# UCR for Brokers and Freight Forwarders

Canonical: https://www.fastucrfiling.com/guides/ucr-for-brokers-and-forwarders
Category: FMCSA Compliance
Published: 2026-04-24
Updated: 2026-05-02
Read time: 5 min read

> Brokers and freight forwarders hold interstate operating authority and owe UCR annually — almost always at Tier 1, because UCR counts vehicles you operate under authority, not loads you move.

## TL;DR

> Brokers and freight forwarders hold interstate FMCSA operating authority and owe UCR every year — almost always at Tier 1, because UCR counts vehicles operated, not loads moved.

## Key takeaways

- Property brokers (MC-B), household-goods brokers (MC-BH), and freight forwarders (FF) all owe UCR.
- A broker with zero trucks files at Tier 1 regardless of revenue or load volume.
- Forwarders that operate their own trucks for first/last-mile legs count those vehicles.
- Leasing companies count the vehicles they lease out to interstate carriers.
- Carrier-broker dual-authority operators file one UCR per legal entity, at the fleet-count tier.

## Cited entities

- 49 USC §14504a (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/14504a)
- 49 CFR Part 367 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-367)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/)
- UCR Plan (https://www.ucr.gov/)

## FAQ

### Do freight brokers need UCR?

Yes. Any entity holding FMCSA operating authority in interstate commerce — including property brokers, household-goods brokers, and freight forwarders — must register annually under UCR. This is independent of whether the broker operates any trucks.

### What tier does a broker with no trucks file at?

Tier 1 (0–2 vehicles). UCR counts commercial motor vehicles the registrant operated in interstate commerce in the prior 12 months. A broker who arranges loads but operates no trucks has a count of zero, which places them in Tier 1.

### What if the broker also owns a small fleet?

Then the fleet count determines the tier. If a broker also holds motor-carrier authority and ran five trucks last year, they file at Tier 2 (3–5 vehicles). UCR counts the registrant, not the type of authority.

### Do freight forwarders with trucks count those trucks?

Yes. A freight forwarder that operates its own trucks in interstate commerce counts those trucks for tier purposes. Forwarders that only arrange carriage and never operate a vehicle file at Tier 1.

Keywords: ucr for brokers, ucr for freight forwarders, broker ucr, freight forwarder ucr, ucr tier 1 broker, broker ucr fee, forwarder ucr, ucr no trucks

Full article: https://www.fastucrfiling.com/guides/ucr-for-brokers-and-forwarders