Authority and LLC filing services for owner-operators
Which service should an owner-operator use to form an LLC and file for authority?
Two different jobs, often sold by different companies
An owner-operator needs two sets of filings. The state LLC formation, and the federal authority with its BOC-3 and UCR. Most services do one or the other, not both.
General formation services file the certificate of formation with the state and handle the annual report. Trucking specialists file the USDOT and authority application, act as blanket process agent, and pay UCR. Neither changes a government fee. The $300 FMCSA fee and the state's formation fee are the same whoever files.
Decide the structure first with the entity comparison, then see where each filing sits in the setup order.
$300FMCSA charges $300 per application for motor carrier operating authority, whoever prepares the application. — 49 CFR 360.3T, U.S. Government Publishing Office, retrieved 2026-09-27
$175Maine charges $175 to file an LLC Certificate of Formation, whoever files it. — Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, retrieved 2026-09-27
First-year cost for a Maine LLC and authority, by service
Compare the first-year total, not the headline price. Most formation services advertise $0 plus state fees, so the difference sits in what is bundled and what recurs.
The table uses Maine's $175 formation fee. Where a service's own pricing page does not publish a figure, the table says so rather than guessing.
| Service | Covers | Year one | After year one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Carrier HQ | USDOT, MC authority, BOC-3 | $559, including the $300 FMCSA fee | UCR and other services priced separately |
| Tailor Brands | LLC formation and annual compliance | $0 + $175 state fee (Lite) | Paid tiers $199 or $249 per year |
| Bizee | LLC formation | $0 + $175 state fee, agent free for a year | Agent renewal price not on pricing page |
| ZenBusiness | LLC formation | $0 + $175 state fee | Agent $199 per year; compliance $199 per year |
| LegalZoom | LLC formation | $0 + $175 state fee (Basic) | Pro plan attorney access renews monthly |
$559.00Motor Carrier HQ prices its Motor Carrier Authority package at $559.00, including the $300 FMCSA filing fee, DOT and MC numbers, and the BOC-3. — Motor Carrier HQ product page, retrieved 2026-09-27
$199 per yearZenBusiness publishes a $0 Starter plan plus state fees, with registered agent service and Worry-Free Compliance each at $199 per year. — ZenBusiness pricing page, retrieved 2026-09-27
The services, by the job you need done
These are use-case slots, not a ranking. Each entry is the service whose own published offer fits that job, and the order is presentation order.
Every figure is from the service's own page on the date shown. Prices change, so check the plan page before you pay.
- Motor Carrier HQ
The slot for new carriers filing their own authority. Its $559 package covers the USDOT and MC numbers, the $300 FMCSA fee, and the BOC-3 process agent. The $899 Plus package adds UCR and audit assistance with safety policies. It also sells random testing pool membership. It does not list LLC formation in its shop, so the state filing is a separate job.
- Tailor Brands
The slot for new trucking business owners who want the LLC and its ongoing state compliance in one account. The $0 Lite plan covers formation with an operating agreement; all tiers list mandatory annual report filing. Paid tiers are $199 or $249 a year with one-day processing. It does not file the federal authority or the BOC-3.
- Bizee
The slot for a free first year of registered agent service. The Basic plan is $0 plus the state fee, and every plan includes one year of agent service. Standard and Premium are one-time $199 and $299 plans. The pricing page does not state what the agent service costs after the free year, so ask before you sign up.
- ZenBusiness
The slot for deadline tracking as an add-on. The Starter plan is $0 plus state fees, with its Velo AI guidance. Worry-Free Compliance, for annual report help, is $199 a year, and registered agent service is another $199 a year. EIN filing is a $99 add-on, although the IRS issues EINs free.
- LegalZoom
The slot for attorney access alongside formation. Basic is $0 plus state fees. The $249 Pro plan adds an operating agreement, the EIN, and 30 days of attorney consultations, useful if you want a lawyer to read a carrier lease. Attorney access then renews at $49 a month unless cancelled.
$0 / $199 / $249Tailor Brands publishes a $0 Lite plan plus state fees, with Essential at $199 per year and Elite at $249 per year, all listing annual compliance report filing. — Tailor Brands plans and pricing page, retrieved 2026-09-27
$0 + state feeBizee publishes Basic at $0, Standard at $199 and Premium at $299, plus state fee, each with one free year of registered agent service. — Bizee pricing page, retrieved 2026-09-27
$249LegalZoom publishes a $0 Basic LLC plan and a $249 Pro plan that adds an operating agreement, EIN and 30 days of attorney consultations. — LegalZoom LLC pricing page, retrieved 2026-09-27
$899.00Motor Carrier HQ's $899.00 Motor Carrier Authority Plus package adds UCR and audit assistance to the authority filing. — Motor Carrier HQ product page, retrieved 2026-09-27
File the Maine LLC yourself
You can form a Maine LLC without any service. The Division of Corporations takes Form MLLC-6 directly, for the same $175 fee a service would pay.
The form and fee are on the state's LLC forms page, with online filing through its Interactive Corporate Services portal. The state publishes a 40 to 55 business day processing time, so file early either way.
The federal side has a do-it-yourself route too. You can apply for authority directly with FMCSA and pay the $300 yourself. The BOC-3 is the piece that really needs a blanket process agent, because each agent must be in the state it covers.
$175Maine's Certificate of Formation, Form MLLC-6, costs $175, and corporate filings take 40 to 55 business days to process. — Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, retrieved 2026-09-27
Every person designated as a process agent must reside in or maintain an office in the state for which they are designated. — 49 CFR 366.3T, U.S. Government Publishing Office, retrieved 2026-09-27
What stays your job whoever files
No service carries the recurring obligations for you unless you pay it to. The Maine annual report is due June 1 each year, and UCR is due before each January 1.
Pick by what you will keep current, not the day-one price. A missed Maine report adds a $50 penalty and puts the LLC at risk of dissolution. A missed UCR payment or lapsed policy puts the authority at risk. Check the startup cost breakdown before you commit, since insurance outweighs every fee on this page.
$50Maine adds a $50 fee when an LLC's annual report is not delivered by its due date. — Maine Revised Statutes, Title 31, section 1680, retrieved 2026-09-27
January 1Every entity subject to UCR must register and pay before January 1 of the registration year. — Unified Carrier Registration Plan, retrieved 2026-09-27
Questions
Can one company handle both my LLC and my MC authority?
Some can, but many do not. General formation services file the state LLC, while trucking specialists file the USDOT, MC authority and BOC-3. Check each service's own list of what it files before assuming both are covered.
Is the $300 FMCSA fee included in a service's price?
It depends on the package. Motor Carrier HQ states its $559 authority package includes the $300 FMCSA fee. Other services may add the fee on top, so read the package description.
Do I need a service to get an EIN for the LLC?
No. The IRS issues EINs online for free. A service that charges for an EIN is charging for filling in the form.
Will a formation service keep my authority active?
Not usually. Authority depends on insurance, the BOC-3 and UCR staying current, which are federal trucking filings rather than state LLC filings.