Glossary · updated October 31, 2026
BMC-85
Also known as: Broker Trust Fund Agreement, Broker Trust Fund
By Korey Sharp-Paar · Reviewed by the Fast Trucking Compliance team
Definition
BMC-85 is the trust-fund alternative to the BMC-84 surety bond for property and household-goods brokers. Instead of buying a bond, the broker places $75,000 in a trust maintained by a financial institution, which files Form BMC-85 with FMCSA. It serves the same protective purpose and dollar amount as the bond required under 49 USC §13906; only the funding mechanism differs. Most brokers choose the bond because the trust fund locks up $75,000 of working capital, but either filing satisfies FMCSA’s financial-security requirement for broker authority.
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How to Get Freight Broker AuthorityHow to get freight broker authority: file Form OP-1 (there is no separate OP-2 broker form), pay the $300 FMCSA fee, and post a $75,000 BMC-84 bond.
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