The Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Program is a Federally-mandated, state-administered program that
went into effect September 10, 2007.
Motor carriers, motor private carriers, freight forwarders, leasing companies and brokers based in the
United States, Canada, Mexico, or any other country that operate in interstate or international commerce
in the United States must register under the UCR program.
For the for-hire carriers, UCR replaces the Single State Registration System (SSRS) program. The
UCR program is similar to SSRS in that UCR is a Base-State system, under which a carrier pays UCR fees
through its Base State on behalf of all participating states. Thirty-Nine (39) States will participate
in the 2008 UCR program.
UCR fees are based on the total number of vehicles operated by a carrier. The number of commercial
motor vehicles (power units and trailers) for purposes determining a carrier's UCR fees, is the number of
commercial motor vehicles (power units and towed vehicles such as trailers) the carrier reported in the
most recent Form MCS-150 filed with the FMCSA or the total number of commercial motor vehicles
(power units and trailers) it owned or operated under long-term lease for period ending June 30, 2007.
UCR fees are not pro-rated. Carriers must pay the 2008 UCR fees as they appear on the
UCR application.
Carriers will be issued a receipt for the fees paid based on the total number of vehicles indicated on
the UCR application. This receipt expires December 31, 2008. The issued receipt need
NOT be carried in vehicles nor displayed by the carrier in any manner.
Entities not required to register under the UCR program include:
- USDOT registrants (usually owner-operators that do not have interstate authority) under the PRISM program.
- Purely intrastate carriers, that is, those that do not transport interstate freight nor cross state lines.
Beginning May 1, 2008, enforcement personnel will use computer records to verify UCR registration.