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Unified carrier registration (UCR)

For all interstate motor carriers, motor private carriers, freight forwarders, brokers and leasing companies

Wisconsin will again be a participating state in the Uniform Carrier Registration (UCR) in 2012. Two letters are being sent, one to businesses that are motor carriers and another to brokers, leasing companies, and freight forwarders.

Registration by Agents: Agents may contact you to perform registration on your behalf. Note that agents may charge you a substantial service fee. WisDOT does not call and ask you for your credit card number.

UCR applies to businesses that:

• operate a truck or bus in interstate or international commerce, or
• make arrangements for the transportation of cargo and goods

The UCR Program requires all individuals and companies that operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate or international commerce to register their business under the UCR program and pay an annual fee based on the size of their fleet.

Do not include trailer counts into the fleet size. Changes in the law for 2010, and remaining in effect for 2012, have excluded trailer counts in determining fees under this program.

Companies operating solely as brokers, freight forwarders or leasing companies are required to register and pay a fee of $76. Companies providing both motor carrier services as well as broker, freight forwarder or leasing services are required to pay the fee level set at the motor carrier level.

A "commercial motor vehicle" is defined as a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the highways in commerce principally to transport passengers or cargo, if the vehicle:

• has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater;
• is designed to transport 10 or more passengers (including the driver); or
• is used in transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placarding.

The fee brackets for motor carriers are as follows:

Example: A motor carrier operating four tractors and nine straight trucks has a fleet size of thirteen commercial motor vehicles and pays $452.

The funds received through UCR are used to provide motor carrier safety programs and address commercial motor carrier safety issues throughout the United States.

The State of Indiana built an Internet processing Web site that is the registration system for states that are participating in UCR. Use of the Indiana system does not change your base state. Wisconsin motor carriers may use this online system to register, pay and obtain a numbered receipt. Online payment may be made using MasterCard, Visa or e-Check. There is free Internet access at local libraries and there will be a computer available for motor carriers to access the online system to register for UCR at the Motor Carrier Services Section in Madison, WI.

We encourage you to register now at the UCR national website. If you do not register before February 1, 2012, you may be cited by law enforcement. Important notice: If you operated in 2010 or 2011 and did not register for UCR, you must pay 2010, 2011 and 2012 UCR fees to avoid possible enforcement actions.

For further information, please visit the UCR national website. You may also contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation at (608) 266-9900.

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Questions about the content of this page:
Motor Carrier Services, irp-ifta@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: January 25, 2012