49 CFR Part 387 filing-path guide
Identify the public-liability filing lane, give the registered filer an exact entity match, and verify the federal record without confusing it with a policy endorsement, cargo form, broker bond, or BOC-3.
The carrier buys and maintains coverage; a registered financial responsibility filer submits BMC-91 or BMC-91X.
A policy document in the carrier’s files is not the same as proof currently on file with FMCSA.
Reviewed against current FMCSA, Motus, and eCFR materials on .
For-hire non-hazardous property, 10,001 lb GVWR or more
Selections stay in this browser. Nothing is sent or stored. This guide does not quote coverage, choose a policy or filer, submit a filing, or determine authority status.
Current FMCSA filing chart
These are FMCSA’s current summarized federal filing minimums for the listed categories. They are not quotes or recommended limits. Verify the actual authority, vehicle, passenger capacity, commodity, material, quantity, and controlling Part 387 table.
| Listed operation | Public liability | Applicable filing lane | Separate form |
|---|---|---|---|
| For-hire non-hazardous property, GVWR under 10,001 lb | $300,000 | BMC-91, BMC-91X, or BMC-82 | None in the chart row |
| For-hire non-hazardous property, GVWR 10,001 lb or more | $750,000 | BMC-91, BMC-91X, or BMC-82 | None in the chart row |
| For-hire carrier of certain hazardous materials | $1,000,000 | BMC-91, BMC-91X, or BMC-82 | Verify material category |
| Listed explosives, poison gas, or radioactive-material category | $5,000,000 | BMC-91, BMC-91X, or BMC-82 | Verify current Part 387 table |
| For-hire household goods, GVWR 10,001 lb or more | $750,000 | BMC-91, BMC-91X, or BMC-82 | $5,000 cargo via BMC-34 or BMC-83 |
| For-hire passenger carrier, 15 or fewer passengers | $1,500,000 | BMC-91, BMC-91X, or BMC-82 | None in the chart row |
| For-hire passenger carrier, 16 or more passengers | $5,000,000 | BMC-91, BMC-91X, or BMC-82 | None in the chart row |
Filing workflow
Identify motor carrier, passenger, household-goods, hazardous-material, broker, and forwarder roles independently.
Provide the registered filer the exact legal name, address, USDOT number, docket, and operation.
The registered insurance, surety, or financial institution filer submits the correct form and effective structure.
Confirm the filing and authority in the current official system; escalate mismatches before operating.
Form map
Electronic public-liability certificate filing made with FMCSA by a registered financial responsibility filer. The current Motus supporting-company workflow distinguishes filing details, including a Primary or Excess option for BMC-91X.
Public-liability endorsement to the insurance policy. It is not the BMC certificate filed in the federal authority record and should not be used as proof that the filing posted.
Separate cargo-insurance certificate or surety lane used where the FMCSA chart requires cargo proof, including the listed household-goods category.
BMC-84/85 supports broker or forwarder financial responsibility. BOC-3 designates process agents. Neither substitutes for a motor-carrier public-liability filing.
Current Motus lane
FMCSA’s current Registration Video Library publishes Motus filing tutorials for BMC-91 and BMC-91X. The Insurance Filing Requirements page still includes dated instructions about claiming an existing L&I filer account and migrating active filings. Because the system changed during 2026, use the live Motus supporting-company workflow and current FMCSA status—not an old bookmark—and resolve any conflicting record with the registered filer or FMCSA.
USDOTData can help resolve the public carrier identity and available insurance context. Current authority and filing decisions must be confirmed in FMCSA’s official system.
BMC-91 is an electronic certificate of motor-carrier public-liability insurance filed with FMCSA by a registered financial responsibility filer. It provides evidence for the regulated entity and authority record; the carrier does not download and submit the form itself.
FMCSA accepts both in the public-liability certificate lane. Current Motus supporting-company instructions expose a Primary or Excess option for BMC-91X. The registered insurance or financial responsibility filer should select the form and layering that match the actual policy arrangement and current FMCSA workflow.
No, not as an ordinary carrier applicant. FMCSA says the forms must be submitted electronically by a registered electronic filer representing an insurance company, surety company, or financial institution. The carrier supplies exact entity and docket information and verifies the resulting record.
It depends on entity type, operation, vehicle, passenger capacity, commodity, and hazardous-material category. FMCSA’s current summary ranges from $300,000 for the listed light non-hazardous property category to $5,000,000 for specified passenger or hazardous-material categories. The table is a regulatory minimum summary, not a coverage recommendation.
No. MCS-90 is a public-liability endorsement to a policy, while BMC-91 or BMC-91X is the financial responsibility filing made with FMCSA. A carrier can have policy paperwork without a matching active federal filing, so both lanes must be handled correctly.
No. FMCSA’s chart lists the public-liability BMC-91/BMC-91X/BMC-82 lane and a separate BMC-34 or BMC-83 cargo filing for the listed for-hire household-goods category. One does not replace the other.
Not solely for broker authority when the entity does not operate vehicles as a motor carrier. FMCSA lists BMC-84 or BMC-85 for broker and freight-forwarder financial security. An entity that also operates as a motor carrier must evaluate that separate authority and public-liability lane.
Use the live FMCSA materials and current regulation for controlling filings, amounts, roles, and system workflow.
Connect the carrier identity, registration, authority, insurance, and supporting filings before relying on one record.
