Process agent quit, or BOC-3 withdrawn? How to fix it
If the process agent on your BOC-3 has gone out of business or withdrawn, the fix is a new BOC-3 with a process agent that is on FMCSA's list; it replaces the old designation (49 CFR 366.6T). If FMCSA has sent an Order to Show Cause, you have 30 days from service to do that (MC-RS-2019-0002).
Last reviewed September 27, 2026
Which situation are you in?
Your agent went out of business
Your BOC-3 still names a company that can no longer accept court papers for you. Check whether the company is still on FMCSA's process-agent list; if not, a new BOC-3 is needed.
You received an Order to Show Cause
FMCSA believes your designation is invalid. You have 30 days from the date it was served to file a new BOC-3 or show that the one on file is valid.
Motus shows your BOC-3 withdrawn
Your agent ended the relationship, often after an unpaid yearly renewal. File a new BOC-3; you may not have received an FMCSA notice yet.
Just want a different provider, with nothing wrong on your record? See how to change your BOC-3 process agent.
What happens if my BOC-3 is revoked or withdrawn?
If your process agent withdraws or your designation becomes invalid, FMCSA may issue an Order to Show Cause. You then have 30 days to file a new BOC-3 with a valid agent, or FMCSA may suspend your operating authority (FMCSA MC-RS-2019-0002). Filing a new BOC-3 with another agent fixes it.
What FMCSA does about an invalid BOC-3
FMCSA's policy MC-RS-2019-0002 (effective September 12, 2019) applies to motor carriers, brokers and freight forwarders:
- FMCSA learns that a process-agent designation is invalid, for example because the agent reports the relationship has ended.
- It may issue an Order to Show Cause under 49 USC 13905.
- You have 30 days from service to file a new BOC-3 with a valid process agent, or to show the designation on file is valid.
- If neither happens, FMCSA may issue a final order suspending your operating authority registration.
If your authority has already been suspended or revoked, a new BOC-3 is one step; reinstatement has its own process, which our sister service FastReinstatementFiling handles.
How to check your status
Your authority status is on SAFER; your BOC-3 and the agent named are in FMCSA's Motus public search (no login needed). Step by step: how to check your BOC-3 status. Or check your authority status here (this reads your carrier record, not your agent's):
FastBOC3Filing is a private company, not FMCSA or any government agency. This free tool reads FMCSA's public data and needs no login, password, or payment.
The same lookup is on check your authority. To find out who your current agent is, see how to find your process agent.
The fix: a new BOC-3
A designation can be changed only by filing a new one (49 CFR 366.6T), and only one BOC-3 is on file at a time, so the new filing replaces the old one. You don't need anything from the old agent, and FMCSA charges no fee.
With FastBOC3, your BOC-3 is filed by a registered blanket process-agent company on FMCSA's list. Orders before 4 PM ET on a business day are filed that day, and the new BOC-3 usually shows in FMCSA's Motus public search within about one business day. $75 once.
File a new BOC-3 - $75Questions
- What do I do if my BOC-3 process agent went out of business?
- Have a new BOC-3 filed with a process agent that is on FMCSA’s list. A designation can only be changed by filing a new one (49 CFR 366.6T), so the new BOC-3 replaces the old designation and you need nothing from the old agent.
- What is an Order to Show Cause for an invalid BOC-3?
- It is a formal FMCSA notice, issued under 49 USC 13905, that your process-agent designation appears to be invalid. You have 30 days from the date it is served to file a new BOC-3 with a valid process agent or show that the designation on file is valid (FMCSA policy MC-RS-2019-0002).
- Will FMCSA revoke my authority if my process agent quits?
- The policy provides for suspension, not automatic revocation. If you do not file a new BOC-3 or show the current one is valid within 30 days of an Order to Show Cause, FMCSA may issue a final order suspending your operating authority registration (MC-RS-2019-0002).
- My old agent was bought by another company. Is my BOC-3 still valid?
- It may be, if the company named on your BOC-3 is still on FMCSA’s process-agent list. Check the name on your Motus record against that list; if it is gone or you are unsure, a new BOC-3 removes the doubt.
- Does FMCSA charge a fee for the replacement BOC-3?
- No. FMCSA charges nothing to file a BOC-3; you pay only the process-agent service. With FastBOC3 that is $75 once, and orders before 4 PM ET on a business day are filed that day.
- I just want a different process agent. Is this the right page?
- For a voluntary switch, see our guide on how to change your BOC-3 process agent. The steps are the same, a new BOC-3, but there is no FMCSA notice involved.