Service Details
UCR
stands for Unified Carrier Registration, which is not an FMCSA
program. It refers to an agreement among the states set up by
Congress governing the collection and distribution of registration
information and UCR fees paid to states by motor carriers, private
motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. Section 14504a.
Unified
Carrier Registration is a mandatory registration program
that applies to all private and for-hire motor carriers of passengers
and property that operate in interstate commerce. UCR registers your
DOT for interstate commerce. It is done annually.
Unified
Carrier Registration is a base-state system, under which
a commercial vehicle registrant pays fees through its base state on
behalf of all the participating states. Unified Carrier Registration, a program that has taken the place of the Single State
Registration and Interstate Exempt System.
It
is important to remember the UCR also applies to all property
brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. Note: Past-year
compliance is being determined through audits and roadside
inspections based on MCS-150 data as per the UCR Board of Directors.
UCR
is a Federally run system mandatory for commercial vehicle operators
that carry products from state to state. Businesses involved in
international travel also use this system. A trucking company must
file with the UCR every year, and the filing runs from October 1st to
December 31st.
Notice for
trucks and trucking companies operating within the state of Georgia.
Georgia
has a separate filing requirement for trucks and trucking companies
operating solely within the state. To register, call us at 1(800)
498-9820.
For
for-hire motor carriers transporting property or passengers and motor
private carriers transporting property, the UCR fees are based only
on the total number of commercial motor vehicles operated. The UCR
fees for brokers, freight forwarders (those, that is, that do not
operate motor vehicles the UCR fees of those that do are based on
fleet size), and leasing companies are levied at the smallest fee
category. UCR fees depend not at all on the extent of a carrier's operations, only on the fact that it is engaged to some extent in
interstate commerce. A carrier may, for example, have operations in
just a few States, none of which participate in the UCR Agreement.
Its UCR fees will be the same as a carrier that operates the same
number of commercial motor vehicles but whose operations extend to
all participating States. Neither will it matter under the UCR
Agreement, which State is acting as a carrier's Base State the
level of UCR fees for a fleet of a given size will stay the same
The
Following 41 States Currently Participate in UCR:
Alaska,
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware,
Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia,
Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia
According
to the FMCSA:
Created
by the Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005 (UCR Act 49
United States Code (USC) section 14504a), it replaces the former
system for registering and collecting fees from the operators of
vehicles engaged in interstate travel the Single State
Registration System (SSRS).
The
UCR (Unified Carrier Registration) was established by Congress in
2005 as an interstate compact responsible for developing,
implementing, and administering the (SSRS) Single State Registration
System. The UCR is independent of the United States Department of
Transportation (DOT) and the FMCSA.
The
UCR (Unified Carrier Registration) is a program that replaced the
(SSRS) Single State Registration System. The UCR Program requires
individuals and companies that operate commercial motor vehicles in
interstate or international commerce to register their business with
a participating state and pay an annual fee based on the size of
their fleet. This includes ALL carriers private, exempt, or for
hire. Brokers, freight forwarders and leasing companies are also
required to register and pay a fee unless they also operate as a
motor carrier.
UCR
(Unified Carrier Registration) is a Federally run system mandatory
for commercial vehicle operators that carry products from state to
state. Businesses involved in international travel also use this
system. A trucking company must file with the UCR every year, and the
filing runs from October 1st to December 31st.
Like
SSRS. Fees collected from the UCR system will be used by the states
to support its safety programs and USDOT officer training. Unlike
SSRS. The UCR system increases the number of fee-eligible
transportation companies and its owned equipment, but lowers the fee
per company.
It
may seem complicated at first but the UCR registration
process is not that difficult. You as a trucker already know how much
paperwork is required to operate a truck. Being
legal on the road is important. Keeping in compliance with all the
state and federal regulations is important too because the
fines are expensive.
Who
Needs UCR?
Any
for-hire motor carriers transporting property in interstate commerce
in commercial motor vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating
or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds whichever is
greater;
Any
or-hire motor carriers transporting passengers in interstate commerce
in commercial motor vehicles designed or used to transport more than
8 passengers (including the driver);
Any
or-hire motor carriers transporting hazardous materials in interstate
commerce and transported in a quantity requiring placarding;
All
motor private carriers transporting property in commercial motor
vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle
weight of at least 10,001 pounds whichever is greater.
Brokers
Freight
Forwarders
Leasing
Companies
In
another words everyone in the trucking industry or using a truck.
What
is the UCR process and fee structure?
The
process is very simple. Each company is required to pay its UCR fee
with a base state (the state in which you reside primarily). If your
base state does not participate in the program you are required to
pay your UCR fee through a neighboring, participating state.
Currently,
the following states are not participating.
Failure
to pay your UCR fee will hurt your business. If
you cross into a UCR participating state without having paid your UCR
fee, the state and its USDOT
officers will
pull your trucks off the road immediately. They
will not release your trucks until your UCR fees are paid. You will
also be subject to additional fines and penalties. The damage and
cost to your business will be detrimental. Why risk hurting a
customer relationship or subject your business to an unnecessary
claim by not paying your UCR? Complying with the UCR legal
requirement will help you avoid serious harm to your business and
your customers.
When
will I get my UCR fee notice?
You
may or may not get a notice! Your UCR participating state may elect
not to remit any notices, or you may reside in a non-participating
state. However, from the state's perspective, ignorance of the law
is not an excuse. You are still expected to pay your UCR fee,
regardless if you ever received a UCR notice. For the most part
states are relying on you and Process
Service Agencies to
inform you of your pending UCR fees.
Getting
your UCR registration is quick and easy. Thousands of trucking
companies have used STS to get their UCR registration. The staff at
STS will answer all your questions quickly and in simple language.
As
we always say let the truckers deliver loads on time and safely.
Truckers should not have to worry about the large amounts of
paperwork required to operate a truck. There are folks like us who
take care of the paperwork.
Work
with us now and save time and money tomorrow.