UCR Tiers & Fee Math
UCR uses a six-tier fee structure based on fleet size. Each tier has a flat annual fee - getting the count right is the difference between the $80 floor and the $59,000+ ceiling. The cluster below covers the tier table, what to count, and how to handle edge cases (intrastate vehicles, leased equipment, dollies).
Tier 1 covers carriers with 0-2 power units; Tier 2 covers 3-5; Tier 3 covers 6-20; Tier 4 covers 21-100; Tier 5 covers 101-1,000; Tier 6 covers 1,001+. Fees scale dramatically across the tiers - a Tier 3 carrier (6-20 vehicles) pays roughly 20x what a Tier 1 carrier does.
Vehicle counting rules: include power units operated in interstate commerce (whether owned or leased), straight trucks, tractors. Exclude trailers, intrastate-only vehicles, and vehicles below the CMV threshold. Leased equipment counts toward the lessee's tier, not the lessor's.
Edge cases: a carrier with 5 owned trucks + 3 leased-on owner-operators is Tier 3 (8 power units total). A carrier with 20 owned trucks + 5 trailers is Tier 3 (20 power units; trailers don't count). A carrier with 19 owned + 2 intrastate-only is Tier 3 (interstate-only count is 19, but intrastate units don't go in the count).
The cluster below covers the full tier table, the most common counting errors, and the operational impact of mis-categorizing a fleet for UCR purposes.
Articles in this cluster
- UCR Tiers and Fees: 6-Tier Schedule
UCR fees are set by the UCR Plan board on a 6-tier schedule by fleet size. What each tier covers and how the federal portion of the fee is calculated for 2026.
UCR Filing · 5 min read · Updated 2026-05-02
- UCR Tier by Fleet Size - 2026 Table
Full UCR tier breakdown for the 2026 registration year by fleet size. Tier 1 through Tier 6 totals, who fits where, and how the counting rules cover power units, leased equipment.
UCR Filing · 7 min read · Updated 2026-05-02
- UCR for Leased-On Owner-Operators
When an owner-operator leases on to a motor carrier, the carrier’s UCR covers the operation. Standalone interstate authority means standalone UCR - including dormant MC numbers.
FMCSA Compliance · 7 min read · Updated 2026-05-02
- How to File UCR: 2026 Step-by-Step
Step-by-step UCR filing: choose your base state, determine the interstate fleet count, submit through the National UCR Registration System for same-day acceptance.
UCR Filing · 7 min read · Updated 2026-05-02