VETCARRIER

Carrier packet

Glossary · Last reviewed: November 1, 2026 · By VetCarrier

A carrier packet, also called a carrier setup packet, is the set of documents a freight broker collects from a motor carrier before tendering its first load, usually a signed broker-carrier agreement, proof of authority, a certificate of insurance and payment details. It is an industry term: FMCSA’s broker rules in 49 CFR Part 371 do not use it, so no federal rule sets what goes in one.

What federal rules do connect to it

  • The carrier’s identity for your file: brokers must record the carrier’s name, address and registration number for each transaction and keep it three years.
  • Authority: a for-hire carrier needs FMCSA registration for interstate work, which you can confirm on the public record.
  • Insurance: liability proof is public information that a carrier must produce on reasonable request.
  • Contract carriage terms, when used, come from an agreement under 49 U.S.C. 14101(b).

The fraud risk inside the packet

The FBI’s April 2026 alert describes criminals emailing links “for a carrier broker agreement” that lead to phishing sites and install remote access software on the victim’s computers. Copies of real documents can also arrive from impostors. Treat every document in a packet as a claim to check against the FMCSA record, and open agreement links only from senders you have confirmed. The FBI also lists emails that use a free email provider dressed up as a company address among the warning signs, so read the sender’s domain before you open anything attached.

What it looks like in a carrier check

VetCarrier does not build or collect carrier packets. A check gives you the FMCSA side to compare the packet with: the legal name, address, USDOT number, authority and liability insurance on file, as a dated PDF you can add to the packet. The carrier vetting checklist lists the steps around it.

Check an MC number (3 free checks, no signup)

Criminals copy real carrier records, so a clean check does not prove the caller is that carrier: always confirm their phone, email and address another way. A VetCarrier check is not a guarantee that a carrier is safe or legitimate.

Related

This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice.

Sources

  1. 49 CFR Part 371, Brokers of Property (eCFR) (read 2026)
  2. FMCSA, Availability of Motus, FMCSA’s New Registration System, Federal Register, April 29, 2026 (govinfo) (read 2026)
  3. FMCSA SAFER, Company Snapshot (read 2026)
  4. 49 CFR 387.7, Financial responsibility required (eCFR) (read 2026)
  5. 49 U.S.C. 13102, Definitions (govinfo) (read 2026)
  6. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, PSA I-043026-PSA, Cyber-Enabled Strategic Cargo Theft Surging, April 30, 2026 (read 2026)