The federal requirement
Property brokers regulated under 49 USC §13906 and 49 CFR §387.307 must maintain $75,000 in financial responsibility. Two options: a BMC-84 surety bond (annual premium set by the surety) or a BMC-85 trust fund (the full $75,000 held by a financial institution). The dollar floor is unchanged for 2026. What did change: under the revised 49 CFR 387.307, effective January 16, 2026, trust-fund assets are limited to cash, irrevocable letters of credit from a federally insured depository institution, and Treasury bonds that can be liquidated within 7 calendar days, and a broker whose bond or trust falls below $75,000 faces suspension of its authority unless it is restored.
Many new brokers choose a BMC-84 bond because it doesn't require pulling $75,000 in cash out of working capital.
Brokers with a claims history may find a BMC-84 harder to obtain, leaving the BMC-85 trust fund as the alternative. The trust must be held by a financial institution as defined in 49 CFR 387.307(c) - for example an insured bank, trust company, or credit union - and is filed with FMCSA on Form BMC-85.
Source: 49 CFR 387.307 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-387.307
What didn't change
MC broker authority application fee at FMCSA is $300, unchanged. BOC-3 process-agent designation is required, same as for motor carriers. UCR also applies to brokers: under 49 CFR 367.40, a broker pays the flat Bracket A fee ($46 for 2026; $55 for 2027 under 49 CFR 367.50).
The broker authority process is unchanged: FMCSA controls the timing, and grants authority after the 10-day protest period (49 CFR 365.203T) once the BOC-3 and BMC-84/85 are on file within 20 days of the FMCSA Register notice (49 CFR 365.109T).