commerce register every year and pay the lowest fee bracket, the same as freight forwarders and leasing companies that do not operate their own trucks.
Do owner-operators need UCR?
An owner-operator with its own USDOT number and interstate authority files UCR. One leased to a motor carrier and running under that carrier's USDOT number is covered by the carrier's registration.
Do I need UCR if I only drive a pickup?
If you operate in interstate commerce, you register even without vehicles over 10,001 pounds, and you pay the lowest fee. If you operate only within your state, UCR does not apply.