BOC-3: The Blanket Process Agent Filing Explained

No interstate carrier activates its MC number without designating process agents in every state it touches. The BOC-3 filing is how, and nearly everyone uses a blanket provider covering all 48 contiguous states for a one-time fee between 30 and 150 dollars.

What process agents actually do

A process agent accepts legal papers on your behalf, court summons included, in states where you are not physically present. Without designated agents, a lawsuit in a state you merely drove through could proceed without proper service.

Details that matter

• One BOC-3 per authority; brokers file their own.
• Switching blanket providers requires a new BOC-3 with FMCSA.
• The filing persists until updated, even after a billing dispute ends your coverage.

The full compliance checklist covering BOC-3, UCR, and IFTA lives at Haul Handbook, the free trucking authority guide.

Last updated August 2026.