Who is a process agent and what services it offers?
A process agent is a person or company that is assigned by freight forwarding companies in all the states/areas of their operations.
Why you need to assign a process agent:
Freight forwarding or trucking companies are required by law to assign a process agent, upon which all the legal/court papers will be served. FMCSA won’t give you license to operate the freight forwarding business until you assign a process agent.
Who needs a process agent?
All freight forwarders, auto-shipping companies, roadside assistance companies, and all the services that operate automotive vehicles for commercial use, must assign a process agent in all the states or areas they will be holding their operations. The process agent will then file BOC 3 on their behalf.
How to find a BOC3 process agent?
Once you get your US Dot number, issued by FMCSA, your company’s public information will be displayed on the website of FMCSA. You will start getting unsolicited calls from people, offering to act as your process agent. DON’T LISTEN TO THEM. These are all scammers trying to con you.
Instead, follow the procedure described by FMCSA.
Got to the website of FMCSA
Go to registration tab
Open process agent tab
You will see a list of all the registered companies who can file BOC 3 process agent designation form on your behalf.
You can see the contact details of all the companies.
Check their websites
Select top 5 or 10 companies
Call them as ask for quotations
Evaluate them based on customer service i.e. how satisfactorily they answered your questions.
Ask them about the extent of their services ( some process agents may even provide legal counsel for an extra fee)
Ask if they provide blanket of coverage.
Narrow down the list and select the right company.
How to file BOC 3 (blanket of coverage form):
You don’t have to file this form yourself, your process agent will file it for you. Once you find the right company, all you have to do is file a formal application with the company. You can fill this application online.
When you file the formal application, the company will fill and file the BOC 3 process agent form within next 24-48 hours (business days).
They will return one copy to you for your personal record. They will file one copy to the office of FMCSA in Washington DC and one copy to all the state offices (where company will be carrying out its operations).
Note: broker companies who don’t own any CMV (commercial moving vehicles) can assign themselves as the process agent.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for a process agent to file BOC 3 on your behalf and are confused about selecting the right company, A+ Agents of Process, Inc. are one of the best companies. They’re registered with FMCSA and are highly reliable.










