UCR fees for 2020 set to publish in Federal Register

Set to publish in the Federal Register on Thursday, Feb. 13, the FMCSA is finalizing the Unified Carrier Registration fees for the 2020 registration year.

Once the fees are published in the Federal Register, the collection period begins. According to the FMCSA’s final rule, the fees will be reduced by 14.45% below the 2018 registration fee level to ensure that fee revenues collected do not exceed the statutory maximum.

Since 2016, motor carriers paying into the UCR program have overpaid the revenue due to the 41 participating states. The UCR board recommended reductions starting in 2018. The fees were again reduced in 2019.

“Because they are continuing to overcollect, the fees are now moving down,” said Tamara Young, a permits and licensing representative with OOIDA’s Business Services Department.

The UCR fees for 2020:

“Beginning in the 2020 registration year, the fees will be reduced by 14.45% below the 2018 registration fee level to ensure that fee revenues do not exceed the statutory maximum and to account for the excess funds held in the depository,” the final rule stated. “The fees beginning with the 2021 registration year will remain at the same level as the fees for 2020 unless there is a future adjustment.”

As of now, the deadline to pay the fees is May 1.

Young said the UCR board, which will meet in March, plans to propose a delay in enforcement until June 1 in order to give motor carriers at least 90 days to pay.

Until that becomes official, however, motor carriers should plan on having the fees paid by May 1.

“I would suggest at this point because they haven’t voted on it yet to make sure to have it done by May 1,” Young said. “Until they vote on it, the enforcement date is not going to change.”

OOIDA members can get assistance with submitting their fees through the Association’s Permits and Licensing Department.