Corporations and liability companies (LLCs) are required to have a registered agent (RA) to accept service of process (legal documents and government notices) on their behalf. Likewise, transportation or logistics companies must designate process agents in each state to receive service of process.
The BOC-3 process agent provides this service to transportation companies. Fortunately, only one federal filing is required for BOC-3s (Designation of Agents for Service of Process). The BOC-3 federal filing designates process agents to accept legal documents on behalf of transportation companies. The process agent company must list the process agents in all other states where the company conducts business.
What is BOC-3?
BOC-3 stands for “blanket of coverage” and refers to the filing trucking/transportation companies are required to make to designate a process agent to receive service of process in all 50 states. All transportation businesses must file Form BOC-3 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
What is a Process Agent?
A process agent is a transportation company representative who must reside in or maintain an office in any designated state where legal papers may be served on the business. All commercial carriers must select a process agent in every state where it is authorized to operate. Plus, they need a process agent in each state traversed during transportation operations.
The form used to designate process agents is the BOC-3 and is filed by the process agent on behalf of the company. Only one form needs to be filed, but the process agent company must list the name and address of each process agent in each state. The transportation company should retain the form at its principal place of business. As most transportation companies travel through and into multiple states, a process agent company offers services and agents in all 50 states.
How Much Does a Process Agent Cost?
Again, only a process agent company can file Form BOC-3 with the FMCSA on behalf of the carrier. Typically, the agent’s fee for filing is minimal ($20-$55). Then when documents are received by a state’s process agent and forwarded to you, you will either pay a flat fee to receive a certain number of documents per company or pay a specific fee that varies by state and is generally in the $50-$125 range, depending on the state.
What is on Form BOC-3?
To fill out Form BOC-3, the process agent company must provide the company’s USDOT number. All commercial vehicles used for interstate commerce must have a USDOT number. USDOT numbers are issued through the FMCSA’s Unified Registration System.
In addition to the name and address of the carrier, the form requires the name and address of each process agent in every state where the company has one. Although the FMCSA does not require Form BOC-3 to be refiled every year, it may be necessary to refile in case of ownership changes or a change in the company name or address. Also, although the form may not necessitate refiling, process agents typically charge an annual fee to retain their services.
BOC-3 filings must be transmitted online via the FMCSA’s Ask web form.
How to Choose a BOC-3 Process Agent?
Choosing a process agent can be as easy as doing a quick browser search. But make sure your due diligence includes reviewing pricing, services offered, and customer reviews. The FMCSA maintains a list of process agents on its website, and you can also look for other service providers offering BOC-3 filing services along with other helpful compliance tools, such as annual report filings.
CorpNet’s team is here to help you with your business registration filings, serve as your registered agent, and ensure your ongoing business compliance filings are submitted accurately and on time. Our filing experts can save you time, money, and hassles so that you can move your transportation company into first gear.
