Fees for the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement
Key claim: Starting in 2027, motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies will pay about 20 percent more in annual Unified Carrier Registration fees collected by participating states, with increases ranging from $9 to $9,329 depending on the fee bracket.
Abstract
(Rule · Transportation Department, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) FMCSA amends the regulations governing the annual Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Plan and Agreement registration fees that participating States collect from motor carriers, motor private carriers of property, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. On September 18, 2025, the UCR Board recommended a fee increase for the 2027 registration year and subsequent registration years. This recommended increase averages 20 percent over the fee structure adopted for 2025 and retained for 2026, with varying increases ranging between $9 and $9,329 per entity, depending on the applicable fee bracket. Although the fees for registration year 2027 are increased, they are less than those in effect during registration years 2019 through 2022. FMCSA adopts the recommended fee increase.
Why this matters
UCR fees fund state-level motor carrier safety enforcement and registration systems, so annual adjustments directly affect operating costs for interstate carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. The 2027 increase is a routine bracket-based adjustment rather than a structural change, keeping fees below their 2019–2022 peak.