Get paid
What to do when a broker doesn't pay for a load
Updated
When a broker hasn't paid, the first question is whether it's late. Standard pay on brokers' own pages is often 30 days, counted from when they have the paperwork they ask for, so a missing POD or unsigned BOL can hold everything up. Once the terms have run out with everything submitted, your documents and the broker's $75,000 bond come next.
At a glance
- Standard broker terms
- Often 30 days, from the paperwork the broker asks for
- Papers brokers ask for
- Rate con, signed BOL, POD, invoice and lumper receipts
- Invoice cutoff at Werner
- 180 days after delivery
- Broker security on file
- $75,000, as a BMC-84 bond or BMC-85 trust
Check when the pay clock started
Each broker starts its clock at its own point. These are the terms on their own pages, checked October 17, 2026.
| Broker | Pays in | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
| J.B. Hunt | 21 business days | Receipt of all paperwork |
| Trinity Logistics | 24 business days | Invoice, POD, BOL and rate con sent together with the shipment number |
| RXO | 30 days | Your completed invoice and signed POD |
| Arrive Logistics | Net 30 | All required documents |
| Werner | 30 days | All load documents |
| Spot | 30 days | Your paperwork |
| KCH Transportation | 30 days | All correct and legible paperwork |
| Flock Freight | 30 days | An undisputed invoice with the agreed delivery documents |
Some brokers pay only after their own customer pays. BNSF Logistics' terms pay on customer payment unless you agree otherwise in writing, and they say it tries to pay within 30 days of your invoice. Look for terms like this in the rate con and broker agreement before you book.
Fix what's holding the payment
Brokers' own terms spell out what stops a payment.
| Problem | What the broker's terms say |
|---|---|
| Invoice doesn't match the load | Schneider wants an invoice that matches the tender, with the load number |
| Missing lumper receipt | Schneider and Werner ask for lumper receipts with the invoice |
| Late proof of delivery | Flock Freight asks for POD within 24 hours. Circle's 2018 packet allows deductions after 72 hours |
| Papers sent one at a time | Trinity wants the invoice, POD, BOL and rate con in one submission with the shipment number |
| Damage or claim notes | SPI won't quick pay a POD or BOL with damage or claim notes on it |
| A disputed claim | Werner's terms let it withhold payment while a claim is disputed |
Escalate an unpaid load
If the terms have run out and nothing is missing:
- Ask the broker in writing when it will pay and which document it's missing, if any.
- Keep every document, and hold back further paperwork until you understand why the broker hasn't paid.
- If you factored the load, call your factoring company. Under non-recourse factoring it may carry the loss: BasicBlock's page says broker non-payment isn't the carrier's responsibility, and Porter Freight Funding's covers broker bankruptcy or insolvency. Under recourse factoring, the invoice comes back to you.
- Make a claim against the broker's bond, backed by the rate con and proof of delivery. The security behind it is $75,000, filed with FMCSA as a BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust agreement. See broker bond claims.
Act before the deadlines in the broker's terms run out:
- Werner's standard terms waive invoices sent more than 180 days after delivery.
- Flock Freight forfeits payment if documents aren't sent within 90 days.
- Cornerstone Systems' agreement wants documents within 60 days of delivery and limits payment lawsuits to one year.
See what factoring would cost you. The factoring calculator compares factoring and quick pay on your monthly revenue. Factoring calculator
Documents to keep for every load
| Document | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Rate confirmation (rate con) | The rate and terms the broker agreed to |
| Signed bill of lading (BOL) | What you picked up, signed at the shipper |
| Proof of delivery (POD) | That the load was delivered, and in what condition |
| Your invoice | What you billed and when you sent it |
| Lumper and other receipts | Charges you paid on the load |
Protect the next load
Check a broker's credit before you book. Direct Freight's Enhanced and Professional plans include broker credit scores and days to pay, and Trucker Path lists both too. Of the 43 factoring companies in the factoring directory, 26 advertise broker credit checks.
If you factor, check that the broker is approved with your factoring company before you take the load. One owner reported going unpaid on loads their factor wouldn't buy.
Check the broker before the next load. Run the broker check to see whether its authority is active, which bond or trust fund it holds and whether a bond cancellation is on file. Broker check
Frequently asked questions
What do I do if a broker doesn't pay me?
Check when the broker's terms started and fix any missing paperwork first. If the terms have run out and nothing is missing, ask the broker in writing, call your factoring company if you factored the load and then make a claim against the broker's $75,000 bond.
How long does a broker have to pay a carrier?
Each broker sets its own terms. On their own pages, J.B. Hunt pays in 21 business days, Trinity Logistics in 24 business days and RXO, Arrive Logistics, Werner and Spot in 30 days, each counted from the paperwork it asks for.
Is there a deadline to collect on an unpaid load?
Some broker terms set one. Werner waives invoices sent more than 180 days after delivery, Flock Freight forfeits payment if documents aren't sent within 90 days and Cornerstone Systems limits payment lawsuits to one year.
Does factoring cover a broker that doesn't pay?
Under non-recourse factoring, your factoring company may carry the loss. Under recourse factoring, the invoice comes back to you.