Pricing

Simple, Transparent FMCSA Compliance Pricing

Know exactly what you’ll pay before filing—no hidden fees, no surprise charges. Below, a plain-language guide to how government fees and service fees work, and the current price of every filing.

Live service-fee pricing For owner-operators & motor carriers
Step one · Free

Free Dashboard Trial

Explore the Compliance Dashboard preview for free — no credit card required. See your compliance score, deadlines, and filing center before you decide.

Free

Free Dashboard Trial

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  • Compliance Dashboard preview
  • Compliance Score preview
  • Upcoming deadlines preview
  • Filing center preview
  • See the value before subscribing
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Step two · Membership

Compliance Dashboard Membership

When you are ready to activate real compliance monitoring and access member filing pricing, become a member. Cancel anytime.

Membership

Compliance Dashboard Membership

$49/mo

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  • Dashboard Access
  • Compliance Monitoring
  • Filing History
  • Compliance Reminders
  • Member Support
  • Access to Discounted Filing Services
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How pricing works

How FMCSA Filing Costs Work

Pricing for FMCSA compliance work comes down to two very different things: the fees the government charges, and the fee a service like Carrier Compliance HQ charges to do the work. Understanding the difference is the key to knowing what you’re actually paying for—and why filing “for free” yourself isn’t always as free as it sounds.

Government filing fees

Government fees are set by the FMCSA, the UCR Plan, or individual state agencies, and they’re paid directly to those agencies. Some filings carry a fixed government fee—for example, the FMCSA charges $300 per authority type for operating authority. Others, like USDOT registration and the biennial MCS-150 update, have no government fee at all. UCR fees vary by fleet size and are recalculated every year. Because these amounts are set by agencies, they can change without notice.

Carrier Compliance HQ service fees

A service fee is what Carrier Compliance HQ charges to prepare your filing, review it for accuracy, coordinate the agency workflow, and support you through submission. It’s always shown separately from any government fee, so you can see exactly where each dollar goes. You’re paying for accuracy, convenience, and ongoing compliance support—not for access to the government filing itself.

Can I file myself?

Yes. You can file directly with the FMCSA, and many filings are free when you do. Carriers choose a service when they’d rather not navigate government portals, risk a rejected filing, or track recurring deadlines on their own. Our Compliance Dashboard adds ongoing monitoring so nothing slips after the filing is done. New to all of this? Start with our FMCSA Compliance Guide.

Why we always show a total

Every filing below breaks down into a government fee, our service fee, and a clear total—so there are no surprises at checkout. For variable fees like UCR, we confirm your exact bracket before you pay anything.

Step three · Member pricing

Member Filing Pricing

Member pricing for each filing — government fees, our service fee, and the total. Our service fees update automatically from our pricing system; government fee amounts are official agency figures we verify periodically.

Filing services are available exclusively to active Compliance Dashboard members. Start with the free dashboard trial, then become a member to access these prices and complete filings.
ServiceGovernment FeeService FeeTotal CostWhat’s Included
USDOT Registration Free $449 $449 Registration preparation, accuracy review, MOTUS designation guidance when required, and guided filing support.
MC Authority $300 $399 $699 Operating-authority application prep, BOC-3 coordination guidance, and filing support. FMCSA charges $300 per authority type.
BOC-3 Filing None $98 $98 Process-agent designation across the states where you operate — included in the service fee. FMCSA doesn’t charge for BOC-3.
Biennial Update Free $99 $99 MCS-150 biennial update preparation, accuracy review, and guided filing. Free if filed directly with FMCSA.
Name Change $14 $99 $113 Operating-authority name-change preparation and filing support. FMCSA charges a $14 processing fee.
Address Change Free $99 $99 Registration address update preparation and guided filing. The FMCSA update is free.
Reinstatement $80 $249 $329 Reinstatement preparation and coordination. FMCSA charges $80; BOC-3 and insurance must be active first.
UCR Registration Varies ($46–$44,836) $149 Calculated at checkout UCR registration assistance; we confirm your fleet-size bracket before submitting. Fees are set annually by the UCR Plan.

Government and third-party fees are subject to change without notice. Carrier Compliance HQ periodically reviews fee schedules but cannot guarantee the accuracy of government or third-party fees. Current fees will be confirmed prior to submission. Government fees verified May 29, 2026. UCR fees vary by fleet size and are calculated before checkout. You may also file directly with the FMCSA, often at no cost.

Why us

Why Carriers Choose Carrier Compliance HQ

You can file with the FMCSA yourself. Here’s what you get when you don’t have to.

Transparent pricing

Know your government fee, service fee, and total before you submit anything.

Save time

Skip navigating complex FMCSA systems. We prepare and guide every step.

Avoid missed deadlines

Stay informed about upcoming renewals and required updates before they're due.

One central dashboard

Manage filings, documents, and compliance status from a single place.

Human support

Get help from real people when questions come up about your filings.

Built for owner-operators

Designed for carriers and small fleets, not enterprise back offices.

Common questions

Pricing FAQ

More answers in our full FAQ hub.

The USDOT number itself is free when you register directly with the FMCSA. Carrier Compliance HQ charges a $449 service fee to prepare your registration, review it for accuracy, guide MOTUS designation when required, and support you through filing. See our DOT Registration page for details.
Once you submit your information and payment, we typically prepare and file within one to two business days. The FMCSA then issues your USDOT number; for new carriers, New Entrant activation can take additional time depending on FMCSA processing.
Our service fee is separate from any government filing fee. Where the FMCSA charges a fee — for example, $300 per authority type for MC Authority — that government fee is shown separately and paid to the agency. Many filings, such as USDOT registration and the biennial update, have no government fee.
You need MC (operating) authority if you operate as a for-hire carrier transporting regulated commodities or passengers across state lines. Private carriers hauling their own goods, and many intrastate-only carriers, generally do not. The FMCSA charges $300 per authority type.
A BOC-3 designates a process agent in each state where you operate — someone who can receive legal documents on your behalf. It’s required to obtain MC operating authority. Our $98 BOC-3 service includes process-agent designation, and the FMCSA does not charge for the filing.
UCR fees are set annually by the UCR Plan and depend on your fleet size (power units), ranging from $46 for 0–2 vehicles up to $44,836 for the largest fleets. Carrier Compliance HQ charges a $149 service fee and confirms your exact bracket before submitting.
The Compliance Dashboard includes compliance monitoring, filing reminders, deadline tracking, a CCHQ Compliance Score, centralized filing history, and ongoing visibility into your compliance status. Learn more on the Compliance Dashboard page.
Yes. The Compliance Dashboard is month-to-month with no long-term contract. You can cancel anytime from your account.
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Transparent pricing, start to finish

Explore the compliance dashboard free, then add filing help whenever you need it. No payment required to start.

Available to new and operating motor carriers across the U.S. Carriers may also file directly with the FMCSA at no cost.