Does the BOC-3 show up on SAFER?

No. The SAFER Company Snapshot shows your USDOT registration and operating-authority status, but it doesn't show BOC-3 status. Check your BOC-3 in FMCSA's Motus public search (motus.dot.gov/public/search) instead.

What if no process agent (BOC-3) shows in Motus?

It means FMCSA has no process-agent designation on file for that number yet. If the BOC-3 was filed in the last business day, give it time to show. Otherwise the most common reasons are that it was never filed, it was rejected (usually a name or USDOT/MC mismatch), or the previous process agent withdrew. A new authority can't be activated until a BOC-3 is on file (49 CFR 366.4T); a replacement filing fixes it.

My authority shows pending on SAFER - is the BOC-3 the reason?

Often. FMCSA activates for-hire authority only once the BOC-3 (49 CFR Part 366) and your proof of insurance or bond (49 CFR Part 387) are on file and its review is complete. Check the Motus public search for both; if the process agent (BOC-3) is missing, that is the filing to fix. Our free check-authority tool reads your authority status in seconds.

How do I know my process agent is still valid?

Compare the company named in Motus with FMCSA's list of registered process-agent companies (fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/process-agents). If the company is no longer on FMCSA's list, file a new BOC-3 with a registered provider so your designation stays valid.

Can brokers and freight forwarders check the same way?

Yes. The Motus public search works for any USDOT number or company name. A broker or freight forwarder that operates no trucks may file its own BOC-3 (FMCSA's Form BOC-3 page), so its record may name the company itself rather than a blanket process-agent company.

How to Check My BOC-3 Status: Use Motus, Not SAFER

Last updated 2026-09-28By Korey Sharp-Paar, Founder, FastBOC3FilingReviewed against 49 CFR Part 366 & Part 387

Check your BOC-3 in FMCSA's Motus public search (motus.dot.gov/public/search). No login needed: search your USDOT number (not your MC number) or your company’s legal name, open your operating authority, then the “Process Agent (BOC-3) Details” tab. It usually shows within about one business day of filing; FMCSA controls that timing.

How do I check if my BOC-3 is on file?

Search your USDOT number in FMCSA's Motus public search (motus.dot.gov/public/search). No login is needed. Open your operating authority and look for the process agent (BOC-3) details. SAFER doesn't show BOC-3 status, and L&I has shown only historical records since May 14, 2026.

Where to look, at a glance

System	Shows your BOC-3?	Use it for
Motus public search	Yes - the process agent (BOC-3) details under your operating authority	Checking your BOC-3 and insurance today
SAFER Company Snapshot	No	Operating-authority status (authorized, not authorized)
FMCSA L&I (li-public)	Historical records only, since May 14, 2026	Older records. New filings, including the BOC-3, moved to Motus on May 14, 2026.

Step 1 - Open the Motus public search

Go to motus.dot.gov/public/search. You don't need a Motus account or a Login.gov sign-in to search. Enter your USDOT number or company name (not your MC number).

Step 2 - Open your operating authority

From your company's result, open your operating authority, then the “Process Agent (BOC-3) Details” tab. When a BOC-3 is on file, you'll see the process agent named - for a blanket filing, the process-agent company whose agent list is on file with FMCSA under 49 CFR 366.5T.

Step 3 - Read what you see

A process agent is named: your BOC-3 is on file.
No process agent shows: if it was filed within the last business day, give it time; FMCSA controls when it appears. Otherwise, no valid BOC-3 is on file yet.
The company named is no longer on FMCSA's process-agent list: file a new BOC-3 with a registered provider so your designation stays valid.

Why not SAFER or L&I?

The SAFER Company Snapshot shows your USDOT registration and whether your operating authority is active, but not the BOC-3. For authority status alone, our free DOT & MC number lookup reads the same fields. FMCSA retired filing in its Licensing & Insurance (L&I) system on May 14, 2026, when Motus replaced it. L&I only shows historical records after that date.

If the BOC-3 is missing or invalid

A new authority can't be activated until a BOC-3 is on file (49 CFR 366.4T). For an active carrier whose process agent is no longer valid, FMCSA can issue a notice and give you time to file a new designation (see FMCSA's page on invalid BOC-3 designations). Either way the fix is one filing. Brokers and freight forwarders that operate no trucks may file their own BOC-3 and name themselves for their home state; motor carriers need a process agent to file it. More background: what is a BOC-3 filing, how to file a BOC-3, and how a BOC-3 is filed in Motus.

Frequently asked questions

Does the BOC-3 show up on SAFER?: No. The SAFER Company Snapshot shows your USDOT registration and operating-authority status, but it doesn't show BOC-3 status. Check your BOC-3 in FMCSA's Motus public search (motus.dot.gov/public/search) instead.
Can I still use FMCSA L&I (li-public) to check a BOC-3?: Not for current status. FMCSA retired filing in its Licensing & Insurance (L&I) system on May 14, 2026, when Motus replaced it. L&I only shows historical records after that date, and SAFER's Company Snapshot doesn't show BOC-3 status. Use the Motus public search.
What if no process agent (BOC-3) shows in Motus?: It means FMCSA has no process-agent designation on file for that number yet. If the BOC-3 was filed in the last business day, give it time to show. Otherwise the most common reasons are that it was never filed, it was rejected (usually a name or USDOT/MC mismatch), or the previous process agent withdrew. A new authority can't be activated until a BOC-3 is on file (49 CFR 366.4T); a replacement filing fixes it.
My authority shows pending on SAFER - is the BOC-3 the reason?: Often. FMCSA activates for-hire authority only once the BOC-3 (49 CFR Part 366) and your proof of insurance or bond (49 CFR Part 387) are on file and its review is complete. Check the Motus public search for both; if the process agent (BOC-3) is missing, that is the filing to fix. Our free check-authority tool reads your authority status in seconds.
How do I know my process agent is still valid?: Compare the company named in Motus with FMCSA's list of registered process-agent companies (fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/process-agents). If the company is no longer on FMCSA's list, file a new BOC-3 with a registered provider so your designation stays valid.
Can brokers and freight forwarders check the same way?: Yes. The Motus public search works for any USDOT number or company name. A broker or freight forwarder that operates no trucks may file its own BOC-3 (FMCSA's Form BOC-3 page), so its record may name the company itself rather than a blanket process-agent company.