Trucking Laws · Nationwide · November 4, 2026

Truckers and Carriers Are Still Told to Pay 2027 UCR Fees by Dec. 31 as a Court Challenge Asks Judges to Throw Out the System, FreightWaves Reports

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Carriers are still being told to register and pay their 2027 Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) fees by Dec. 31, even as a court challenge works its way through the D.C. Circuit. FreightWaves reported on Nov. 3, 2026, that the organization that runs UCR, the UCR Plan, says a ruling for the challengers could disrupt registration, fee collections and the money states use for truck safety. This is a new article on a topic Big Rig Daily first covered on Oct. 26 in Small-Carrier Trucking Group Asks Federal Court to Void 2027 UCR Fees.

What is new

FreightWaves says the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) filed its petition on Oct. 20 as Case No. 26-1297. It challenges the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) 2027 UCR fee rule, and it argues that FMCSA never issued the regulations required to establish the UCR system under 49 U.S.C. 13908. SBTC wants the court to set aside the fee rule, halt fee collections and require FMCSA to set up the system through rulemaking.

Avelino Gutierrez, executive director of the UCR Plan, told FreightWaves that if the court set aside the rule or halted collections, "registration operations, fee collections and the distributions of funds to the states could be greatly affected." He said many states use UCR revenue for motor carrier safety and enforcement. Gutierrez also said the UCR Plan "strongly believes it was lawfully established" under federal law, and FreightWaves notes FMCSA's September final rule says Congress established the plan. The court has not ruled.

What the coalition asked for

On Oct. 26, SBTC filed a motion for expedited consideration, citing the approaching 2027 enforcement date. James Lamb, SBTC's executive director, said: "We are not seeking an emergency stay but we are seeking emergency expedited merits review." He added that if the court does not rule first, "carriers should pay their 2027 UCR fees by December 31st to avoid civil penalties."

The UCR Plan gives the same practical advice. Gutierrez said: "As neither the Court of Appeals nor any other court has ruled otherwise, the UCR Plan's current guidance is to register for UCR prior to enforcement beginning on January 1, 2027." Registration for 2027 opened Oct. 1, and the 2027 fees are up about 20 percent, FreightWaves reports.

The privacy dispute

In an Oct. 13 complaint, SBTC asked the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General to look into FMCSA's data sharing and the security of the UCR website. Lamb said he found in 2019 that his own Social Security number had been exposed through the registration site. Gutierrez said FMCSA has not given the UCR Plan personally identifiable information, including Social Security numbers, since March 2019. He acknowledged a 28-day exposure in March 2019, and FreightWaves reports that about 30,000 registrant accounts were potentially exposed at the time. SBTC's allegations of ongoing Privacy Act violations are disputed.

What it means for truckers and carriers

Nothing has changed for the Dec. 31 deadline. A lawsuit is not a court order. Carriers who skip registration risk civil penalties if enforcement begins on Jan. 1, 2027 as planned.

Quick facts

• Case: No. 26-1297, D.C. Circuit; petition filed Oct. 20, 2026.
• 2027 fees: up about 20%; registration opened Oct. 1.
• Guidance from both sides: register and pay before enforcement begins Jan. 1, 2027, with Dec. 31 as the deadline to avoid civil penalties.
• Not decided: the court has not ruled.

FAQ

Do I still have to pay UCR for 2027?

Yes, both the UCR Plan and the coalition say carriers should register and pay by Dec. 31 unless a court orders otherwise.

Could the court stop UCR collections?

SBTC asks for that as a remedy in its petition, and the UCR Plan says it could be disruptive. The coalition did not ask for an emergency stay, and no court has ruled.

A question for readers

Fleet owners, are you paying the higher 2027 UCR bill early, or waiting to see what the court does?

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