How to become an auto transport broker: authority, the bond, and the first carriers.
An auto transport broker sells the move to the customer and finds a carrier to haul the car, without ever taking possession of it. The federal paperwork is short; the bond is the real cost. Here are the steps, with what each one costs in 2026.
Updated 6 October 2026·6 minute read·Rules from FMCSA, eCFR and the U.S. Code
What a broker does, and does not do
A broker arranges transportation for compensation: it takes the order from the customer, posts the car or calls carriers, books one, and gets paid the difference between what the customer pays and what the carrier is paid. A broker never takes possession of the car, and the carrier is responsible for it in transit. Auto transport broker vs carrier covers the line in detail.
1. Broker operating authority
Apply to FMCSA for broker authority. The fee is $300 per type of authority and is not refunded. New applications now go through FMCSA's Motus registration system, which replaced the old URS. FMCSA's page still quotes 20 to 25 business days for processing, a figure from the old system; it has not published one for Motus yet.
2. The $75,000 bond or trust fund
A broker must have $75,000 of financial security on file: a surety bond (form BMC-84) or a trust fund (form BMC-85). It is there so carriers and shippers can be paid if the broker does not pay.
- BMC-84 surety bond. You pay a yearly premium, not $75,000. Surety companies publish rates by credit: about 1.25% to 3% for excellent credit, or $938 to $2,250 a year; 3% to 5% for average credit, or $2,250 to $3,750; and 5% to 12% for poor credit (Lance Surety). Another surety quotes around 1% to 2% for strong credit.
- BMC-85 trust fund. $75,000 actually set aside, in cash, irrevocable letters of credit or Treasury bonds.
The authority costs $300. The bond is the bill that comes every year.
3. BOC-3 and UCR
- BOC-3: a process agent in each state, required for brokers as for carriers. Process-agent companies publish one-time prices of about $50 to $68.
- UCR: brokers pay the smallest fee charged to a carrier, $46 for 2026 and $55 for 2027.
4. Records you must keep
For every brokered move, keep a record for three years: the shipper, the carrier and its MC number, the bill of lading number, your compensation and who paid it, and what you collected and paid the carrier (49 CFR 371.3). Each party to the transaction, carrier included, has the right to review it. Keep it clean from the first load; carriers ask.
5. Contracts and carriers
- Broker-carrier agreement. Rate, payment terms, insurance, and what happens with damage claims, signed before the first load.
- Check every carrier. Active authority and insurance on the FMCSA record, and a certificate showing liability and cargo limits that fit the car.
- Pay on time. Carriers talk. COD, quick pay or a short net term gets your loads taken first.
A summary, not legal advice. Have an attorney read your customer terms and your broker-carrier agreement.
6. Finding carriers for your cars
On loadez, posting is free for brokers, forever. Your load goes onto the loadez board, every claim names the driver, and you accept, counter or decline in one click. Once the car is moving you follow its progress, and the BOL and inspection photos arrive at delivery. Carriers there see each load's net for their truck after the payment terms, so fair terms get your cars moved. loadez for auto transport brokers.
Common questions
How much does it cost to become an auto transport broker?
FMCSA charges $300 for broker authority. The $75,000 BMC-84 surety bond costs a yearly premium that depends on credit: published rates are about $938 to $2,250 a year for excellent credit and $2,250 to $3,750 for average credit. Add a BOC-3 filing (about $50 to $68 one time) and the UCR fee ($46 for 2026, $55 for 2027).
Do auto transport brokers need a license?
Yes. An auto transport broker needs broker operating authority from FMCSA and $75,000 of financial security on file, either a BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust fund, plus a BOC-3 process agent filing and UCR registration.
Do auto transport brokers need insurance?
Federal rules require the $75,000 bond or trust fund, not cargo insurance, because a broker never takes possession of the car; the carrier's liability and cargo insurance cover the vehicle in transit. Customer and shipper contracts may ask a broker to carry additional coverage on top.
Post your cars free and pick the driver.
Free for brokers and shippers, forever.