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Shipper guide

Check a freight broker before you hand over your load.

Freight fraud and double brokering cost shippers real money. A legitimate broker is registered with the FMCSA and keeps a financial security on file. Here is how to check, in about five minutes.

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What a broker is, legally

Under federal rules, a broker is a person who, for compensation, arranges or offers to arrange the transportation of property by an authorized motor carrier [1]. In other words, the broker doesn't haul your freight; an authorized carrier does.

5-minute check

  1. Look up the MC or USDOT number on FMCSA SAFER [3]. Confirm that the company name, address and phone number match who you are talking to.
  2. Confirm broker authority is active. A company can hold carrier authority without broker authority, and the reverse.
  3. Check the bond or trust fund. A property broker must have a $75,000 surety bond (Form BMC-84) or trust fund (Form BMC-85) in effect, and FMCSA won't register a broker until it is in place [2].
  4. Call back on a number you found yourself, not one from an email, to confirm the quote is real.
  5. Ask who will haul it. Get the carrier's name and MC number on your rate confirmation.

Red flags

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NorthStar Delivery Solutions LLC: MC 1819020 · USDOT 4572562. Verify us on FMCSA SAFER.

Questions

What does the broker bond cover?

Under 49 CFR 387.307, the bond or trust fund provides for payments to shippers or motor carriers if the broker fails to carry out its contracts or arrangements for transportation by authorized motor carriers [2].

Is a carrier the same as a broker?

No. A carrier operates the trucks. A broker arranges the transportation with an authorized carrier [1].

Sources

  1. 49 CFR § 371.2, Definitions: broker (eCFR)
  2. 49 CFR § 387.307, Property broker surety bond or trust fund (eCFR)
  3. FMCSA SAFER company snapshot

General information, not legal advice. Last reviewed 2026-10-13.

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