How to Verify a Freight Broker MC Number, Authority, and Bond
Double-brokering and identity theft often use a real broker's MC number with fake contact details. A quick FMCSA check before you book catches many of these cases.
What to check
- Operating authority: broker authority must be active.
- Financial security: federal rules require property brokers to keep $75,000 on file, as a BMC-84 surety bond or BMC-85 trust fund.
- History: recent authority grants, revocations, or name changes deserve a closer look.
- Contact match: the person on the phone should match the company of record.
A clean FMCSA record does not prove the person you are dealing with works for that broker. Always confirm through the contact details FMCSA lists.
FreightHUD shows authority and bond status from FMCSA data next to each load on supported boards. When data is missing, it labels the broker as unverified instead of showing a green light.
Step by step
- Get the MC or DOT number. Copy it from the load posting or rate confirmation, not from an email signature alone.
- Look it up with FMCSA. Search the number on FMCSA SAFER or the Licensing and Insurance (L&I) public site.
- Check broker authority. Confirm the entity has active broker authority, not only carrier authority, and note any revocations.
- Check financial security. Confirm a BMC-84 surety bond or BMC-85 trust fund of $75,000 is on file and not cancelled.
- Match the contact details. Compare the phone, email domain, and address on FMCSA with the person you are talking to. Call the number FMCSA lists to confirm.