BMC-84 Freight Broker Bond Texas,
filed electronically the same day.

The bond amount is $75,000 — set by the FMCSA. What you pay is the annual premium, which is credit-based. On strong credit (700+), premiums typically run $938–$1,875 per year (1.25%–2.5%). Mid-range credit is $1,875–$3,750 (2.5%–5%). Sub-620 credit can run $4,500–$7,500 or more. These are ranges, not quotes — the exact premium depends on underwriting, and some files are approved only with collateral.

Both satisfy the FMCSA's $75,000 financial-responsibility requirement for freight brokers and forwarders. A BMC-84 is a surety bond — you pay an annual premium (a small percentage of $75,000) and the surety backs the full amount. A BMC-85 is a trust fund where you deposit the full $75,000 in cash (or a letter of credit) and it sits locked up until you cancel your authority. Most brokers choose the BMC-84 because it does not tie up working capital.

The surety files it electronically with FMCSA. Once the bond is issued and paid, FMCSA typically posts it to your MC record within 1–3 business days — registration and filing status now live in Motus, FMCSA's registration system that replaced the legacy tools in May 2026. You cannot start brokering until the bond is on file and your authority is active.

MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, 2012) raised the minimum from $10,000 to $75,000 effective October 1, 2013. Congress raised it in response to carrier unpaid-invoice claims against brokers — the old $10,000 was not enough to cover carrier losses when a broker went out of business.

Often, yes. The $75,000 BMC-84 requires more underwriting scrutiny than a simple $10,000 license bond, but we work with markets that consider applicants with credit under 620, past bankruptcies, and tax liens. Expect a higher premium, additional financial statements, and sometimes a collateral requirement. We will not promise approval — the 2026 freight broker market is tight and some files are declined. If yours already was, read our guide to BMC-84 approval requirements before you reapply.

If you hold both broker and forwarder authority, one $75,000 BMC-84 covers both. If you only hold one, one bond is enough. Motor carriers do not need a BMC-84 — this bond is specific to brokers and forwarders.

Most broker bond claims are from carriers who hauled a load but were not paid. The carrier files with the surety, which investigates. If the debt is documented, the surety pays up to the bond limit. Multiple claims are not simply paid in the order received: under 49 U.S.C. §13906(b), when a broker fails financially the provider advertises for claims for 60 days and pays uncontested claims after that window, pro rata if total claims exceed the available $75,000. The surety then collects what it paid from the broker and any indemnitors.

The bond itself is continuous — no expiration date — but premium is billed annually. If you do not pay, the surety files a cancellation with FMCSA; the bond cancels 30 days after that notice, and if it is not replaced your operating authority is suspended. Separately, under the FMCSA financial responsibility rule in force since January 16, 2026, a drop in available security below $75,000 — typically after a paid claim — starts short federal clocks: the provider notifies FMCSA within two business days, and you have seven business days after service of the pending-suspension notice to restore the $75,000 or show the claims were satisfied without bond assets. We bill renewals on autopay and notify you in advance so a missed premium does not become a cancellation.