# UCR Tiers and Fees, Broken Down

Canonical: https://www.fastucrfiling.com/guides/ucr-tiers-and-fees
Category: UCR Filing
Published: 2026-04-24
Updated: 2026-05-02
Read time: 5 min read

> UCR fees are set by the UCR Plan board on a 6-tier schedule by fleet size. Here’s what each tier covers and how the federal portion is calculated.

## TL;DR

> UCR fees follow a six-tier schedule keyed to fleet size, set annually by the UCR Plan board and published in the Federal Register. Brokers, forwarders, and leasing companies with zero vehicles file at Tier 1.

## Key takeaways

- Tier 1 covers 0–2 vehicles, Tier 6 covers 1,001+ vehicles.
- FastUCR Filing Tier 1 = $80 one-time ($46 federal + $34 service) or $70/year on auto-renew.
- Brokers and forwarders default to Tier 1 because UCR counts CMVs operated, not loads moved.
- Federal portion funds state-level commercial vehicle enforcement and new-entrant safety audits.
- Service fees from third-party filers are itemized separately from the federal fee on legitimate invoices.

## 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)
- UCR Plan (https://www.ucr.gov/)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/)

## FAQ

### How are UCR fees calculated?

Fees are set annually by the UCR Plan board of directors using a 6-tier schedule keyed to the number of commercial motor vehicles the registrant operated in the prior 12 months. Brokers, forwarders, and leasing companies with no vehicles file at Tier 1. The board publishes the fee schedule in the Federal Register each year; fees reflect the current year and should be verified against the authoritative UCR Plan schedule before filing.

### Why does my broker friend pay less than my trucking company?

Because UCR is fleet-sized. A broker who operates no vehicles sits at Tier 1 regardless of revenue. A fleet operating 25 trucks sits at Tier 4. The program’s design passes the cost of state enforcement onto the carriers most likely to be inspected — which is roughly the carriers with more trucks on more highways.

### Is there a way to lower my tier?

Only honest counting. Your UCR count is the CMVs you operated in interstate commerce during the prior calendar year — not the CMVs you own today. If you sold trucks or dropped leased units mid-year, make sure your filing reflects the accurate 12-month count. Intentionally under-counting is a federal violation of 49 USC §14504a and exposes you to audit and penalty.

Keywords: ucr tiers, ucr fees, ucr tier 1, ucr tier 4, ucr fee schedule, ucr cost, ucr fleet size, ucr pricing 2026

Full article: https://www.fastucrfiling.com/guides/ucr-tiers-and-fees