What to do when a broker won't pay your invoice

Sometimes a late payment is really a missing document. Before you push hard, check the basics.

• The invoice went to the billing address on the rate con.
• Your signed bill of lading or proof of delivery is attached.
• The invoice matches the rate con: the rate, the load number, and any accessorials.
• You sent any receipts the rate con asks for, like lumper receipts.

If something was missing, send it now. Ask the broker to confirm in writing that they have everything.

Your rate con usually says when the broker pays. Find that line and read it closely.

Pay attention to when the clock starts. Some terms count from when the broker receives your paperwork, not from the day you delivered.

If the rate con doesn't say, ask the broker in writing what their terms are.

Calls are fine, but keep a written trail. Email works.

Keep it short. Name the load, the invoice, the amount, and the date you sent it. Ask when it will be paid.

Save every reply. If this goes further, those emails are your record.

A demand letter is a formal written request for payment. It says what you're owed, for which load, and the date you expect to be paid by.

It puts the broker on notice in a way a follow-up email doesn't. It's also something a bond or trust provider will usually want to see if you file a claim later.

A freight broker must maintain $75,000 in financial security with FMCSA, either a BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust fund.

If a broker doesn't pay, you can usually file a claim against it. The bond or trust provider is listed on the broker's record in FMCSA's public licensing and insurance system. Look it up there directly.

Depending on the amount and your state, small claims court, a collections firm, or an attorney who handles freight claims may also make sense. Rules and limits vary, so check with someone local before you file anything.