| Charge | Amount | Charged by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent operating authority, per authority type | $300 | FMCSA | FMCSA, Get Operating Authority (checked 2026-10-24) |
| Designation of process agent | $0 | FMCSA | 49 CFR 360.3(f) (checked 2026-10-24) |
| Standard BOC-3 service | $75, one time | FastBOC3Filing | Pricing |
| Authority Package | $125, one time | FastBOC3Filing | Authority Package |
The $0 row is FMCSA's fee under 49 CFR 360.3(f) (checked 2026-10-24). The $75 and $125 rows are our service fees. The $300 authority application fee is also FMCSA's, and it is separate from both.
What a process agent does
A process agent accepts legal papers for the company in a state where service is required. The designation is the BOC-3. See what a BOC-3 is.
What a blanket BOC-3 is
A blanket BOC-3 names one process-agent company for every required state in a single designation. Blanket designations are allowed under 49 CFR 366.5T. FMCSA's Form BOC-3 page is the source for that form (checked 2026-10-24).
Who needs a process agent
A motor carrier's BOC-3 is filed by a process agent. Brokers and freight forwarders without commercial motor vehicles may file their own, and they still need an agent in each required state. That split is on FMCSA's Form BOC-3 page (checked 2026-10-24).
Factor comparison
Providers differ by the factors below. This table does not name providers or quote their prices. Price is not the only factor.
| Factor | What to compare |
|---|---|
| Billing model | Charged once, or charged every year. |
| Ongoing representation | Whether the agent stays on the designation, and whether that depends on a yearly payment. |
| Document forwarding | Whether legal papers are forwarded to you, and whether that has a separate charge. |
| Amendments and refiles | What a name change or an address change costs, and whether a new BOC-3 is included. |
| Cancellation terms | Read the provider's terms for how the designation ends. Link ours below; the wording lives on that page. |
| State coverage | Whether one designation covers every state the company operates in. |
Questions to ask any process agent
- Is the fee charged once, or every year?
- What happens to the BOC-3 if a yearly payment stops?
- Are legal papers forwarded, and is that included?
- What does a name change or an address change cost?
- Which states does this designation cover?
- How does cancellation work, and what remains on the FMCSA record?
What happens if your process agent drops you
A carrier, broker, or freight forwarder has to keep a valid process agent on file. FMCSA policy MC-RS-2019-0002 (checked 2026-10-24) describes what follows an invalid designation: FMCSA may issue an Order to Show Cause, the company has 30 days from service to file a new BOC-3 or show the one on file is valid, and FMCSA may then suspend the operating authority registration.
The steps for that situation are on process agent quit or BOC-3 withdrawn. A voluntary change of provider is how to switch process agents.
Five-year cost
Type an annual fee to see five years of that example next to our one-time fee. The default of $50 a year is an example only, not any provider's price.
Example only, not any provider's price. The one-time column is our service fee.
| Year | Example annual fee | One-time service fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $50 | $75 |
| 2 | $100 | $75 |
| 3 | $150 | $75 |
| 4 | $200 | $75 |
| 5 | $250 | $75 |
At five years the example totals $250. The one-time fee totals $75.
The $75 fee is the standard BOC-3 service: a blanket designation for all 50 states and D.C., charged once. It does not include FMCSA's $300 authority fee, and it does not include the insurance premium or the insurer's filing.
The $125 Authority Package is the standard filing plus priority handling in our queue, MC Watch, the compliance vault with a broker share link, and UCR and MCS-150 renewal reminders. MC Watch is status monitoring: FMCSA's records are watched, and the BOC-3 is filed once the MC number is issued. It does not speed up FMCSA. Priority handling is our queue. FMCSA processes every BOC-3 the same way.
Fee, cancellation, and refund terms are on the terms of service and the refund policy. Read those pages for the wording.
How switching works
A new BOC-3 replaces the one on file. Only one current designation is kept (49 CFR 366.2T and 366.6T). There is nothing to cancel with FMCSA before the new filing. After it is filed, confirm the named agent on the Motus public search. Enter your USDOT number or company name (not your MC number).
L&I has shown historical records only since May 14, 2026, so a BOC-3 filed after that date is checked in Motus, not in L&I.
If the MC number is still pending, see why an MC number stays pending.