A carrier packet is the set of documents a trucking company gives a freight broker so the broker can approve it before booking a load. It usually includes the carrier’s operating authority, a W-9, a certificate of insurance, a signed broker-carrier agreement and payment details.
Brokers call this “carrier setup” or “onboarding.” As a dispatcher, one of your first jobs with a new carrier is to put this packet together, keep it current, and send it fast when a broker asks for it. A load can go to another truck while you are still hunting for a missing form.
Key takeaways
- A carrier packet proves to a broker that the carrier is legal, insured and ready to be paid.
- The core documents are the operating authority, W-9, certificate of insurance and a signed broker-carrier agreement.
- Payment details and any factoring notice are usually part of it too.
- Keep one up-to-date copy of every document in a single folder so you can send it in minutes.
- Only send the packet to brokers you have checked. It contains private business information.
What is a carrier packet in trucking?
A carrier packet is the paperwork a motor carrier sends a broker to get approved, or “set up,” before hauling for that broker for the first time. The broker uses it to confirm the carrier has active operating authority, carries insurance, and has agreed to the broker’s terms.
Setup happens once per broker. After the carrier is approved, each new load only needs a rate confirmation. If you want a refresher on that document, read our guide on what a rate confirmation is.
You may also hear the term “broker packet.” That is the reverse: the set of documents and terms a broker sends to the carrier, usually including its broker-carrier agreement for the carrier to sign.
What goes in a carrier packet?
Every broker has its own checklist, but most ask for the same core documents.
| Document | What it shows | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Operating authority (MC certificate) | The carrier is authorized by FMCSA to haul for hire | Issued by FMCSA to the carrier |
| USDOT and MC numbers | The carrier’s federal identifiers, so the broker can look it up | The carrier’s FMCSA registration |
| W-9 form | The carrier’s legal business name and taxpayer ID for payment records | Filled in and signed by the carrier |
| Certificate of insurance (COI) | The carrier’s liability and cargo coverage, with the broker listed as certificate holder | The carrier’s insurance agent |
| Broker-carrier agreement | The carrier accepts the broker’s general terms for all future loads | Sent by the broker, signed by the carrier |
| Payment details | Where the broker should send payment | The carrier’s bank letter or voided check |
| Notice of assignment (if factoring) | Payments go to the carrier’s factoring company instead | The factoring company |
| Carrier profile or contact sheet | Owner, dispatch and after-hours contacts, equipment and lanes | Filled in by the carrier or dispatcher |
Some brokers also ask for a signed letter from the carrier that authorizes you, the dispatcher, to book loads on its behalf. Keep that letter in the packet too.
How do you put together a carrier packet?
Build it once, at the start, and keep it updated. Here is a simple order to work in.
- Collect the authority. Get a copy of the carrier’s operating authority and confirm its MC and USDOT numbers on the FMCSA website.
- Get a signed W-9. The business name must match the name on the authority.
- Call the insurance agent. Ask how to request certificates of insurance that name each broker as certificate holder, and how quickly the agent sends them.
- Add payment details. A bank letter or voided check, or the factoring company’s notice of assignment.
- Write a one-page carrier profile. Company name, contacts, truck and trailer types, preferred lanes.
- Add your dispatcher authorization letter, signed by the carrier.
- Save everything as PDFs in one folder with clear file names, and note each expiry date.
A worked example
This is an example scenario only.
You find a good load from a broker your carrier has never worked with. The broker likes your rate but says, “You are not set up with us yet. Send your packet.”
Because your folder is ready, you check the broker first, then email the authority, W-9, payment details and carrier profile within ten minutes. The broker sends back its broker-carrier agreement, which the carrier reads and signs. You ask the insurance agent for a certificate naming the broker as holder, and the agent emails it directly to the broker.
The broker approves the carrier the same afternoon and sends the rate confirmation. If any document had been missing or out of date, the broker might have given the load to a carrier that was already set up.
What should you check before sending a carrier packet?
Check the broker first, because the packet contains the carrier’s tax ID, bank details and insurance information. Fraudsters sometimes pose as brokers to collect it.
- Look up the broker’s MC number on the FMCSA website and confirm its authority is active.
- Call the broker on the phone number listed with FMCSA, not only the number in an email.
- Make sure the email comes from the broker’s company domain.
- Read the broker-carrier agreement before the carrier signs it, especially payment terms and any clauses about re-brokering or fines.
Our free Broker Check tool walks you through these checks step by step.
This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Ask the carrier’s insurance agent about coverage questions, and check FMCSA for current authority and insurance rules.
How often should a carrier packet be updated?
Update it any time a document changes, and check it at least when each insurance policy renews. Common changes include a new insurance policy, a new bank account, a switch to or from factoring, or a change in the company’s address or contacts.
When something changes, tell every broker the carrier is set up with. An old certificate of insurance or an outdated payment address can delay payment or stop new loads. If you are building a dispatch business from scratch, our guide on starting a truck dispatching business from home covers the other setup steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the dispatcher fill out the carrier packet?
The dispatcher often gathers and sends it, but the carrier signs the W-9, the agreements and any authorization letter. The documents belong to the carrier, not the dispatcher.
Can a new MC number get set up with brokers?
Yes, but some brokers have their own rules about how long a carrier’s authority must have been active. Ask about the broker’s requirements before you start the setup.
Is a carrier packet the same for every broker?
The core documents are similar, but each broker has its own agreement, forms and process. Many now use online setup portals instead of email.
Why does the broker need to be the certificate holder?
A certificate made out to the broker shows that broker the carrier’s coverage and who the insurance agent is, so it can confirm the policy. Only the insurance agent can issue it.
Learn how carrier setup works
The Dispatcher 101 Dispatching Guide covers how dispatchers work with carriers and brokers, including the setup paperwork that comes before the first load. Gold plan students also get the course resources, agreements and scripts, and students on both plans can ask Joe Piazza about a real packet through 1-on-1 mentorship.
