UCR Registration (Unified Carrier Registration)
The Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) is an annual federal-state program that funds highway safety enforcement. MCS files your UCR with your base jurisdiction based on your fleet size, before the January deadline.
Who must register
Interstate carriers operating commercial motor vehicles at or above 10,001 lbs GVWR, including for-hire and private carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders, must file the UCR under 49 USC 14504a.
The fee is based on the number of commercial motor vehicles in your fleet — not gross weight — and is paid to your base state once per year.
What MCS does
MCS determines your correct fleet bracket, files the UCR with your base jurisdiction, and provides confirmation. We also track your renewal so the next year's filing is never missed.
The program is unified across participating states, so a single filing covers all of them — no per-state UCR applications.
Deadlines
The UCR year runs January 1 through December 31. Registration typically opens October 1 and must be completed before you begin interstate operations for the year.
Operating without a current UCR is a common compliance finding during reviews and can result in fines from your base state.
Frequently asked
No. UCR is an annual registration fee based on fleet size; IFTA is a quarterly fuel tax agreement based on miles driven in each jurisdiction.
Yes. Brokers and freight forwarders are covered entities under the UCR program and must file annually under the lowest fee bracket.