Texas Freight BrokerBond Calculator
Texas freight brokers owe one of two bonds, and it depends on one question: do you hold active FMCSA broker authority? If yes, it's the $75,000 federal BMC-84 (49 U.S.C. §13906), running $750–$11,250/yr by credit tier. If no — you arrange only Texas-to-Texas loads — it's the $10,000 TxDMV intrastate bond (Tex. Transp. Code §646.003), running roughly $100–$150/yr flat. Answer the form to see which one applies to you and your exact estimate.
Which Texas Bond Do You Owe?
Answer three quick questions. We'll show the bond type, statute, and estimated annual premium.
Official Federal (FMCSA) Requirements
"A broker shall provide financial security of $75,000 for purposes of this subsection, regardless of the number of branch offices or sales agents of the broker."49 U.S.C. §13906(b)(3), implemented at 49 CFR §387.307 • 49 U.S.C. §13906 · 49 CFR §387.307
BMC-84 vs. TxDMV Bond: The Texas Comparison
Every other state in this calculator series has one bond. Texas has two, and which one you file depends entirely on whether you hold federal broker authority.
Texas Freight Broker Bond Options
Federal BMC-84 vs. state TxDMV intrastate bond
| Factor | BMC-84 (Federal) | TxDMV Bond (State) |
|---|---|---|
| Bond amount | $75,000 | $10,000 |
| Governing law | 49 U.S.C. §13906 / 49 CFR §387.307 | Tex. Transp. Code §646.003 |
| Who needs it | Any broker with FMCSA authority (MC#) | Texas-only brokers with no MC# |
| Annual premium | $750–$11,250 (credit-tier priced) | ~$100–$150 (flat rate) |
| Filed with | FMCSA electronically | TxDMV per 43 TAC §218.41 |
| Covers interstate freight? | Yes | No — intrastate only |
| Penalty for operating without it | FMCSA authority suspension | Class C misdemeanor (§646.004) |
A broker holding active FMCSA authority is exempt from the TxDMV bond under §646.003 — the two are not required simultaneously.
Not sure which bond you need? Call and we'll confirm your FMCSA status before you apply.
How the BMC-84 Premium Is Actually Calculated
The $75,000 penal sum is fixed by federal law. Your premium is a percentage of that sum, and the percentage is set almost entirely by personal FICO score.
BMC-84 Annual Premium
Rates reflect current 2026 market pricing across multiple surety carriers for the federal BMC-84 bond.
The TxDMV $10,000 intrastate bond does not follow this formula — TxDMV does not run a credit-tiered rate table, so pricing is a flat ~$100–$150/yr regardless of FICO.
Why Your Corridor Changes the Underwriting Conversation
The bond price doesn't change by corridor — but whether the TxDMV bond is even a realistic option for you does.
Laredo / I-35 Border
Port Laredo cleared $353.9 billion in cross-border trade in 2025, and more than 30% of I-35 traffic is commercial trucking — the highest share of any Texas interstate. Every Laredo pickup crosses an international boundary, so if that’s your lane, the BMC-84 is not optional: intrastate-only TxDMV coverage does not extend to cross-border moves.
DFW / North Texas Distribution
Dallas-Fort Worth warehouse-to-retail freight frequently starts as a short regional haul and grows into multi-state distribution the moment a customer requests an Oklahoma or Louisiana drop. Brokers who plan to stay purely intrastate can start on the $10,000 TxDMV bond, but most DFW books outgrow it within the first year.
Houston / Gulf Port Corridor
Port of Houston is the #1 U.S. port by foreign tonnage. Brokers here often run port drayage (which can be intrastate) alongside outbound petrochemical or manufactured-goods line-haul (which is interstate) — two different regulatory environments in the same load cycle. If any leg crosses state lines, the whole operation needs the BMC-84.
Rio Grande Valley Agriculture
RGV produce and perishables almost always move to out-of-state terminal markets — Dallas, Chicago, Miami — which makes this corridor interstate by default. A bond lapse during peak citrus (spring) or squash/melon (fall) season is the costliest possible timing for an ag broker to lose authority.
January 2026 Rule: The 7-Day Replenishment Window
Under 49 U.S.C. §13906(b)(5), effective January 16, 2026, if a carrier claim payment reduces your BMC-84 coverage below $75,000, you have 7 calendar days to restore full coverage before FMCSA moves to suspend your operating authority. This applies only to the federal BMC-84 — TxDMV intrastate bonds are not subject to this federal replenishment rule. Texas brokers on the BMC-84 path should confirm their surety's claims-notification turnaround before a busy season, not after a claim lands.
Texas Bond Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this calculator ask about FMCSA authority before showing a bond amount?
My corridor is Laredo — does that change my bond price?
I only broker Houston-to-Dallas loads right now. Can I really use the $10,000 TxDMV bond?
Does this estimate account for the January 2026 FMCSA replenishment rule?
Can I switch from the TxDMV bond to the BMC-84 mid-year without a coverage gap?
Why is the TxDMV bond so much cheaper than the BMC-84 at the same credit score?
More Freight Broker Resources
Texas BMC-84 & TxDMV Guide
Full regulatory breakdown of both bond paths
California BMC-84 Calculator
Single-bond calculator for CA brokers
National BMC-84 Calculator
All-states federal bond estimate
BMC-84 vs. BMC-85
Bond vs. trust fund decision guide
BMC-84 Bond Learning Guide
In-depth national regulatory analysis
Getting FMCSA Broker Authority
The 5-step OP-1/BOC-3/BMC-84 timeline before you can quote
All content is researched from official state and federal sources (.gov) and verified before publication. BuySuretyBonds.com works with Treasury-certified, A-minimum rated surety carriers serving all 50 states.
Get the Right Texas Bond — Not Just the Federal One
Whether you're filing a $75,000 BMC-84 for Laredo cross-border loads or a $10,000 TxDMV bond for a DFW-only book, we quote the one that actually applies to you.
Freight Broker Bonds by State
State-specific guidance for filing your $75,000 BMC-84 and securing FMCSA property broker authority.
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
Fast BMC-84 filing for Wyoming-registered brokers