People search “BOC-3 form” expecting a PDF with boxes to fill in. FMCSA does publish the form, but for a trucking company the form is something a process agent files for you, not something you mail in. This guide covers what the form is, what is on it, who files it, and how to check yours. If you need one filed, our BOC-3 filing service handles it for $75 once.
Who needs a BOC-3?
Motor carriers, brokers and freight forwarders applying for FMCSA authority need a BOC-3. It names process agents who accept legal papers. Carriers need an agent in each state they operate in or cross; brokers need one where they have an office or write contracts (49 CFR 366.4T). FMCSA requires it before granting authority.
What Form BOC-3 is
FMCSA titles it Form BOC-3, Designation of Agents for Service of Process. It names a process agent (someone who accepts court papers for you) in each state where you are required to have one. The rule behind it is 49 CFR Part 366: designations are made on Form BOC-3, only one current form may be on file, and it must list every required state (366.2T). Motor carriers cover every state they are authorized to operate in and every state they travel through; brokers cover the states where they have offices or write contracts (366.4T). For the meaning of the formal name, see designation of process agents.
Form BOC-3 vs. “a BOC-3 filing”
Form BOC-3 is the document: the designation record naming your business and your process agents. A BOC-3 filing is getting that document onto your FMCSA record. When a company sells you “a BOC-3,” you are paying for the filing and for the process agent that stays named on it, not for a blank form.
What's on the form, field by field
The form has two parts: who you are, and who your agent is in each state. In plain terms:
| Information | What to know |
|---|---|
| Legal business name | Exactly as registered with FMCSA, including LLC or Inc. A DBA alone won't match. |
| Principal business address | Your principal place of business, where a copy of the BOC-3 is kept (366.2T). |
| USDOT number and MC, FF or MX number | Ties the designation to your authority record. |
| Process agent, for each required state | The agent's name and street address, city, state and ZIP. The agent must reside in or keep an office in that state (366.3T), and FMCSA doesn't accept a P.O. box. With a blanket company, one statement naming the company designates its whole list (366.5T). |
SAMPLE
Form BOC-3
Designation of Agents for Service of Process
Legal business name
Northwind Hauling LLC
Principal place of business
100 Sample Street, Riverton, OH 00000
USDOT and docket
USDOT 0000001 · MC-000001
Agent for each state shown
OH — Sample Blanket Agent Co., 200 Service Road, Riverton, OH 00000
PA — Sample Blanket Agent Co., 200 Service Road, Milltown, PA 00000
Blanket designation
Sample Blanket Agent Co. for every other required state. One form on file.
Fictional carrier data. Two states are shown; a nationwide filing lists every required state.
- The SAMPLE mark and the title label this drawing. It uses made-up carrier data. It is not an FMCSA form, and it is not a filing.
- Legal business name, written the way it is registered, including LLC or Inc.
- Principal place of business. A copy of the designation is kept there (49 CFR 366.2T).
- USDOT number and docket number (MC, FF, or MX). These tie the designation to the authority record. The numbers on this sample are not real.
- Each required state gets an agent name and a street address in that state. A P.O. box is not accepted, and the agent must reside in or keep an office in the state (49 CFR 366.3T).
- A blanket designation names one company, and that company’s published list covers the other required states (49 CFR 366.5T). Only one BOC-3 is on file; a new filing replaces the earlier one (49 CFR 366.6T).
The drawing above is a sample with fictional carrier data. For the 51-line layout of a nationwide designation, see what a BOC-3 looks like.
Is there a BOC-3 form PDF?
FMCSA posts the BOC-3 form as a PDF on its Form BOC-3 page, but a motor carrier can't complete it and mail it in. A process agent must file a carrier's BOC-3. For brokers and forwarders, see FMCSA's Form BOC-3 page for entity-specific rules. The PDF shows what the designation contains: your details and an agent for each state.
Get the PDF and its instructions from FMCSA's Form BOC-3 page; copies on PDF-editing sites can be out of date. The PDF shows what a designation contains; the filing itself goes through a process agent.
Can I file a BOC-3 myself?
A BOC-3 is filed with FMCSA by a process agent on behalf of the carrier, broker, or freight forwarder, and it names an agent in each required state. One blanket filing can cover every state at once, whichever authority you hold. For the rules, see the FMCSA Form BOC-3 page (fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/form-boc-3-designation-agents-service-process).
Who files Form BOC-3
- Motor carriers: a process agent files it, usually a blanket company that has its own list of agents for every state on file with FMCSA (49 CFR 366.5T).
- Brokers and freight forwarders: a process agent files it on your behalf, naming an agent for each required state. For entity-specific rules, see FMCSA's Form BOC-3 page.
Only one BOC-3 can be on file, and a new one replaces the old designation (49 CFR 366.6T). When you order from FastBOC3, your BOC-3 is filed by a registered blanket process-agent company on FMCSA's list, which is the agent named on your form.
What your process agent will ask you for
You don't fill in the form yourself. Expect to provide:
- Your legal business name, exactly as on your FMCSA registration.
- Your USDOT number and MC (or MX) number.
- Your principal business address.
- An email and phone number, so served court papers and the filed copy can reach you.
The agent completes the per-state designations. Brokers cover each state where they have an office or where contracts will be written (366.4T). File as soon as your MC number is assigned: new applicants must have the BOC-3 on file within 20 days of the FMCSA Register notice (49 CFR 365.109T).
Does a BOC-3 expire?
No. A BOC-3 has no expiration date and no annual renewal. Under 49 CFR 366.6T a designation is canceled or changed only by a new filing, unless the carrier or broker has not been subject to 49 CFR 366.4T for a year. Confirm a valid BOC-3 is on file before a reinstatement.
What happens if my process agent's designation becomes invalid?
If a BOC-3 designation is invalid, FMCSA may issue an order to show cause. You have 30 days from the date of service to file a new BOC-3 with a valid process agent or show the one on file is valid. If not, FMCSA may suspend the operating authority registration (policy MC-RS-2019-0002).
FMCSA policy MC-RS-2019-0002, fetched October 23, 2026.
How to check and keep your BOC-3
Your process agent sends you a copy of the filed BOC-3; keep it, because the rule asks you to keep one at your principal place of business. To see what's on your record, look up your USDOT number or legal name in FMCSA's Motus public search (no login needed), which shows the process agent (BOC-3) details under your operating authority; FMCSA controls when a filing shows. Details: how to check your BOC-3 status and how to find your process agent.
Common BOC-3 form mistakes
- A legal name that doesn't match your FMCSA record, such as a DBA or a missing “LLC”.
- An agent address that is a P.O. box or not in the state being covered.
- A second BOC-3 filed by a dispatcher or setup company that replaces yours.
More examples and fixes: common BOC-3 filing mistakes.
When you're ready, you can file your BOC-3 online for $75.