Pillar 3 — Broker & Shipper Intelligence

How to Check if a Freight Broker Is Licensed and Bonded

Dwell Editorial · Updated 2026-04-24
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How to Check if a Freight Broker Is Licensed and Bonded

To verify a freight broker is licensed and bonded, search their MC number on the FMCSA SAFER system (safer.fmcsa.dot.gov) and confirm: active property broker authority, a surety bond or trust fund of at least $75,000 filed with the FMCSA, and no recent bond lapses. The check takes under 5 minutes and is the first line of protection before hauling for any new broker.

What Federal Law Requires

Under 49 U.S.C. § 13904 and § 13906, a freight broker operating in interstate commerce must:

  1. Hold active property broker operating authority issued by the FMCSA (an MC number designated for broker operations)
  2. Maintain a surety bond or trust fund of at least $75,000
  3. Designate a process agent in each state where they operate

A broker who doesn’t meet these requirements is operating illegally. Hauling for an unlicensed broker exposes you to risk with no contractual or bond protection if they don’t pay.

Step-by-Step: Verifying a Broker on SAFER

Step 1: Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov

Navigate to the FMCSA SAFER system’s company search page. You can search by:

Step 2: Check Authority Status

In the results, find “Operating Authority Status.” For a legitimate freight broker, look for:

If the status shows:

Step 3: Verify the Bond

Still in the SAFER record, look for “Insurance / Financial Responsibility.” You should see:

Note the bonding company name — you’ll need this if you ever need to file a claim against the bond.

Step 4: Check the Bond Expiration and Filing Date

Look at the bond effective and expiration dates. A bond that expired recently and hasn’t been renewed is a red flag — it means the broker may have had a lapse in coverage.

If the bond shows as “Cancelled” with no replacement: don’t haul until you confirm with the broker that a new bond has been filed and appears in SAFER.

Additional Verification: Carrier411 and Payment History

SAFER tells you about legal status. It doesn’t tell you about payment behavior.

After confirming the bond and authority, check the broker’s reputation on:

A broker with active authority and a valid bond but a pattern of 90+ day payment cycles or disputed accessorials is still a risk — just a different kind.

What to Do if the Bond Check Fails

Revoked or suspended authority: Don’t haul. The broker is operating illegally and you have no bond protection.

No bond on file: Contact the broker directly and ask them to provide their bond documentation. If they can’t produce it, decline the load.

Bond recently lapsed: Ask the broker to confirm their bond is active and show the updated SAFER record. A legitimate broker will have this readily available.

MC number doesn’t match the RC: This is a serious red flag. The entity on the rate confirmation should match the entity registered with the FMCSA. Mismatches can indicate the load is double-brokered.

The 60-Second Quick Check

For experienced carriers with an established process:

  1. Get the broker’s MC number before agreeing to anything
  2. Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov → Quick Query → Enter MC number
  3. Confirm: Property Broker authority = Active, Bond = Active
  4. Note bonding company name

Total time: under 2 minutes. Protection against hauling for an unlicensed or unbonded broker: complete.

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