UCR 2028 Fee Plan Moves to Full Board

UCR 2028 Fee Proposal Advances to Full Board

A proposed UCR fee plan for the 2028 registration year has moved to the Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors. However, the proposed fee amounts are not yet public. No final fee change has taken effect.

The UCR Board is set to meet on July 29, 2026. The meeting will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Time.

During the meeting, Board members may vote on the 2028 fee plan. The UCR Finance Subcommittee developed that plan during its July 9 meeting.

If the Board approves the plan, it may send the recommendation to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Those agencies would then review it.

A Board vote would move the plan ahead. It would not make the new fees final.

UCR Fee Plan Reaches the Next Step

The latest notice shows that the process has moved forward.

Before the July 9 meeting, UCR officials said they would discuss a 2027 fee update. They also planned to work on a fee plan for 2028.

The new Federal Register notice confirms that the Finance Subcommittee finished its 2028 recommendation. It then sent that plan to the full UCR Board.

The Board will review the proposal at its July 29 meeting. Members may approve the plan and send it to USDOT and FMCSA.

This is a key step. Still, it is not the last step.

The notice does not list the proposed fees. It also does not say if the fees would go up, go down, or stay the same.

No Final Fee Change Has Been Made

The July 29 notice is only a meeting notice. It is not a final rule.

Motor carriers should not read it as proof of a UCR fee hike. The Board will only decide whether to approve the plan and send it to federal officials.

Even if the Board approves the plan, more action would still be needed. USDOT and FMCSA would have to review the proposal before a new UCR fee plan could become final.

The notice does not include the most important cost details.

It does not list the proposed dollar amounts. It does not show the fee brackets for each fleet size. It also does not give the percent of any change.

The notice does not give a start date for new fees. It also does not explain the math used to build the plan.

Because those facts are missing, carriers cannot yet know what they may owe in 2028.

The 2027 and 2028 UCR Fees Are at Different Stages

The Board agenda lists separate items for the 2027 and 2028 registration years.

For 2027, officials will give an update. The notice does not say the Board may vote on that item during the meeting.

The 2028 item is more clear. The UCR Finance Subcommittee will present its fee plan to the Board. The Board may then vote to approve it.

If approved, the plan may be sent to USDOT and FMCSA for review.

That means the two fee years appear to be at different points in the process.

The 2027 item is listed as a status report. The 2028 UCR plan is ready for possible Board action.

The notice does not explain why the two years are on separate paths. It also does not say when final action may take place.

Why UCR Fees Matter to Trucking Companies

UCR applies to many motor carriers and other firms that take part in interstate trade.

For trucking companies, UCR is one of many yearly filing duties. It sits beside other costs and rules that carriers must manage.

Most company drivers do not file the UCR form. They also do not pay the fee on their own. The motor carrier usually handles that task.

The issue has a more direct effect on owner-operators who run under their own authority. These drivers are also business owners.

They must track their own fees, permits, tax duties, and other filing costs. They also pay for fuel, repairs, tires, insurance, and truck loans.

A UCR fee may not be one of the largest costs in trucking. Even so, each added cost can matter to a small business.

That is true for one-truck firms. It is also true for small fleets with tight budgets.

Larger fleets may also need to plan for a change. Fees are tied to fleet size. A new fee plan could affect each fleet in a different way.

However, the notice does not show the proposed fleet brackets. It also does not show the cost for each group.

How UCR Changes May Affect Commercial Truck Drivers

The effect on truck drivers may depend on how they work.

Owner-operators with their own authority could feel the impact most. They would be in charge of paying any new fee.

A higher fee could raise their yearly business costs. A lower fee could give them some relief. At this point, the notice does not say which result is more likely.

Company drivers are less likely to see a direct bill. Their carrier would pay the UCR fee.

Still, carrier costs can affect the full business. Fleets must pay for fuel, truck parts, shop work, insurance, driver pay, and many other needs.

A change in UCR fees would be one part of that larger cost load.

The notice does not say that driver pay, freight rates, or hiring would change. It also does not give enough data to make that claim.

For now, the most direct concern is for drivers who own and run their own trucking firms.

Financial Reports Will Be Reviewed

The UCR Board will also review several reports about program funds.

The agenda calls for a look at fee income from the 2024, 2025, and 2026 plan years.

Officials will also give an update on the UCR Plan’s 2025 outside audit. A management report will cover funds and other related topics.

These reports may help explain the 2028 fee plan.

For example, UCR officials may look at how much money came in during past years. They may also review program costs and audit results.

Still, the Federal Register notice does not include those totals. It does not share the audit results either.

That makes it hard to know why the Finance Subcommittee chose its fee plan.

More details may come out during or after the July 29 meeting.

UCR Enforcement Is Also on the Agenda

The Board meeting will cover more than fees.

The UCR Enforcement Subcommittee will give an update on current work. That work includes steps meant to improve how the rules are enforced.

The Board will also review a request from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. CVSA has asked the board to help fund enforcement training at its next annual event.

The notice does not create a new rule. It also does not set a new fine.

Still, these items show that UCR enforcement remains a focus.

DSL Transportation Services will also report on some unregistered motor carriers. The report will cover Tier 5 and Tier 6 carriers. It will also include data from the FARs program.

The notice does not give any totals. It does not say how many carriers may be out of line with UCR rules.

The Board may also renew contracts for compliance staff from Seikosoft and DSL Transportation Services.

Those workers help support UCR compliance tasks.

Changes to the UCR Agreement May Begin

The Board may also begin work on changes to the UCR Agreement.

The UCR Governance Task Force, legal staff, and executive director will present the proposed changes.

If the Board agrees to move ahead, the plan would go to an Amendments Subcommittee. That group would then review the proposed edits.

The notice does not include the text of the changes.

Because of that, it is too soon to say how they may affect carriers, drivers, or state agencies.

The issue may become more clear after the Board meeting or after the draft changes are made public.

UCR Legal Case Remains Active

The UCR chief legal officer will also give an update on a court case.

The Small Business in Transportation Coalition filed a petition for review. The case is in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The notice does not explain the group’s claims. It also does not state what result the group wants from the court.

That means the effect of the case is still unclear.

The notice does not show whether the case could change UCR fees. It also does not say if it could affect other parts of the program.

More facts would be needed before drawing a link between the case and the 2028 fee plan.

What Comes Next for the Fee Plan

The July 29 meeting is the next major step in the 2028 UCR fee process.

The Finance Subcommittee has finished its work on the plan. The full Board can now review it and decide whether to approve it.

If the Board votes yes, the proposal may go to USDOT and FMCSA.

That would move the UCR plan closer to federal action. It would still not create a final fee.

For owner-operators, small carriers, fleet managers, and compliance staff, the key facts are still not public.

The proposed fee amounts have not been listed. The fleet brackets are also unknown.

Until those details are released, trucking firms cannot measure the possible cost.

The latest notice shows that the 2028 UCR fee plan is moving ahead. It does not show what carriers will pay. It also does not change current UCR duties.