Freight broker non-payment
You hauled the load. You delivered. Now the broker won't return calls. Here's exactly how to get paid — and how to avoid the next one.
- Send a written demand referencing the rate con + invoice. Email + certified mail.
- File a claim against the broker's BMC-84 $75K surety bond with the bond company listed in SAFER.
- File an FMCSA complaint at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov.
- Post a verified non-payment report on BrokerTell so other carriers can avoid the broker.
- If the amount justifies it, send to collections, a factoring company recovery team, or a transportation attorney.
FAQ
Non-payment is when a freight broker fails to pay a carrier the agreed rate within the terms on the rate confirmation. This includes outright refusal, indefinite delays beyond agreed net terms, short-pays without a documented chargeback, and 'chargebacks' invented after delivery to avoid paying.
Payment terms are whatever the rate confirmation says — commonly net-30 from BOL receipt, with some brokers offering quickpay at 2-3% for 1-7 day pay. Federal law does not set a payment deadline; only your signed contract does.
1) Send a written demand citing the rate con. 2) File a claim against the broker's BMC-84 $75K surety bond. 3) File a complaint with the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database. 4) Post a verified non-payment report on BrokerTell so other carriers can avoid them. 5) Pursue small-claims or factoring company collection if amounts justify it.
Submit a written claim to the surety company listed on the broker's FMCSA record (look up the BMC-84 bond company in SAFER). Include the rate confirmation, signed BOL, invoice, and proof of delivery. Bonds are first-come, first-served and the $75K limit is shared across all claimants — file fast.
Yes. Most carriers start with small-claims court if the amount is under their state's limit (typically $5K-$10K), or hire a transportation attorney for larger amounts. A clear rate confirmation and signed BOL make these cases straightforward.
Verify the broker's FMCSA authority is active (not pending revocation), confirm a valid BMC-84 surety bond, check days-to-pay and reviews on BrokerTell, and demand a signed rate confirmation that matches the FMCSA-registered legal name. Never haul on a verbal agreement.