Carrier vetting checklist
This 25-point checklist covers every category a freight broker should evaluate before awarding a load to a carrier. Items are organized into eight categories: Authority, Insurance, Identity, Financial, References, Equipment, Compliance, and Communication Patterns. Each item includes what to check, why it matters, and where to find the data.
For the step-by-step process version of this content, see how to vet a carrier. For the automated version, see carrier email automation.
Category 1: Authority (6 items)
1. Operating authority status is Active
What to check: FMCSA SAFER company snapshot — the "Operating Authority Status" field should show "Active."
Why it matters: A broker who tenders a load to a carrier with inactive or revoked authority has no valid insurance backstop. The load is unprotected, and the shipper's claim will be directed at the brokerage.
Where to find it: safer.fmcsa.dot.gov — enter MC or DOT number.
2. Authority type matches the service being provided
What to check: Confirm the carrier holds motor carrier authority (not broker-only authority) if they are hauling freight. A broker-registered entity cannot legally transport loads as a carrier.
Why it matters: Some double-brokering arrangements use entities that hold only broker authority to accept loads — then hand off to an unlicensed third party. See what is double brokering for the full pattern.
Where to find it: SAFER snapshot, "Operating Authority" section — look for "Common Carrier," "Contract Carrier," or "Exempt Carrier."
3. BOC-3 process agent is on file
What to check: An active BOC-3 filing should appear on the SAFER insurance/licensing tab.
Why it matters: A missing BOC-3 means the operating authority is technically deficient. Rare in practice for established carriers, but worth confirming.
Where to find it: SAFER — "Insurance/Licensing" tab.
4. MC and DOT numbers resolve to the same legal entity
What to check: Look up both the MC and the DOT number on SAFER separately. The legal entity name and address should match across both lookups.
Why it matters: MC-DOT mismatches are a fraud technique — the DOT is used to represent a clean safety record while the MC is a different entity with less scrutiny. A mismatch is an immediate red flag.
Where to find it: Two separate SAFER lookups — one for the MC number, one for the DOT number.
5. Authority age is consistent with claimed fleet size
What to check: Note the date operating authority was granted. An MC issued in the last 12 months claiming 20+ power units warrants additional scrutiny.
Why it matters: This is the primary signal for a chameleon carrier — one that shut down a prior authority and reopened under a new MC. Legitimate new carriers scale up equipment over time; an overnight large fleet is suspicious.
Where to find it: SAFER snapshot — "MCS-150 Date" or authority grant date, cross-referenced with power unit count.
6. No prior authority revocation under same officer or address
What to check: Search SAFER for other MCs registered to the same principal officer, phone number, or business address. Check whether any match has a revoked or suspended authority.
Why it matters: This is the chameleon carrier detection check. FMCSA does not surface this as a flag on the snapshot — the cross-reference must be done manually or via automated tooling.
Where to find it: SAFER company search by officer name or address, or via automated platforms like Keelway's carrier trust score.
Category 2: Insurance (5 items)
7. Liability insurance meets minimum requirements
What to check: FMCSA requires $750,000 liability for general freight in dry vans. Verify the coverage amount on the certificate of insurance — not just that a policy is on file.
Why it matters: A policy on file at FMCSA with inadequate coverage limits leaves the broker exposed to excess claims.
Where to find it: SAFER insurance tab for filings; certificate of insurance from the carrier directly for coverage amounts.
8. Insurance coverage is currently active (not just on file)
What to check: Call the insurer listed on SAFER or use a real-time verification service to confirm the policy has not lapsed since the SAFER filing.
Why it matters: FMCSA records can lag by days when a policy lapses. A carrier can have an apparently valid SAFER filing but no active coverage.
Where to find it: Direct call to insurer, or QCMobile API for real-time status.
9. Broker is listed as additional insured or certificate holder
What to check: The certificate of insurance should name your brokerage as an additional insured or certificate holder, triggering notification if the policy is cancelled.
Why it matters: Without this designation, a policy cancellation may not trigger automatic notification to the broker.
Where to find it: Certificate of insurance provided by the carrier during onboarding.
10. Cargo insurance meets shipper contract minimums
What to check: Verify cargo coverage amount against the specific shipper contract requirements for this load. $100,000 is common for general freight; high-value commodities often require more.
Why it matters: A cargo loss on a load exceeding the carrier's cargo coverage limit leaves the broker holding the difference.
Where to find it: Certificate of insurance for cargo coverage amount.
11. No exclusions on the cargo policy for the commodity being hauled
What to check: Review the cargo policy for commodity exclusions — electronics, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, and alcohol are commonly excluded or sub-limited.
Why it matters: A policy that excludes your commodity provides no protection even if the carrier is legitimate and the coverage amount is adequate.
Where to find it: Ask the carrier for the full cargo policy declarations page, not just the certificate.
Category 3: Identity (4 items)
12. Email domain age is consistent with operating history
What to check: Run a WHOIS lookup on the carrier's email domain. A domain registered within the past 30 days on a carrier claiming an established fleet is a red flag.
Why it matters: Fraud operations often spin up new domains alongside new MC authorities. Domain age is a low-cost signal that is worth checking on every new carrier contact.
Where to find it: whois.domaintools.com or any WHOIS lookup service.
13. Registered business address is verifiable
What to check: Map the SAFER-registered address. Confirm it is a real location consistent with a carrier operation — not a non-existent address or an unrelated commercial suite.
Why it matters: Fraudulent entities frequently register to fictional or misappropriated addresses. A quick map check takes 30 seconds.
Where to find it: SAFER company snapshot for registered address; Google Maps for verification.
14. Phone number is reachable and consistent with the entity
What to check: Call the phone number on the SAFER filing (not just the number in the email) and confirm it reaches the carrier you expect. VoIP numbers that forward to scripted dispatch are a warning sign in combination with other flags.
Why it matters: Identity fraud operations use forwarded numbers and scripted answering to pass a casual phone check. Calling both the SAFER number and the email-contact number and confirming they reach the same organization raises the cost of impersonation.
Where to find it: SAFER snapshot for registered phone; carrier email or letterhead for contact number.
15. No free-account email inconsistency at scale
What to check: A carrier claiming to operate 20+ trucks quoting from a personal Gmail or Yahoo address warrants a follow-up. This is not disqualifying for small owner-operators, but it is inconsistent for mid-size fleets.
Why it matters: Fraudulent identity operations frequently use free-account email to avoid domain registration costs and WHOIS exposure.
Where to find it: The "From" field of the carrier's email. Look for @gmail, @yahoo, @outlook, or @hotmail.
Category 4: Financial (2 items)
16. W-9 provided with matching legal name and EIN
What to check: Collect a W-9 during onboarding. Confirm the legal name and EIN match the SAFER-registered entity name.
Why it matters: A W-9 with a different entity name than SAFER may indicate a shell company situation. It also protects the broker from IRS compliance issues on 1099-MISC reporting.
Where to find it: Carrier-provided during onboarding.
17. Payment instructions are consistent with the carrier's identity
What to check: The ACH or check payment details should be in the same name as the legal entity. Payment instructions that arrive via a separate email thread asking to change bank details are a social-engineering red flag.
Why it matters: Payment redirection fraud targets broker-carrier relationships after a load is confirmed. Always verify payment instruction changes by calling a known number.
Where to find it: Carrier-provided during onboarding or on the signed rate confirmation.
Category 5: References (2 items)
18. Carrier has verifiable history with at least one known broker
What to check: Ask for two broker references and make contact. Confirm the MC number, lane history, and any claims or issues.
Why it matters: Reference checks are slow, but for high-value or high-risk loads they are the most direct way to confirm operational history beyond what FMCSA shows.
Where to find it: Carrier-provided during onboarding.
19. Internal load history (if applicable) shows no prior issues
What to check: If you have booked this carrier before, review your TMS for prior loads, late deliveries, cargo claims, or communication problems.
Why it matters: Past performance with your specific brokerage is the most reliable predictor of future performance. Prior claims should be documented and considered.
Where to find it: Your TMS or broker database.
Category 6: Equipment (2 items)
20. Equipment type matches the load requirements
What to check: Confirm the carrier has the equipment type, trailer dimensions, and capacity specifications required for the load. Ask for equipment identifiers (trailer number, VIN) on the rate confirmation.
Why it matters: A carrier who commits to equipment they do not own is a double-brokering or cargo-theft risk. Getting equipment identifiers before the load moves creates a chain of custody.
Where to find it: Carrier-provided on rate confirmation or during dispatch.
21. Equipment count is plausible given authority age
What to check: Cross-reference the carrier's claimed power unit count against the SAFER MCS-150 filing and against the authority grant date. Implausible growth rates warrant follow-up.
Why it matters: Tied to the chameleon carrier check in Category 1, Item 5. Consistent signal across both items significantly raises the probability of a reincarnated carrier.
Where to find it: SAFER MCS-150 data for power unit count; authority grant date from the same snapshot.
Category 7: Compliance (2 items)
22. CSA BASIC scores are not in the alert threshold in multiple categories
What to check: Review the carrier's SMS percentile scores at ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS. Alert-threshold scores in two or more BASICs (Unsafe Driving, HOS Compliance, Vehicle Maintenance, etc.) indicate elevated operational risk.
Why it matters: CSA scores predict incident rates. A carrier with multiple elevated BASICs is statistically more likely to have a crash, late delivery, or cargo incident.
Where to find it: ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS — enter MC or DOT number.
23. No active out-of-service orders on the equipment or drivers
What to check: SAFER and the FMCSA Inspection Selection System show active out-of-service orders. Confirm no current OOS order before tendering.
Why it matters: Operating under an OOS order is a violation that exposes the carrier to civil penalties and potentially voids insurance coverage on a load moved during the OOS period.
Where to find it: SAFER snapshot — inspection history tab.
Category 8: Communication Patterns (2 items)
24. Dispatcher can answer basic operational questions about the carrier
What to check: If anything else on this checklist raised a question, call the dispatcher and ask one or two specific operational questions: Where is your terminal located? What lanes do you typically run? How many drivers are you currently running? A dispatcher who cannot answer basic questions about the carrier they claim to represent is a red flag.
Why it matters: Fraud operations and double-brokering schemes frequently use dispatchers who know little about the actual carrier behind the MC. Operational knowledge is hard to fake without preparation.
Where to find it: Phone call to the contact in the carrier's email.
25. Communication patterns match the carrier's claimed profile
What to check: Review the email for the signals documented in Anatomy of a Fraudulent Carrier Email: urgency pressure, rate undercutting by an implausible margin, grammar inconsistencies, domain mismatch between carrier name and email address, and a refusal to provide a carrier packet on request.
Why it matters: Email communication patterns are available before any external lookup and can tell you whether a carrier email warrants the rest of this checklist at all. Starting with communication pattern review can save time on the other 24 items.
Where to find it: The carrier's inbound email. Automated tools like Keelway's trust score parse these signals before the broker opens the message.
Running this checklist efficiently
Manual execution of all 25 items takes 15–20 minutes per new carrier. For a repeat carrier you have vetted before, a focused 5-item refresh check (items 1, 8, 12, 22, 23) takes under 5 minutes. At production volume with 40 carrier replies per posted load, even the 5-item check is a bottleneck without automation.
The automation layer covers the data-retrieval items (1–6, 7–11, 12–15, 22–23) in real time at email arrival. The judgment items (13–14, 18–19, 24–25) still require a human for anything above the threshold. The practical result is that a broker reviews 5–6 carriers instead of 40, and runs the judgment checks only on the ones that passed the automated filter.
For how to prevent double brokering specifically, that guide covers the rate-confirmation language and real-time tracking practices that close the post-booking exposure window.
Frequently asked questions
How many items should be on a carrier vetting checklist?+
What is the most important item on a carrier vetting checklist?+
How often should you re-vet a carrier you have used before?+
Where do I find a carrier's operating authority on FMCSA?+
What insurance minimums should I require from a carrier?+
What is a W-9 and why is it on a carrier vetting checklist?+
What is a carrier packet and what should it include?+
How do I check a carrier's safety score?+
Can I use a carrier vetting checklist to reduce cargo claims?+
What is carrier onboarding versus per-load carrier vetting?+
25-point vetting runs before you open the email.
Related
The step-by-step process version — with detailed guidance on each pre-booking check.
Rate-confirmation language, carrier identity practices, and real-time tracking that close the double-brokering window.
How carriers reincarnate under new MCs to escape enforcement — and the three signals that give them away.
Seven red flags on any inbound carrier quote — start here before you run the checklist.