So, What is the Unified Carrier Registration?
The UCR, or the Unified Carrier Registration, is the result of a federal law that passed in 2005. This law established a program in which individuals and companies who operate commercial vehicles, traveling across state (and even international) lines, must pay a certain fee annually. The fee itself depends on the fleet size (meaning the more trucks you have, the higher the fee that you pay). This annual fee is the UCR registration fee. When you complete the UCR filing and pay the fee, you become licensed and authorized to cross state lines. To stay compliant, you have to continue to pay the fee annually. You can see what the current price breakdown is HERE.
Do I Need to Complete the Unified Carrier Registration Process?
Are you a commercial business who partakes in interstate driving? Then you are subject to the rules guiding the Unified Carrier Registration, or UCR! You must submit the UCR registration to the FMCSA every year that you operate your interstate business. If you are driving on the road now and cross state lines, you are required to have the UCR 2024 filing.
Does Every State Require the UCR?
While most states in the United States (plus Canada) participate in the UCR program, there are a few who do not. If you happen to live in Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Wyoming, or Washington D.C., then you live in one of the states that opted to not participate in the Unified Carrier Registration plan. However, if you live in one of the states that is not a part of the UCR, but you do interstate business into any state that is a part of the UCR program, you are still required to have the FMCSA UCR registration on file. You still must pay the annual UCR registration fee and renew your compliance every year.
To put it simply: any commercial vehicle driver who participates in interstate business, even if only occasionally, you must complete the DOT UCR registration. This means any 2023 UCR registrations had to turn into the UCR 2024 and any UCR 2024 must be renewed to be UCR 2025 by the end of the year. The renewal process opens up in October of every year and lasts through to December 31st.
How Do I File for the UCR?
You can complete the UCR filing right here with us! We have been obtaining USDOT Numbers, the UCR, and every other trucking filing for our customers since 2006. Whether it is filing for a brand new UCR registration in 2025 or simply renewing the previous year’s FMCSA UCR registration, we are licensed to obtain all things truckers need! Not only can we do the actual filings for you, but if you need to update or change any information, we will make the process much easier for you! Whenever you file with us, you will also receive reminders to renew and update your UCR registration. For example, when the UCR registration 2023 deadline rolled around, we sent emails and text messages to all of our customers letting them know they had to renew for the UCR registration 2024.
We know how hard it is to sort through scams and inauthentic businesses in this day and age, but we assure you that we have all necessary permits and authorities that let us easily streamline your filings. With us, you can always get your DOT UCR registration in no time!
How Much Does the Unified Carrier Registration Cost?
The cost of the Unified Carrier Registration varies depending on the size of your fleet. The fewer trucks in your fleet, the lower the cost of the original and the update UCR registration. This means that if you add trucks to your fleet throughout the year, what you pay year to year may differ. For example, if you have added a truck to your fleet since the UCR registration 2023 deadline, then your UCR registration at the end of 2024 could be higher. Depending on the number of trucks, it could also be the same as the prices are per range of trucks. For example, the UCR for 0-2 trucks is the same price, the UCR for 3-5 trucks is the same, etc. Be sure to account just for the trucks that you drive interstate as you only need the UCR for trucks that you cross state lines with.
If you are just now introducing interstate travel to your business, it is not too late to obtain the UCR registration 2024! Each UCR filing is good for one calendar year, so the DOT UCR registration 2024 lasts through December 31st. The renewal opens up in October, so as of October, you can file for the next year’s FMCSA UCR registration so that you do not lose compliance at any time!
Stay compliant and active to truck how you want: file for your UCR with us today!
UCR Enforcement Penalties by State
Some states have penalties for operating your business without an active UCR on file. Here are the penalties broken down by state.
| AL | $100 first offense, $500 subsequent offense. No Out-of-Service. |
| AR | $100-500 first offense, $100-1000 subsequent offenses. |
| AZ | |
| CA | State base fine of $300-$1,000, plus specific fees that vary by county. |
| CO | $1100 first offense, $2200 second offense, $3300 subsequent. No Out-of-Service. |
| CT | $170 fine. |
| FL | |
| GA | None presently |
| HI | |
| ID | Misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six (6) months, or by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both. A citation would require a bond to be posted, the amount to be determined by a magistrate judge, but probably around $300. |
| IL | $300 first offense, $500 second offense. |
| IN | $150 first offense, $1000 subsequent offense. |
| IA | $250 fine. |
| KS | Civil fines discovered at roadside $300, Civil fines through a compliance audit are $100-1000 first offense, $100-5000 subsequent offense. |
| KY | Range of $25 to $250. |
| LA | $250 fine. |
| ME | A traffic infraction for which a fine of not less than $250 for the first offense and not less than $500 for a 2nd or subsequent offense may be adjudged. |
| MA | $100 first offense, $200 subsequent offense. |
| MD | |
| MI | Up to $500 for for hire carriers. |
| MN | $100 fine, plus $78 in court costs. |
| MS | Misdemeanor; $100 to $500 plus court cost and assessment fees that vary by county. |
| MO | Varies with the county; with an audit, state can impose a general fine up to $2000 per day. |
| MT | Only a warning at this point. |
| NE | Class IV misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $100. If evidence of multiple ongoing violations, law enforcement would seek a greater fine. |
| NH | $100 plus penalty assessment for a first offense and $500 plus penalty assessment for a subsequent offense in a 12-month period. |
| NM | $50 penalty assessment misdemeanor. With formal proceeding, up to $10000 per day. |
| NJ | |
| NY | With formal proceeding, up to $5000. |
| NC | $1,000 penalty for each offense charged in violation of the Motor Carrier Safety Regulation Article |
| ND | None presently but can hold IRP and IFTA renewals for UCR nonpayment. |
| NV | |
| OH | Operating a motor vehicle in violation of UCR registration requirements -$500 per occurrence; any entity that fails to register and pay fees as required - $1,000; any entity that provides false, or misleading information on application - $5,000. |
| Ok | $300 first offense, $400 second, $500 subsequent. |
| OR | |
| PA | None presently. |
| RI | $300. |
| SC | $232.50. |
| SD | $154 fine. |
| TN | State base fine of $50, plus court costs that are county specific. |
| TX | Class C Misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine of $1 to $500 plus court costs. The fine amount is set by the assigned judge noted on the citation. |
| UT | CVSA Inspections first time. |
| VA | Class IV misdemeanor, $250 fine. |
| VT | |
| WA | $124. |
| WV | $100-1000. |
| WI | $750. |
| WY |
For more information regarding the UCR filing, be sure to visit our sister site UCR.online!