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Last updated: General Iowa freight broker bond information — confirm current requirements with the licensing authority.
Crossroads of the Midwest

Iowa Freight Broker Bond$75,000 BMC-84 for Brokers Working the I-35/I-80 Junction

Every Iowa freight broker needs a $75,000 surety bond filed on FMCSA Form BMC-84, as required by 49 U.S.C. § 13906(b) and 49 CFR § 387.307. Iowa Code chapter 325A regulates intrastate motor carrier permits, not property brokers — so there's no second state bond to file. What makes Iowa different is the freight itself: the state that grows the most corn and raises the most hogs in the country also produces 28% of the nation's ethanol and hosts a wind-turbine oversize corridor running through the same I-235 spur that links I-35 and I-80 in Des Moines. See our broker authority guide for the full FMCSA process.

$75,000
Federal BMC-84
49 CFR § 387.307
None
Iowa State Bond
No ch. 325A broker layer
4.6B gal
2025 Ethanol Output
28% of U.S. production — IRFA
64%
Wind Share of Grid
Highest of any U.S. state
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BMC-84 quote — 2-minute form, quote within one business day

Quick answer
A BMC-84 freight broker bond is the $75,000 federal surety bond FMCSA requires before it will grant or keep a property broker's operating authority, whether your brokerage is based in Iowa or arranges loads through the state. Iowa does not add a separate state freight broker bond. You pay a yearly premium that is a small percentage of $75,000 (an estimate; the carrier sets the final price), not the full amount.
  • Who requires it: FMCSA, for every property broker and freight forwarder in interstate commerce (49 U.S.C. 13906; 49 CFR 387.307).
  • Amount: $75,000, set by federal law. A BMC-85 trust fund of $75,000 is the alternative.
  • Typical cost (estimate): about 1%–4% of $75,000 per year with good credit, roughly $750–$3,000. The carrier sets the final price.
  • Timing: We submit complete applications to the carrier promptly; most quotes within one business day.
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Official Federal (FMCSA) Requirements

"A broker shall provide a surety bond, trust fund agreement, or other financial security in the amount of $75,000 in a form, manner, and amount as the Secretary may prescribe."
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — 49 CFR § 387.307, implementing 49 U.S.C. § 13906(b) • 49 CFR § 387.307
What Iowa Brokers Actually Move

Three Freight Profiles Stacked on the Same Corn Belt

Iowa isn't a single-commodity freight state the way a pure grain-belt state can be. It leads the country in corn and hog production, converts a huge share of that corn into ethanol in-state, and — almost incidentally — has become a national hub for wind-turbine component hauling. A broker working Iowa touches all three, often for the same shipper base.

Ag & Livestock Processing

  • 2.8 billion bushels of corn off 13.55 million planted acres — the most of any state, per November 2025 USDA NASS data
  • More hogs than the next five pork-producing states combined, per the Iowa Pork Producers Association
  • Fall harvest surge drives elevator, hopper, and reefer demand every September–November

Ethanol Processing

  • 42 ethanol refineries, over 5 billion gallons of annual capacity, per the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association
  • 4.6 billion gallons produced in 2025 — 28% of total U.S. ethanol output, though down from ~30% in 2023-2024 as IRFA flags stagnating growth
  • Steady year-round tank and rail-transload freight independent of harvest timing

Wind-Turbine Oversize

  • Wind supplies 64% of Iowa's electricity — the highest share of any U.S. state
  • Over 12,200 MW installed capacity, 2nd nationally behind Texas; MidAmerican alone runs 3,400+ turbines across 34 counties
  • Iowa DOT's alternative energy permit is a dedicated track — not the standard OS/OW process

Producer Insight: Why This Mix Matters to an Underwriter

A surety reviewing an Iowa broker's book is looking at a different risk shape than one reviewing a single-commodity or single-mode state. Harvest-season ag freight is seasonal and cash-flow-lumpy; ethanol tank freight is steady and contract-driven; wind-oversize loads carry route-survey and escort requirements that add lead time and coordination risk most brokers never touch. None of it changes the $75,000 bond amount — the BMC-84 is flat regardless of freight type — but a broker who can speak to all three segments in underwriting conversations reads as more sophisticated than one who can only describe general dry-van freight.

Ready to get bonded and start booking Iowa ag, ethanol, or wind-oversize freight? We file your BMC-84 directly with the FMCSA.

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Des Moines and Cedar Rapids: Established Carrier Capacity to Recruit Against

Iowa has a long-established trucking industry, with several large carriers based in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids areas, near where I-35 and I-80 meet in the Des Moines metro — the interchange behind Iowa's crossroads-of-the-Midwest reputation.

Interstate Crossroads

I-35 (north-south) and I-80 (east-west) meet in the Des Moines metro, putting through-freight on both axes within reach.

Established Carrier Base

Several long-established trucking companies are based in central and eastern Iowa, so experienced dry-van, flatbed and dedicated capacity is nearby.

Competition for Drivers

Brokers recruit capacity in the same market as established carriers, so carrier vetting and on-time payment matter when building relationships.

What This Means in Practice

A broker building carrier relationships in Iowa isn't starting from zero — there's a deep bench of established regional and national capacity to work with, on top of the general owner-operator pool that runs the I-35/I-80 corridor daily.

Iowa's Oversize/Overweight Permit Tiers — What a Wind-Freight Broker Needs to Know

None of this changes the $75,000 bond — permits are an Iowa DOT filing, not a surety product — but a broker quoting wind-turbine freight needs to know which permit tier the load falls into before promising a shipper a timeline.

Iowa Freight Broker Bond Cost

The $75,000 BMC-84 is priced as a percentage of face value — you never pay $75,000, only the annual premium. Pricing is driven by credit, not geography; see our freight broker bond cost by state guide and surety bond cost overview for broader context.

No Iowa Add-On Cost

Because Iowa Code ch. 325A doesn't reach property brokers, there's no second premium to budget for. The only additional line item is the $46/year UCR fee — a flat federal filing cost, not a bond premium.

What Iowa Code Chapter 325A Actually Regulates — and the UCR Filing It Doesn't Replace

Iowa Code chapter 325A, Motor Carrier Authority, sets definitions, permit and certificate rules, insurance minimums, tariff filing, and sanctions for motor carriers — persons who physically operate a vehicle to transport household goods, bulk liquid commodities, or passengers for hire in intrastate commerce. Its insurance section, § 325A.6, requires carriers to carry minimum coverage tied to the federal limits in 49 CFR ch. 387 — but the chapter never defines "broker" and creates no licensing or bonding track for a property broker who arranges transportation without operating equipment. That distinction — carrier vs. broker — is why chapter 325A doesn't layer a second bond on top of your federal BMC-84.

What UCR Requires of Brokers

  • Annual registration, separate from the BMC-84 bond and FMCSA authority
  • Brokers pay the smallest fee bracket: $46 for the 2026 registration year, unchanged from 2025
  • Filed through the Iowa DOT's motor carrier services division for Iowa-domiciled brokers
  • Runs on a separate annual clock from your BMC-84 filing date

Why It Trips Up New Brokers

A new broker can have a perfectly filed BMC-84 and still get flagged if UCR lapses, because the two filings run on independent renewal clocks and neither system automatically reminds you about the other. UCR is federally mandated but state-administered, so Iowa brokers file through the Iowa DOT specifically as their base-state UCR contact — even though the bond itself goes straight to the FMCSA. Track both renewal dates separately.

Iowa Freight Broker Bond — Frequently Asked Questions

Questions specific to Iowa-based brokers, ag/ethanol freight, and wind-turbine oversize hauling

Does Iowa Code chapter 325A — the state’s Motor Carrier Authority law — create a broker bonding requirement of its own?

No. Chapter 325A governs the state's intrastate permit and certificate system for motor carriers of household goods, bulk liquid commodities, and passengers, and its insurance section (§ 325A.6) sets minimum coverage for those carriers by reference to 49 CFR ch. 387. Nowhere in chapter 325A does the Iowa Code define "broker" or create a licensing or bonding category for property brokers who arrange transportation but don't operate a vehicle themselves. If you're brokering freight into or out of Iowa, your $75,000 BMC-84 bond, filed with the FMCSA under 49 U.S.C. § 13906(b) and 49 CFR § 387.307, is the only surety bond you need — there's no second Iowa-specific filing layered on top of it.

Why does a wind-turbine blade shipment matter to a broker who never touches a turbine?

Wind generates roughly 64% of Iowa's electricity — the highest share of any state — off more than 12,200 MW of installed capacity and 6,000-plus turbines, ranking Iowa second nationally in total wind capacity behind only Texas, per Wind Power in Iowa data and MidAmerican Energy's own project count of 3,400-plus turbines across 34 counties. Every one of those turbines arrived by truck, and Iowa DOT runs a dedicated permit track for it: the alternative energy multi-trip permit, which covers wind-turbine components up to 225 feet long, 16 feet wide, 16 feet high, and 256,000 lbs gross for a flat $600 fee valid up to 12 months — versus a standard single-trip oversize/overweight permit at $35. A broker who books this freight is arranging superload-class logistics that a general-freight broker never encounters, and it's a genuine line item an underwriter will ask about when reviewing your book, even though it changes nothing about the $75,000 bond amount itself.

How does Iowa’s position as the top corn, pork, and ethanol state affect broker freight volume?

Iowa is the nation's top corn-producing state — 2.8 billion bushels off 13.55 million planted acres in the November 2025 USDA NASS report — and the top pork-producing state, with more hogs than the next five states combined per the Iowa Pork Producers Association. That agricultural base feeds 42 ethanol refineries with more than 5 billion gallons of annual capacity, which produced 4.6 billion gallons in 2025 — about 28% of total U.S. ethanol output — according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, though IRFA also flags that Iowa's share has slipped from roughly 30% in 2023-2024 as other states expand carbon-capture infrastructure Iowa currently lacks. For a broker, that combination means three overlapping freight cycles to plan around: the fall harvest surge moving corn and soybeans to elevators and processors, the steady tank-and-hopper traffic ethanol plants generate year-round, and refrigerated/livestock-trailer freight tied to hog and cattle movement — a volume mix most states don't stack in one place.

Why does a broker’s carrier network matter more in Iowa than in most states?

Iowa sits where I-35 and I-80 meet in the Des Moines metro, and the state has a long-established trucking industry, including several large carriers based in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids areas. A broker building a carrier network in Iowa is recruiting in a market where experienced carrier capacity is already nearby, and competing with established carriers for the same drivers and lanes, rather than building relationships from scratch.

Since Iowa doesn’t add a state bond, what actually determines what an Iowa broker pays for the $75,000 BMC-84?

Because chapter 325A adds nothing on top of the federal filing, the only variable in an Iowa broker's premium is personal credit — as our freight broker bond cost by state guide explains, the rate has nothing to do with geography. Excellent credit (750+) typically runs 1.0%-1.5%, or $750-$1,125/year. Good credit (700-749) runs 1.25%-2.5%, or $938-$1,875/year. Average credit (650-699) runs 3%-5.5%, or $2,250-$4,125/year. Fair credit (580-649) runs 5%-8%, or $3,750-$6,000/year. Challenged credit (below 580) runs 8%-15%, or $6,000-$11,250/year. New brokers without operating history typically pay $1,500-$9,000/year even on solid credit, because sureties add a startup surcharge that phases out after 12-18 months of clean history.

Who administers UCR for an Iowa-based broker, and what does it cost?

Iowa administers the Unified Carrier Registration Plan through the Iowa DOT's motor carrier services division. Brokers fall into UCR's smallest fee bracket — $46 for the 2026 registration year, unchanged from 2025 — and it renews annually on its own schedule, separate from your BMC-84. That is the only Iowa-side filing: chapter 325A adds no state broker license or bond. The federal sequence itself is identical in every state and is walked through step by step in our guide to getting freight broker authority.

Who needs an Iowa freight broker bond?

Property brokers and freight forwarders based in Iowa that arrange interstate freight. It is required by FMCSA, under 49 U.S.C. 13906 and 49 CFR 387.307. The bond amount is $75,000, set by federal law (BMC-84 surety bond; a BMC-85 trust fund is the alternative).

How do I get an Iowa freight broker bond?

Request a quote with the form on this page. A licensed agent submits your application to a Treasury-listed surety carrier; once the carrier issues your bond, file it as the requiring agency directs.

What happens after I apply?

We submit complete applications to the carrier promptly; most quotes come back within one business day. The carrier decides approval and the final premium, and you pay only when your bond is issued.

FMCSA Broker Registration

Official FMCSA portal for broker authority applications, BMC-84 filing status, and SAFER system lookups.

Iowa DOT Oversize/Overweight Permits

Official Iowa DOT permit-type schedule, including the alternative energy multi-trip track for wind-turbine components.

Treasury-Listed Carriers
FMCSA Sets Processing Time
Direct FMCSA Filing
All Credit Reviewed

Freight Broker Bond Resources

Freight Broker Bond Hub

Complete BMC-84 guide — requirements, costs, claims, 2026 changes

BMC-84 Deep Dive

FMCSA filing mechanics, bond vs trust fund, personal guarantees

Cost by State Guide

How pricing varies by credit tier, not by state

BMC-84 vs BMC-85

When the trust fund makes sense — and when it never does

How to Get Broker Authority

Step-by-step FMCSA authority process from MC# to ACTIVE status

BMC-84 Bond Cost Calculator

Estimate your annual premium by credit score tier

Nebraska Freight Broker Bond ($75,000 BMC-84)

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Illinois Freight Broker Bond ($75,000 BMC-84)

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Eric Drummond, Licensed Surety Producer
Reviewed by
Eric Drummond, Licensed Surety Producer
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All content is researched from official state and federal sources (.gov). BuySuretyBonds.com works with Treasury-listed surety carriers.

Ag, Ethanol & Wind-Oversize Freight, One Bond

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BMC-84 quotes within one business day. No second Iowa bond to manage — just the federal $75,000 requirement. Premiums commonly run about 1%–4% of $75,000 with good credit (the carrier sets the price), all credit levels reviewed.

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Treasury-Listed Carriers
FMCSA Sets Processing Time
Est. 1%–4% of $75K (good credit)

Freight Broker Bonds by State

State-specific guidance for filing your $75,000 BMC-84 and securing FMCSA property broker authority.

Alaska Freight Broker Bond

BMC-84 cost & barge/AlCan rules

California Freight Broker Bond

BMC-84 filing for California property brokers

Texas Freight Broker Bond

Laredo & Gulf-corridor brokerage bonding

Washington Freight Broker Surety Bond

Pacific Northwest broker authority

Pennsylvania Broker Bond

Northeast freight broker BMC-84 filing

Arizona Freight Broker Bond

Southwest property broker bonding

Georgia Freight Broker Bond

Atlanta & Savannah-corridor BMC-84 filing

Montana Freight Broker Bond

BMC-84 requirements & cost for Montana brokers

Wyoming Freight Broker Bond

BMC-84 filing for Wyoming-registered brokers

Freight Broker Bond Resources

Freight Broker Bond GuideNational $75,000 BMC-84 overviewFreight Broker Bond CostAnnual premiums by credit tierHow to Get Broker AuthorityStep-by-step FMCSA registrationBMC-84 vs BMC-85Surety bond vs. trust fund comparedAuto Transport Broker BondVehicle-shipping broker requirementsFreight Forwarder BondForwarder BMC-84 filing guidanceFreight Broker Excess BondCoverage above the $75,000 BMC-84

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