Freight broker compliance for new brokerages
Freight broker compliance starts before your first load and never really stops. We help new freight brokerages get set up and stay compliant under their own authority: filings, financial security, records and carrier vetting.
What freight broker compliance covers
Freight broker compliance is the set of federal registrations, filings and records a property broker has to keep in good order to arrange freight legally. Your brokerage holds its own authority. LFS does not hold broker authority and does not broker freight. We help you set up the pieces and keep them current.
The federal basics:
- Broker authority. FMCSA's fee for broker operating authority is $300 (FMCSA broker registration).
- $75,000 financial security. A BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust fund agreement (49 CFR 387.307).
- BOC-3. A designation of process agents in each state where you have an office and write contracts. Authority is not granted until the BOC-3 is on file (FMCSA process agents).
- UCR. Annual Unified Carrier Registration. Brokers that operate no trucks pay the lowest fee bracket (UCR Plan).
- Records. A record of each brokered transaction, kept for three years, which each party to the transaction has the right to review (49 CFR 371.3).
The $75,000 rule and the 7-business-day window
The financial security amount for brokers is $75,000. What changed is what happens when it drops. Since January 16, 2026, if a broker's financial security falls below $75,000, the broker's authority is suspended unless the security is restored within 7 business days of FMCSA's notice (49 CFR 387.307).
For a small brokerage, that means a claim against your bond or trust is not something to deal with next month. A drawdown starts a short clock. We help you keep track of your bond or trust status, keep your contact information current so notices reach you, and plan ahead for how you would restore the security if it were drawn on. Background reading: FMCSA's financial rules for brokers and freight forwarders.
What we help your brokerage with
Broker authority
We prepare your broker authority application with you and file it with your authorization.
BMC-84 or BMC-85
We go over the bond and trust options with you and confirm the filing shows on your FMCSA record.
BOC-3
We help you get your BOC-3 on file, with process agents in the states you need.
UCR
We track the annual UCR registration and file it with your authorization.
Records
We set up a records system that keeps each transaction for three years and can produce it on request. We are not a law firm; have your attorney review your contracts.
Compliance calendar
Renewals, security status and filings on one calendar, with reminders before anything comes due.
Carrier vetting and fraud checks
Double brokering, impersonation and cargo diversion cost carriers and brokers alike. Read more on freight fraud. A basic vetting routine for every carrier you tender a load to:
- Confirm the carrier's operating authority is active on FMCSA's records
- Confirm insurance is filed with FMCSA (BMC-91 or BMC-91X) and meets the $750,000 minimum for general freight
- Verify the phone number and email through an independent source, not the rate confirmation
- Match the driver, truck and MC number at pickup to the carrier you booked
- Treat a last-minute change of payment details as a warning sign and verify it by phone
- Keep your vetting notes with the load record
How LFS works with a new brokerage
Setup review
We look at where you are: planning, authority pending, or already granted and running loads.
Filings
We prepare and file what's missing with your authorization, including the BOC-3.
Compliance calendar
Every renewal and filing date goes on one calendar, with reminders before each one.
Vetting routine
We help you write a carrier vetting process your staff can follow on every load.
Ongoing oversight
Brokerages LFS builds can join the LFS network under LFS management and compliance oversight, each operating under its own authority.
Backed by education
Our help with freight broker compliance is backed by the education we created at Freight University. We use education, data, technology and academics to stay on top of the newest FMCSA rules and regulations. You don't get one person. You get a team, a platform and a network with up-to-date information, making sure it's done the right and correct way. How we work.
- Current on the newest FMCSA rules
- A team, a platform and a network behind you
- Done the right and correct way
Starting a brokerage from scratch?
If you haven't filed yet, start with freight brokerage setup. We build freight brokerages for clients, with compliance built in from the first filing. We are a carrier-first company, so vetting and payment practices are written with the carrier's side in mind. If a carrier has a complaint about unpaid charges or double brokering, FreightBrokerComplaint.com takes it for free.
Questions and answers
What does a freight broker need to be compliant?
Active broker authority, $75,000 financial security (BMC-84 or BMC-85), a BOC-3 on file, annual UCR registration, and a record of each transaction kept for three years (49 CFR 371.3).
How much is a freight broker bond?
Brokers must have $75,000 in financial security, either a BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust fund agreement (49 CFR 387.307).
What happens if my broker bond drops below $75,000?
Since January 16, 2026, your authority is suspended unless the security is restored within 7 business days of FMCSA's notice (49 CFR 387.307).
Does a freight broker need a BOC-3?
Yes. Brokers need process agents in each state where they have an office and write contracts, and authority is not granted until the BOC-3 is on file (FMCSA). We help you get it filed.
Do freight brokers pay UCR?
Yes. UCR is an annual registration for interstate carriers, brokers, freight forwarders and leasing companies. Brokers with no trucks pay the lowest bracket (UCR Plan).
Does LFS broker freight?
No. LFS holds no broker authority and does not broker freight. We help brokerages that operate under their own authority get set up and stay compliant.
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Get help with broker compliance
Tell us whether your broker authority is pending or active and what you need help with. We'll tell you what's missing.
Prefer the phone? Call 901-205-9679.