UCR fees set for 2018, collection to begin ASAP

Sliding in under the proverbial end-of-the-year wire, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finalized the Unified Carrier Registration fees for 2018 and 2019 late Friday, Dec. 29.

Members of the UCR board were notified late Friday, Dec. 29, that the agency had submitted a direct final rule to the Office of the Federal Register to be published as soon as possible. The notice, as of press time, has not yet been published on the Federal Register website leaving the effective date up in the air.

Since 2016, motor carriers paying into the UCR program have overpaid the revenue due to the 41 participating states. The UCR board recommended reducing the fees for 2018 back in March 2017. However, the agency did not finalize and publish the recommended reduction until years’ end – after a lawsuit was filed and the state of Texas made claims of being owed money it was receiving annually from the program.

The final rule distributed to UCR board members says the lawsuit did not cite any statute – because there isn’t one according to FMCSA – that restricts the agency from moving forward with finalizing the fees. The agency also states, basically, in the final rule that Texas’ claims would be sorted out later. In short, the fees had to be set and the rule does so.

Small operations will see minimal decreases in 2018 and 2019. For example, in 2017, operations with up to two trucks paid $76. There will be a $7 decrease from 2017 for 2018, and 2019 fees will slightly increase from 2018 but will still be lower than in 2017

The 2018 fees:

Fees for 2019:

The fees will go into effect once the final rule is officially published. Collection of the fees can begin at that point. The publication date will also effect the date states can begin ticketing motor carriers that have not paid the 2018 fees.

(Editor’s note: Land Line will continue to provide updates on deadlines and enforcement activities contingent on the rule’s effective date.)