Does Washington Require a UCR Filing for Truckers?

Dec. 1, 2025, 2:12 p.m.
Yes — in Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) requirements, if you operate under a USDOT number in Washington (or any other UCR-participating state) and you engage in interstate commerce, then you need to file UCR.
UCR Filing in Washington

Always register your UCR here - https://www.fmcsa.me/

 

When UCR Filing Is Required in Washington

  • Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission (UTC) — the regulatory authority in WA for UCR — confirms that carriers based in Washington with interstate operations must register for UCR.  

  • “Commercial motor vehicles” covered by UCR include:

    • Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,001 lbs or more, or

    • Vehicles designed to carry 10 or more passengers (including driver), or

    • Vehicles carrying hazardous materials requiring placards. 

  • UCR also covers not only for-hire carriers, but also private carriers (hauling their own goods), freight forwarders, leasing companies, and brokers — as long as they engage in interstate commerce.  

  • UCR registration is paid annually, via the base state (in this case Washington, if that's your home state), and covers operations in all other UCR-participating states.  

Therefore: if you have a valid USDOT number and you operate across state lines, you must file for UCR in Washington (or through your base state if different).


 When UCR Filing Is Not Required (Despite Having a DOT Number)

  • If your carrier operates only within Washington (i.e. strictly intrastate — pickups and deliveries all inside WA, never crossing into or from another state), then UCR does not apply. 

  • Simply having a USDOT number is not sufficient alone to trigger UCR — there must be an interstate commerce component. The UCR program’s focus is interstate commerce compliance. 


 Key Takeaway: DOT ≠ Automatic UCR — It Depends on Operations

  • USDOT number → required whenever you operate certain commercial vehicles (above weight/size thresholds), even for intrastate work.  

  • UCR filing → required only if you engage in interstate commerce (or arrange/coordinate interstate freight as broker/forwarder/leasing company).  

  • Many carriers confuse the two. But legally and administratively they are separate requirements.