Freight Broker Authority Timeline: From Application to Active (Motus Era)
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Which system you apply in now
If you are starting fresh, you apply for a USDOT number and operating authority registration in Motus. Motus is FMCSA's new registration system; its April 2026 Federal Register notice says FMCSA is sunsetting the old URS used for new USDOT number and operating authority applications. Phase I, released December 8, 2025, was for supporting companies such as blanket companies and sureties; Phase II, planned for the second quarter of 2026, makes Motus available to all regulated entities.
The legacy online tools are retired. A notice on FMCSA's Licensing & Insurance site says all current registration functionality — new applications in URS, changes and filings via L&I (Public), and registration options in the FMCSA Portal — was permanently retired on Thursday, May 14, at 8:00 PM ET. FMCSA still accepts paper forms, the OP-1 series and the BOC-3, submitted with a valid government-issued ID. The same notice requires property brokers to complete registration transactions in Motus, so confirm with FMCSA before filing on paper. If you have an older bookmark for URS or L&I, start in Motus instead.
Two things to have ready when you apply in Motus
When you apply in Motus, two things come up for every new applicant. First, each one has to pass identity proofing and verification in Motus. Second, there is a filing fee: under 49 CFR 360.3T, an application for property broker authority is $300, and the Motus notice says FMCSA records payment through Pay.gov for registration transactions where fees apply.
What starts the clock: publication in the FMCSA Register
The two deadlines below are counted from the date your application notice is published in the FMCSA Register. Until that happens, the clocks have not started; once it does, both begin to run.
The two clocks after publication
- Protests: 10 days. Under 49 CFR 365.115(a), interested persons have 10 days from the date of FMCSA Register publication to file protests against your application.
- Financial responsibility and BOC-3: 20 days. Your bond is proof of financial responsibility. Section 365.109T(a)(5) requires that responsibility be indicated by filing a BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust fund within 20 days from the date the application notice is published. The same rule, at 365.109T(a)(6), requires you to submit Form BOC-3 — your designation of legal process agents — within 20 days of that notice.
The surety-bond route is the BMC-84 bond; the alternative is a BMC-85 trust fund, and we compare the two on our BMC-84 vs. BMC-85 page. Under 49 CFR 360.3T, a $10 service fee applies per accepted surety bond; it is charged to an insurance service account established by FMCSA (49 CFR 360.3T(a)(1)), not paid by the broker at filing. For how the process-agent designation works and who can file it, see our BOC-3 process agent guide, and for the full step-by-step with every form, see how to get broker authority.
What makes your authority active
If no one opposes your application, 49 CFR 365.115(b) says the grant published in the FMCSA Register becomes effective by issuance of a certificate, permit, or license. The grant is the milestone most new brokers are waiting for.
One condition sits on top of that grant: the full bond has to be in force. 49 CFR 387.307(a) provides that "FMCSA will not register a broker until a surety bond or trust fund for the full limits of liability prescribed herein is in effect." The prescribed limit for a broker is $75,000, so a partial filing does not satisfy it. Having your bond ready early keeps this from being what holds up your grant.
How long does the whole thing take?
We have not found a total time from application to active authority on FMCSA's site; confirm with FMCSA. The parts the rules actually fix are the two clocks above — 10 days for protests and 20 days for your financial filing and BOC-3 — plus the conditions that your identity is verified and your full $75,000 bond is in effect. For applications sent on paper forms, FMCSA's Motus notice says to expect a minimum of eight business days for the initial review and processing.
What you can control is the one piece that often becomes the bottleneck. Eric's advice: have your bond quote in hand before you apply, so the 20-day filing window is never what is holding you up. We shop multiple surety carriers and bring back a quote, and getting that done early keeps the paperwork from stalling behind your application.
Are MC numbers going away?
No — not in this phase. The Federal Register notice states that the Phase II release of Motus will not include eliminating MC/FF numbers or changing the BOC-3 filing process. For whether any later release touches MC numbers, we have not found that on FMCSA's site; confirm with FMCSA.
All content is researched from official state and federal sources (.gov). BuySuretyBonds.com works with Treasury-listed surety carriers.
FAQ
How long does it take to get a freight broker license?
We have not found a total time on FMCSA's site; confirm with FMCSA. The rules fix a 10-day protest window and a 20-day window to file your bond and BOC-3, both counted from when your application is published in the FMCSA Register, and your authority will not register until your full $75,000 bond is in effect.
How do I get a broker license for trucking?
Apply in Motus for a USDOT number and operating authority, pass identity proofing and verification, and pay the $300 fee through Pay.gov. Your BMC-84 or BMC-85 and your BOC-3 are due within 20 days from the date your application notice is published in the FMCSA Register. See how to get broker authority for the full checklist.
What are the freight broker license requirements?
Identity proofing and verification, the $300 application fee, a BMC-84 surety bond or BMC-85 trust fund for the full $75,000 limit, and a BOC-3 designation of process agents. FMCSA will not register you until the full bond or trust fund is in effect.
Do I need insurance to get my MC number?
For broker authority, FMCSA's broker rule (49 CFR 387.307) requires a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund rather than insurance. You show financial responsibility by filing a BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust fund, due within 20 days from the date your application notice is published in the FMCSA Register, and FMCSA will not register you until the full $75,000 is in effect.
How much is the application fee, and what about the DOT and MC number cost?
The application for property broker authority is $300 under 49 CFR 360.3T, recorded through Pay.gov. For the USDOT number and other costs, we have not found that on FMCSA's site; confirm with FMCSA — and see our cost page.
Are MC numbers being eliminated?
Not in the Phase II release of Motus, which the Federal Register notice says will not include eliminating MC/FF numbers or changing the BOC-3 filing process. For anything in a later release, we have not found that on FMCSA's site; confirm with FMCSA.
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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 guides
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- Freight Broker Bond Cost
- How to Get Freight Broker Authority
- BMC-84 Bond Renewal
- Reinstate a Suspended Freight Broker Bond
- BMC-84 vs BMC-85
- Auto Transport Broker Bond
- Household Goods Broker Bond
- Freight Broker Excess Bond
- Freight Forwarder Bond
- BMC-84 Freight Broker Bond Guide
- Freight Broker Bond Claims
- Dispatcher vs Freight Broker