UCR fees are set on a six-tier schedule keyed to the number of commercial motor vehicles an entity operated in interstate commerce during the prior 12 months. The UCR Plan board of directors reviews and publishes the schedule annually in the Federal Register. Fees reflect the current program year — verify the authoritative schedule before filing, because the numbers change.
The Six Tiers
The tier structure is consistent year to year even when the dollar amounts shift. For the full bracket-by-bracket walkthrough including 2026 boundary cases, see the UCR tier by fleet size guide.
| Tier | Fleet size (CMVs) | Typical registrant |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 0–2 | Owner-operators, brokers, freight forwarders, leasing companies with no vehicles |
| Tier 2 | 3–5 | Small fleets - carriers running 2–3 drivers beyond a single owner-operator setup |
| Tier 3 | 6–20 | Mid-sized regional carriers, LTL operations with a handful of routes |
| Tier 4 | 21–100 | Established regional fleets, smaller dedicated-contract carriers |
| Tier 5 | 101–1,000 | Large regional and national carriers |
| Tier 6 | 1,001+ | Major national fleets, typically publicly traded |
Why Tiers, Not a Flat Fee
UCR is a cost-recovery program funding state enforcement. A fleet operating 500 trucks generates more inspection activity than a single owner-operator, and the tier structure scales the fee accordingly. The progressive curve also keeps the entry-level tier affordable for small carriers who cannot absorb a flat rate sized for a 100-truck fleet.
What the Fee Actually Covers
The federal UCR fee is remitted to the participating-states pool. It covers state enforcement of federal motor carrier safety regulations, new entrant safety audits, and interstate commercial vehicle inspection programs. When you pay UCR, you are funding the scale house inspection you will eventually drive through. Professional filing services (like FastUCR) add a flat service fee on top of the federal portion for submission and support — the federal and service fees should be itemized separately on any legitimate filer's invoice.
Special Cases
A few edge cases come up every year:
- Brokers and forwarders with no trucks file at Tier 1, regardless of revenue or number of loads brokered.
- Carriers who dropped trucks mid-year file at the tier matching their actual 12-month count, not their current fleet size.
- Leasing companiesare charged the smallest bracket fee (Tier 1) under 49 USC §14504a(f)(1), the same as brokers.
Bottom line:Six tiers, keyed to your honest 12-month interstate fleet count. The fee schedule updates annually — always cross-check the current year against the UCR Plan's published schedule, not last year's number.