How to verify a broker is actually authorized to move your freight

You get a call or an email from a broker you've never worked with. The rate looks decent, they say they can cover your lane, and they want a rate confirmation signed today. Before you commit a load or a truck to someone you don't know, there are a few things you can check in minutes that tell you whether this company is actually allowed to be doing this at all.

This matters because freight brokerage is a licensed activity in the US, not a handshake business. A company that skips the licensing, bonding, or insurance steps can leave you exposed if something goes wrong with your freight, your payment, or your liability.

Start with the FMCSA record

Every legal broker and carrier operating in interstate commerce has a USDOT number and, for brokers, an MC number issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. You can look up either number for free on the FMCSA's SAFER system (safer.fmcsa.dot.gov). The record will show you:

• Whether the operating authority is active, revoked, or pending
• What type of authority they hold — broker, carrier, or both
• The legal business name and address on file

If the company can't or won't give you their USDOT and MC numbers, that's already a red flag. A legitimate broker gives these out without hesitation. As an example, Ellys International Logistics operates under USDOT 4576045 and MC 1820877 — numbers a shipper or carrier can check on SAFER before agreeing to anything.

Check the bond

Federal rules require freight brokers to hold a surety bond, typically a BMC-84, or an equivalent trust fund. The bond exists so that if the broker fails to pay a carrier or breaches its obligations, there's a financial backstop. FMCSA's record will show whether the bond is active. A broker whose bond has lapsed is not supposed to be brokering loads, full stop.

Ask about insurance, not just the bond

The bond and general liability insurance cover different things, and a bond alone does not mean your freight is protected if it's lost or damaged in transit. Ask directly whether the broker carries contingent cargo coverage and what it applies to. A broker that can answer this clearly and point you to specifics is generally more trustworthy than one that gets vague when asked.

For shippers: ask how carriers get vetted

If you're a shipper, the broker's own authority is only half the picture — you also want to know how they select the carriers who will actually touch your freight. Practices vary widely across the industry, from minimal checks to continuous monitoring against live FMCSA safety and insurance data. Ellys, for instance, runs an invite-only carrier network and checks carriers against live FMCSA data before dispatch, then continues monitoring after the load is moving. Whatever broker you're evaluating, it's a fair question to ask directly.

Red flags worth trusting

• Refusal to share USDOT/MC numbers or getting defensive when asked
• A SAFER record showing revoked or inactive authority
• Pressure to sign a rate confirmation before you've verified anything
• No clear answer on bonding or insurance

None of these checks take long, and they're free. Doing them before the freight moves is a lot cheaper than sorting out a problem after it already has.

If you want to verify Ellys specifically, or you're evaluating us against another broker, visit /vet for the details and documentation you need to check.