How to File an FMCSA Complaint Against an Auto Transport Broker

The FMCSA — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — is the federal agency that licenses and regulates auto transport brokers and carriers. If a broker or carrier violated your rights, misrepresented their services, or simply stole your money, the FMCSA wants to know. Here is exactly how to file a complaint and what happens after.

What the FMCSA actually regulates

The FMCSA oversees both brokers (companies that arrange shipments, like most "auto transport" companies you find online) and carriers (the trucking companies that physically move vehicles). Both must hold active FMCSA authority to operate legally.

The FMCSA can investigate complaints involving:

• Operating without a valid broker or carrier license
• Charging more than the agreed price (known as "hostage load" situations)
• Failing to provide required written disclosures
• Safety violations by carriers
• Fraudulent or deceptive practices
• Refusing to honor cancellation terms in the contract

What the FMCSA cannot directly do: force a refund, provide legal representation, or handle civil disputes (small claims, contract breaches). For those, see the options at the bottom of this article.

Before you file: gather your documentation

A complaint with documentation is taken far more seriously than one without. Collect:

• The broker's or carrier's name, MC number, and USDOT number (found on your contract or at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov)
• Your signed contract or order confirmation
• Payment receipts (credit card statement, Zelle/wire confirmation)
• All email and text correspondence
• Photos of any vehicle damage
• A timeline of events: when you contracted, when they promised pickup, what actually happened

How to file the complaint — step by step

1. Go to the FMCSA complaint portal: fmcsa.dot.gov/consumer/consumer-complaint-filing-information
2. Click "File a complaint" — this takes you to the National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB).
3. Search for the company by name or MC number to confirm you have the right entity.
4. Select the complaint type — for most broker issues, choose "Household Goods/Auto Transport Broker." For carrier issues, choose the appropriate category.
5. Describe what happened — be factual and specific. Include dates, amounts, what was promised, and what actually occurred. Upload supporting documents if you have them.
6. Submit. You will receive a confirmation number. Save it.

What happens after you file

The FMCSA reviews complaints and may:

• Contact the company about the complaint
• Open a formal investigation if there is a pattern of violations
• Issue fines or civil penalties
• Revoke or suspend the company's operating authority

You will not always receive a detailed follow-up — the FMCSA is a regulatory agency, not a legal advocate. But complaints are logged and contribute to the company's public record. Companies with many complaints face greater scrutiny in FMCSA audits.

Other agencies to file with simultaneously

A single complaint to the FMCSA is a start. Filing with multiple agencies in parallel creates a more complete record and increases the pressure on the company:

• Better Business Bureau (BBB): bbb.org — public-facing complaints, companies often respond to avoid a public record of unresolved issues
• Your state Attorney General: Search "[your state] attorney general consumer complaint" — state AGs can pursue consumer protection violations and sometimes get refunds that federal agencies cannot
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): reportfraud.ftc.gov — for outright fraud or deceptive advertising
• Your credit card company: If you paid by card, file a chargeback claim for services not rendered — this is often the fastest route to getting money back (see our article on deposit disputes)

How to look up a company's FMCSA record before filing

You can verify a company's active license status and see their complaint history at li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov. If the company's authority is listed as "Revoked" or "Not Authorized," that is itself a violation — they should not have been taking money from you.

Every broker listed on VerifyCarCarrier.com has their MC number and FMCSA status included in their audit. If the company you used is in our directory, check their page for their FMCSA record link.