Guides for freight brokers

Answers to questions brokers ask about vetting carriers, written from federal rules and official sources, each with its sources listed.

Last reviewed: October 28, 2026 · By VetCarrier

• How do I spot a fake carrier?

  Most fake carriers pose as real ones. How to check the FMCSA record, confirm you are dealing with that company, and the warning signs the FBI lists.

• What does it mean when an MC number belongs to a broker?

  Broker authority lets a company arrange freight, not haul it. How to read the authority on the FMCSA record and what to do when a “carrier” is a broker.

• What do I do if a load gets stolen?

  Who to call first, what police and the FBI’s IC3 each do, which records to keep, and how to lock down your systems after a stolen or missing load.

• What is double brokering, and is it illegal?

  Double brokering has no legal definition, but brokering without FMCSA registration and a bond is unlawful. How it happens, the signs and how to prevent it.

• How do I check a carrier’s MC number?

  A field-by-field guide to FMCSA’s free SAFER Company Snapshot: authority, USDOT status, out-of-service date, MCS-150 date, inspections and safety rating.

• What does “out of service” mean on a carrier record?

  An out-of-service order and an out-of-service inspection rate are different things. What each one means on the FMCSA record, and what to do.

• What does a carrier’s safety rating mean?

  Satisfactory, Conditional, Unsatisfactory and unrated as defined in federal rules, what the rating does not tell you, and how to use it when booking.

• How do I verify a carrier’s insurance?

  Check the federal liability filing, then confirm the certificate with the insurance agent directly. The minimums, the forms and the warning signs.

These guides are general information, not legal or insurance advice.