How to Get a Freight Broker License in 2026: Authority, the $75,000 Bond, and Cost

Reviewed by Austin Park, founder of ICR Filings · Updated October 22, 2026

What people call a freight broker license is property broker operating authority from FMCSA, the same kind of MC number carriers get, issued for brokering instead of hauling. There is no separate federal exam or course requirement. What FMCSA does require is a registration, a process agent filing, and $75,000 in financial security.

Broker, carrier, or dispatcher?

• Freight broker: arranges transportation by for-hire carriers for a shipper, for pay. Needs broker authority.
• Carrier: hauls the freight in its own trucks. Needs carrier authority. See how to get an MC number.
• Dispatcher: works for a carrier, finding loads for its trucks. If you are arranging loads on behalf of shippers for pay, you may be acting as a broker, and that takes broker authority.

Plan to haul and broker? Each is its own authority type, with its own $300 fee.

Step 1: apply for broker authority in Motus

New applicants apply through Motus, FMCSA's registration system. The company official signs in with Login.gov, passes identity and business verification, and applies for a USDOT number and property broker authority together. FMCSA charges $300 per authority type, and it does not refund mistaken applications, so choose only the authority you need. See how to set up Motus.

Step 2: file the BOC-3

Brokers need a process agent in every state, just like carriers. FMCSA will not activate broker authority until a BOC-3 is on file. See what a BOC-3 is.

Step 3: the $75,000 bond or trust fund

FMCSA will not register a broker until $75,000 in financial security is in effect, filed in one of two ways:

Most new brokers choose the bond, because it does not tie up $75,000 in cash. Either one can only be canceled on 30 days' written notice to FMCSA.

What changed on January 16, 2026

FMCSA's broker financial security rule now makes the $75,000 a continuous requirement:

• If the surety or trustee pays a claim that drops your bond or trust below $75,000, it must tell FMCSA within 2 business days.
• FMCSA then notifies you, and your authority is suspended within 7 business days unless you show the notice was a mistake, restore the full $75,000, or settle the claims without using the bond or trust.
• The surety can also report you when claims would drain the bond and you do not answer them within 7 business days.
• If a broker fails financially, FMCSA posts a public notice and the surety must accept claims for 60 days.

In plain terms: pay your carriers, and answer claims fast. An unanswered claim can cost you your authority.

Step 4: wait for the grant, then register for UCR

After FMCSA grants your authority, register for UCR. Brokers that do not operate trucks pay the lowest bracket (0 to 2 vehicles). Keep your MCS-150 current every two years.

What it costs to start

Brokers do not file truck liability insurance (the BMC-91) with FMCSA, since they do not haul. Many shippers still require contingent cargo and general liability coverage in their contracts.

Want it handled? Our new authority package covers the USDOT number, authority application, BOC-3, and UCR, and we confirm the authority type with you before filing.

Official sources

• FMCSA: Get operating authority (MC number)
• FMCSA: What is operating authority and who needs it?
• 49 CFR 387.307: property broker surety bond or trust fund
• FMCSA: Form BOC-3, designation of process agents
• 49 CFR 360.3: FMCSA registration fee schedule
• FMCSA: Registration modernization FAQs
• UCR Plan: frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the official source before you file.

Related guides

• How to Start a Trucking Company: The Steps, in the Order That Works
• How Long Does It Take to Get an MC Number? Real 2026 Timelines
• How to Get an MC Number in 2026: Step by Step Through Motus