Freight Broker Bond BMC-84 — The Complete $75,000 FMCSA Bond Guide
Every U.S. freight broker is required by FMCSA to maintain a $75,000 BMC-84 surety bond. Here's the plain-English guide to the cost, the filing process, and how to bind in 24 hours through CNA Surety.
What is the BMC-84 bond?
The BMC-84 is a $75,000 surety bond filed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and required of every interstate property broker, freight forwarder, and household goods broker operating in the U.S. It protects motor carriers and shippers — if you fail to pay a carrier you brokered freight to, they can claim against the bond up to the $75,000 limit.
It is the BROKER'S bond, not the trucker's. Confusing the BMC-84 with motor carrier auto liability is the most common mistake new brokers make.
Who needs a BMC-84?
FMCSA requires the BMC-84 (or its trust-fund cousin, the BMC-85) of:
• Property brokers — anyone arranging for the transport of property for compensation • Freight forwarders (BMC-84 + BMC-91 for cargo) • Household goods (HHG) brokers
If you have FMCSA broker authority (MC number with broker classification), you must file proof of a $75,000 bond before FMCSA grants active authority. If your bond cancels, your authority is suspended within 30 days.
What does the BMC-84 cost?
Premium depends almost entirely on personal credit (FICO score) of the principal:
• 700+ FICO: $750 – $1,500/year (1% – 2% of $75K) • 650 – 699 FICO: $1,500 – $3,000/year (2% – 4%) • 600 – 649 FICO: $3,000 – $6,000/year (4% – 8%) • Below 600 / new business: $6,000 – $12,000/year, sometimes requires collateral
Noah Insurance Agency writes BMC-84s directly through CNA Surety, AmTrust, JW Surety, and Old Republic. We shop personal-credit-based pricing across all four to land you the lowest premium without collateral when possible.
How to file the BMC-84 with FMCSA
1. Get a quote and bind the bond with us (24 hours typical). 2. The surety company files the BMC-84 form electronically with FMCSA on your behalf — you do not mail anything. 3. FMCSA receives the filing usually within 1–3 business days and matches it to your MC application. 4. Once accepted, your broker authority becomes active.
If your authority is already active and you're switching sureties, the new surety files the BMC-84 and the old surety files a cancellation. There is a 30-day overlap window — do not let the old bond cancel before the new one is on file or your authority pauses.
Common reasons BMC-84 claims happen
About 90% of BMC-84 claims fall into one bucket: the broker failed to pay a carrier for a load delivered. Reasons vary:
• Broker's customer (the shipper) didn't pay the broker, broker doesn't have the cash flow to cover • Broker's bookkeeping mistake — invoice missed, wrong remit address • Broker shut down operations
For brand new brokers: the #1 way to avoid claims is to vet shippers before extending credit. Cash-in-advance customers won't bankrupt you.
Get a same-day BMC-84 bond from Noah Insurance Agency
We write BMC-84s for freight brokers nationwide through CNA Surety and AmTrust — usually quoted within 30 minutes of receiving your personal credit info, bound within 24 hours, and FMCSA-filed within 48. We're based in Columbus, Ohio at 6161 Busch Blvd #119 and we ship the original bond document if your jurisdiction needs paper. Call 814-718-0060 or get a quote at noahia.com.
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