UCR fees have not moved since 2025. On September 1, 2026, FMCSA adopted the UCR Board's recommendation and every bracket went up about 20% — starting with the registration year that opens October 1.
For a one-truck operation that is nine dollars, which nobody will feel. For a hundred-truck fleet it is two hundred. For the largest carriers it is $9,329. The number that matters more than any of those is the one nobody is reporting: the new schedule applies to 2027 and every year after it, so this is a new baseline rather than a one-year spike.
What changed.
One final rule, adopted September 1 — and it does not expire with 2027.
On September 1, 2026, FMCSA published a final rule adopting the fee increase the UCR Board recommended on September 18, 2025. It amends 49 CFR § 367.50 and takes effect October 1, 2026 — the same day the 2027 registration window opens. The citation is 91 FR 56063, Docket No. FMCSA-2025-0655.
The increase averages roughly 20% over the fee structure adopted for 2025 and held for 2026. In dollars, FMCSA puts the range at $9 to $9,329 per entity depending on the bracket — the small end for an owner-operator or a broker, the large end for a fleet over a thousand vehicles.
One piece of context is worth holding onto, because it cuts against the outrage this kind of news usually gets. Even after the increase, 2027 fees remain below what carriers paid in registration years 2019 through 2022. UCR fees move in both directions as the Board trues revenue up against the statutory target. This is a move back toward earlier levels, not an all-time high.
◆ Note
As of early September 2026, fee tables published on UCR-related sites still showed the 2025/2026 amounts. That is expected — the new schedule does not take effect until October 1. If you are budgeting for 2027 right now, budget from the Federal Register numbers below, not from a table that has not turned over yet.
The 2027 fee table.
Six brackets. What the state collects, before anyone’s filing service.
Brackets are set by the number of commercial motor vehicles you operate in interstate commerce under your own authority. The figures below are the government fees participating states collect under § 367.50 — a filing service fee, ours included, sits on top of these.
Brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies that do not operate commercial motor vehicles pay the smallest bracket — $55 for 2027. There is no zero-vehicle exemption, only a zero-vehicle price.
Who owes it.
Four categories, one exemption, and the myth that costs brokers the most.
The increase does not change who has to register, and that list is wider than most operators assume. Four categories owe UCR: motor carriers (including private carriers hauling their own goods), freight brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. Holding operating authority and running interstate is enough. There is no fleet-size floor.
The one real exemption is geographic. If you operate only intrastate — every load stays inside one state, under that state's DOT authority — UCR does not apply. Cross a single state line under your own authority and it does.
For the full breakdown of who registers, what enforcement looks like at the roadside, and what happens when you skip it, see our UCR fee chart and enforcement guide.
When to file.
October 1 opens. January 1 enforces. Nothing in between moves.
Oct 1
Window opens
Registration for 2027 opens. The new fee schedule takes effect the same day — filing early does not get you the old price.
Dec 31
Practical deadline
File by year-end so you are covered the moment enforcement starts. This is the deadline that matters.
Jan 1
Enforcement begins
Roadside checks activate nationwide for the 2027 registration year. Unregistered carriers are exposed to fines and detention.
Dec 31
Coverage ends
The 2027 year closes. By then the 2028 window has been open about three months — re-file.
There is no advantage to waiting and no discount for rushing. The only thing the calendar decides is whether you are registered before enforcement starts on January 1.
What carriers actually ask.
If I file in October, do I still pay the higher fee?
Yes. The fee attaches to the registration year, not the day you file. A 2027 registration filed on October 1, 2026 is a 2027 registration at 2027 rates. There is no early-filing discount and no way to buy 2027 at the 2026 price.
Is this a one-year increase?
No — and this is the part most coverage misses. The rule sets the fees for the 2027 registration year and subsequent registration years. It stands until the UCR Board recommends another change and FMCSA adopts it. Budget from the new schedule as your baseline, not as a one-time spike.
I am a broker with no trucks. What do I owe?
$55 for 2027, up from $46. Brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies that do not operate commercial motor vehicles pay the smallest bracket. Owing nothing because you own no trucks is the single most expensive misunderstanding in UCR.
The UCR site still shows the old fees. Which one is right?
The Federal Register rule is the authority, and it takes effect October 1, 2026. Published fee tables and third-party filing sites catch up on their own schedule — in early September 2026 several still showed the 2025/2026 amounts. If the two disagree before October, the rule wins.
A twenty-percent increase on a filing most carriers forget until January is still cheaper than the ticket. Put October 1 on the calendar and be done with 2027 before Thanksgiving.
One filing, done right.
We verify your USDOT, confirm your vehicle count against the right bracket, and file through the official UCR Plan portal. The 2027 registration window opens October 1, 2026.
Disclaimer
For informational purposes only — not legal, tax, or regulatory advice. Always verify requirements with FMCSA, your state agency, and qualified compliance professionals. Regulations and fees change; verify current requirements on official .gov sources before filing.