BMC-84 filings, same-day on clean files
FMCSA requires every property freight broker and freight forwarder to post a $75,000 surety bond. We file the BMC-84 electronically, calendar the annual renewal, and hold specialty markets for post-claim and bad-credit files.
The $75,000 FMCSA filing requirement
The Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires every licensed property freight broker to file a $75,000 surety bond as a condition of maintaining operating authority. Freight forwarders operating under equivalent authority also carry the requirement. The bond runs to the FMCSA and is written to Form BMC-84.
Purpose: if a broker fails to pay a motor carrier for hauling a load, the carrier can file a claim against the bond. The surety pays up to the $75,000 aggregate; the broker then reimburses the surety. It's the industry's compensation-of-last-resort mechanism, and it's why the industry has an active claims history the underwriter reads before pricing your bond.
From application to active authority
- Send us the MC / MX number and personal-credit consent. Prime-credit applications quote instantly.
- Underwriter review. Standard-market files clear same-day; specialty-market files (bad credit / prior claim) require a few days.
- Electronic filing. Surety files the bond with FMCSA on Form BMC-84.
- Effective date. FMCSA reviews the filing and activates operating authority, usually within a few business days of receipt.
- Annual renewal. Calendared 30–45 days out. Once paid, the surety files the continuation with FMCSA; authority stays active.
The trust-fund alternative — and why brokers rarely pick it
The BMC-84 is a surety bond; the BMC-85 is a trust-fund alternative. Under a BMC-85, the broker deposits $75,000 in cash into a trust account rather than posting a surety bond. Both filings satisfy the FMCSA requirement. In practice most brokers file the BMC-84 because the annual premium is a fraction of the opportunity cost of parking $75,000 in cash trust. We can arrange either; the BMC-84 is what almost every applicant chooses.
Where forwarders differ from brokers
A property freight broker arranges transportation between shipper and motor carrier without taking possession of the freight; a freight forwarder actually takes possession, consolidates and re-forwards. Both are FMCSA-regulated and both carry the $75,000 bond requirement, but a forwarder's underwriting file is different — the underwriter reads for warehouse operations, consolidation practices and multi-modal shipping in addition to broker economics. We write both.
The 30-day cancellation notice
A BMC-84 can be cancelled by the surety on 30 days' written notice to the FMCSA, and once cancelled, operating authority is suspended until a replacement bond is on file. That mechanic is why claim histories matter — a broker that repeatedly generates claims will find replacement bonds harder to place. Conversely, a broker that renews annually on time and carries a clean history compounds credibility with the standard market.
Frequently asked questions
Good to KnowClean-credit files quote and file same-day. FMCSA activation typically takes a few additional business days on their timeline.
Standard-credit annual premium runs $1,500–$3,000 typically. Specialty-market (post-claim, bad-credit) files price higher, often with partial cash collateral.
Yes — through a specialty market. Underwriting reads the claim story and prices the file accordingly. Hidden histories slow the file; disclose up front.
Standard-market renewals typically just re-price on current credit and claim history — no full re-underwrite. Specialty renewals may require refreshed financial statements.
Send us the MC/MX number
Send the MC or MX number and personal-credit consent, and we'll file the BMC-84 the same day for clean-credit applicants.
- 201-661-2381 — Anthony Spina, direct line
- aspina@acsbonding.com
- 1200 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 302A, Mahwah, NJ 07430
Request received!
Anthony will be in touch shortly. For an urgent filing, call 201-661-2381.