Carrier Packet Checklist: What Brokers Need From You
A carrier packet is the set of documents a broker needs before it can book you on a load: authority, W-9, certificate of insurance and a signed agreement. Here's the full checklist and the mistakes that hold up setup.
A carrier packet is the set of documents a freight broker needs from you before it can book you on a load: proof of operating authority, a W-9, a certificate of insurance, and a signed broker-carrier agreement. You go through it once with each broker. After that you can be booked without new paperwork, as long as the documents stay current.
When a broker has a load and two carriers who can cover it, the one already set up gets the call.
The checklist
| Document | What the broker checks |
|---|---|
| Operating authority | MC and USDOT numbers are active, and the legal name matches everything else |
| W-9 | Legal name and tax ID match your authority |
| Certificate of insurance | Coverage types, limits, dates, and the broker named as certificate holder |
| Broker-carrier agreement | Signed by someone authorized to sign |
| Notice of assignment | Only if you use a factoring company |
| Payment details | Bank information or remit-to address, with a voided check or bank letter |
| Contacts | Dispatch, after-hours and accounting |
Each document
Operating authority
The broker looks you up by MC or USDOT number in the FMCSA's records. It needs to see active authority and insurance on file. Send a copy of your authority letter, but expect the broker to rely on the live record.
The legal name on your authority is the name everything else must match.
W-9
The W-9 gives the broker your legal name and taxpayer identification number so it can pay you and report the payments. A W-9 under a different name from your authority stops setup until it is corrected.
Certificate of insurance
This is the document brokers check most closely.
- Auto liability. Federal rules set a minimum of $750,000 for most for-hire carriers hauling general freight across state lines (49 CFR 387.9). Most brokers ask for $1,000,000.
- Cargo. Brokers set their own minimum. $100,000 is common. Some require more.
- Certificate holder. The broker should be named as certificate holder, so it is notified if the policy changes.
- Dates. An expired certificate stops a booking.
Have your insurance agent send the certificate directly to the broker. Many brokers will not accept one forwarded by the carrier, because forwarded certificates are easy to alter.
Check your cargo policy for exclusions before you accept a load. A policy that excludes refrigeration breakdown does not cover a spoiled reefer load, whatever the limit says.
Broker-carrier agreement
This is the contract that covers every load you haul for that broker. Read these parts before signing:
- Payment terms, and any quick pay option and fee
- Who is liable for cargo loss, and up to what amount
- The rule against re-brokering loads
- Any clause that stops you working directly with the broker's customers, and for how long
- What paperwork is required for payment
Notice of assignment
If you factor your invoices, the factoring company issues a notice of assignment telling the broker to pay the factor. Include it in the packet. If you change or leave a factoring company, send the release letter right away, so payments do not go to the wrong place.
What you may also be asked for
- Equipment list: number and type of trucks and trailers
- The lanes you prefer to run
- How you will provide tracking
- Hazmat registration or other certifications, if you haul that freight
Mistakes that hold up setup
- Names do not match. The authority says one thing, the W-9 another, the insurance certificate a third.
- Expired certificate of insurance.
- Broker not listed as certificate holder.
- Authority too new. Some brokers require authority to have been active for a minimum period. If yours is new, ask before you fill out the packet.
- Contact details differ from FMCSA records. Brokers treat a phone number or email that does not match the registration as a fraud warning. Keep your FMCSA record up to date.
- Missing signature on the agreement.
Keep one current set
Keep every document in one folder, as PDFs, named clearly. Replace the certificate of insurance on the day the policy renews. When a broker asks for your packet, you should be able to send the complete set in one message.
Many brokers use an online onboarding system. You enter the information once and upload the same documents.
How setup works with us
To haul for Lancashire Freight, send your MC number, insurance certificates and W-9. We verify authority, insurance and safety rating. Setup takes 24 to 48 hours.
Our requirements:
- Active FMCSA operating authority
- At least $1,000,000 cargo insurance
- At least $1,000,000 auto liability insurance
- A satisfactory CSA safety score and no unsatisfactory FMCSA safety rating
We work with owner-operators and fleets. Pay is same-day ACH on proofs of delivery submitted by 2pm, and net-21 from invoice otherwise. Every load has a signed rate confirmation before you roll.
FAQ
What is a carrier packet?
A carrier packet is the set of documents a freight broker collects from a trucking company before booking it on a load. It normally includes proof of operating authority, a W-9, a certificate of insurance and a signed broker-carrier agreement.
What documents are in a carrier packet?
Operating authority, a W-9, a certificate of insurance, a signed broker-carrier agreement, payment details, and a notice of assignment if you use a factoring company. Some brokers also ask for an equipment list and references.
How long does carrier setup take?
It depends on the broker. With a complete and current packet, setup at Lancashire Freight takes 24 to 48 hours.
How much insurance do brokers require from carriers?
Most brokers require $1,000,000 in auto liability coverage, and a cargo limit that they set themselves. The federal minimum for auto liability on general freight is $750,000.
Do I have to fill out a new carrier packet for every broker?
Yes. Each broker sets you up separately, because each has its own agreement and its own requirements. The supporting documents are the same each time.
Why does the broker need to be the certificate holder?
So the insurer notifies the broker if your policy is changed or cancelled. It also shows the certificate was issued for that broker and was not copied from another file.
Join our carrier network and get set up in 24 to 48 hours.