BOC-3 filing for passenger motor carriers
Motorcoach, charter bus, fixed-route, and scheduled-service operators file the same $75 BOC-3 as every other interstate motor carrier. Passenger authority (OP-1(P)) carries higher insurance minimums under 49 CFR §387.33 and a different new-entrant audit cadence, but the BOC-3 itself is unchanged: one $75 filing, lifetime, all 50 states + D.C.
File your BOC-3 — $75Why passenger carriers need BOC-3
The BOC-3 is the foundational designation under 49 CFR Part 366. Every motor carrier with FMCSA interstate operating authority — for-hire passenger, common-carrier passenger, contract-carrier passenger, charter, and scheduled service — needs a registered process agent on file in every state where they may be sued. The BOC-3 lets the FMCSA and any state court route legal service to that designated agent.
Passenger carriers face the same 49 CFR §365.109 21-day vetting window when they file OP-1(P). The supporting filings (BOC-3, BMC-91, OP-1(P)) all have to clear inside the window for authority to activate. A missing BOC-3 stalls activation regardless of whether the cargo is freight or passengers.
Passenger-specific compliance items (not BOC-3)
The BOC-3 is the same. What differs from a property-carrier stack:
- •Insurance minimums (49 CFR §387.33) — $1.5M for vehicles seating 16 or fewer passengers; $5M for vehicles seating 17 or more. Higher than the $750K / $1M property-carrier minimums.
- •New-entrant safety audit (49 CFR §385.305) — passenger-carrier audit covers an expanded set of items including drug & alcohol program, driver hours-of-service, vehicle maintenance, accident records, and the §380 entry-level driver training records.
- •OP-1(P) application — distinct application from the property OP-1. Same $300 FMCSA fee.
- •USDOT number — passenger carriers need an active USDOT, just like freight. The MCS-150 biennial update applies.
For the underlying mechanics see the what is a BOC-3 explainer and the USDOT number requirements walkthrough.
What’s included in our service
- FMCSA Form BOC-3 prepared and filed under our BOC-91 registration
- Blanket process agent coverage in all 50 states + D.C.
- Lifetime designation — no annual renewal, no recurring fee
- Compatible with passenger authority (OP-1(P)), motor carrier (OP-1), broker (OP-1(P)) — same designation
- 100% acceptance guarantee — refund if FMCSA doesn’t accept
- Same-day filing on weekdays before 4 PM Eastern
How fast can we file
Most passenger-carrier BOC-3 orders submit within 30 minutes of payment and confirm via FMCSA L&I within 2 hours. Same-day orders placed by 4 PM Eastern typically clear by next-business-morning SAFER refresh. See the filing-turnaround FAQ for L&I-side detail or the single-state vs blanket process agent comparison for what blanket coverage actually does.
Pricing
One-time, lifetime designation, all 50 states + D.C. Same-day FMCSA filing.
Start filingPassenger-carrier BOC-3 questions
Is the BOC-3 different for a passenger carrier vs a freight carrier?
No. The form, the federal filing, and the per-state coverage are identical. Passenger carriers (motorcoach, charter bus, fixed-route, scheduled service) file the same Form BOC-3 through a registered process agent and get the same lifetime designation. The OP-1(P) passenger application carries different insurance minimums under 49 CFR §387.33 ($1.5M to $5M depending on seating capacity) and a different new-entrant safety review process, but the BOC-3 itself is the same $75 filing.
How does BOC-3 fit alongside the OP-1(P) application?
The OP-1(P) is the passenger-carrier flavor of the operating-authority application. Same 21-day FMCSA vetting window under 49 CFR §365.109, same three supporting filings (BOC-3, BMC-91, OP-1(P) itself). The passenger-specific paperwork is the higher insurance minimums and the §385.305 passenger-carrier new-entrant safety audit cadence. The BOC-3 lands during the vetting window the same as a property-carrier new authority.
Do I file BOC-3 once or per route?
Once. The BOC-3 is keyed to your MC number, not to specific routes. A motorcoach operator running fixed-route Boston-NYC service plus on-demand charter trips elsewhere files one BOC-3 covering both. Adding routes, expanding states, or changing equipment does not require refiling the BOC-3. You only refile if you change company name, change ownership/EIN, change principal place of business, or switch process-agent providers.
Other BOC-3 contexts we cover
You might also need
- Passenger OP-1(P) filing service — FastTruckAuthority
- UCR registration once authority activates — FastUCRFiling