BROKER / FREIGHT FORWARDER — NO VEHICLES
No vehicles or drivers — needs a $75k surety bond. Because you operate no trucks and employ no CDL drivers, you do not need a drug & alcohol testing program, driver qualification files, apportioned plates, IFTA, or the New Entrant Safety Audit — your stack is the BOC-3 process agent, your surety bond, and UCR.
These are the steps the engine includes for this authority type. Items marked “Vertical Identity” are handled by us when you enroll. Steps that don’t apply to this type are automatically left off.
A registered process agent must file this. We resell a partner that handles it.
When: Before authority is granted; must stay on file.
Source: 49 CFR §366 · reviewed 2026-06-14
You may not operate until your authority shows ACTIVE. (Not a flat "21 days.")
When: ~3–4 weeks (10-day protest + 20-day filing); longer if vetted.
Source: FMCSA registration · reviewed 2026-06-14
UCR's site makes DIY easy — do it yourself there, or we'll handle it. Fees = official UCR schedule.
When: Annual; before interstate operation.
Source: 49 U.S.C. §14504a · reviewed 2026-06-14
Time estimates are practical, typical ranges — not guarantees. Your actual timing will vary.
No. The drug and alcohol testing requirements under 49 CFR Part 382 apply to motor carriers that operate CMVs with CDL drivers. A broker arranges transportation without trucks or drivers, so it does not need that program. If you later operate as a carrier too, the carrier requirements apply.
Federal law requires a freight broker or forwarder to maintain a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund (BMC-84 or BMC-85) on file with FMCSA. Verify the current requirement and filing details with FMCSA.
No. Apportioned (IRP) plates and IFTA fuel-tax licensing are vehicle registrations — they apply to carriers that operate trucks. A broker that owns no commercial vehicles does not register for either. Verify with FMCSA and your base state if your operation changes.
Talk to our team about what your broker operation needs.
Talk to our teamThis is general guidance, not legal advice. Verify requirements with FMCSA and your state DOT.
FMCSA official tool
FMCSA has a free official wizard that asks a few questions about your operation and tells you exactly which USDOT registration and operating authority you need. It opens in a new tab, so this checklist stays right here as your reference.
Opens fmcsa.dot.gov in a new tab — an official .gov tool. We don’t collect anything from it.
