Template: Request Your Broker's Records (Copy and Send)
Federal law gives you the right to see your broker's carrier list, carrier agreements, and transaction records. Most brokers won't provide them unless you ask in writing citing the specific regulations. Here is the letter.
If your move was arranged by a broker, you have the legal right to request three categories of records. Most consumers do not know these rights exist. Most brokers will not volunteer the information. This template cites the specific federal regulations so the broker knows you know your rights.
Copy the letter below, fill in your details, and send it by email and certified mail. Keep a copy. If the broker does not respond, the refusal is itself a regulatory violation that strengthens any complaint or legal action you file.
The Letter
[Your Name] [Your Address] [Your Email] [Date]
To: [Broker Company Name] [Broker Email Address]
Re: Request for Records Regarding Household Goods Move on [Date of Your Move]
To follow up on the household goods move you brokered for me on [date], please forward to me the following information required by FMCSA regulations:
1. List of all motor carriers (and DOT numbers) you use for brokering household goods moves, as required by 49 CFR 371.109.
2. Copy of Broker-Carrier Agreements for each motor carrier in effect since [January of current year], as required by 49 CFR 371.115(b). Please note that signed broker-carrier agreements are public information and must be produced for review upon reasonable request by any member of the public.
3. A copy of transaction records for the move you brokered for me on [date], as required by 49 CFR 371.3(c). Each party to a brokered transaction has the right to review the record of the transaction.
Please provide these records within 14 days. Failure to provide records required by federal regulation may constitute a violation of 49 USC Subtitle IV, Part B, and will be documented in any complaint or legal action arising from this transaction.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
What Each Request Means
1. Carrier list (49 CFR 371.109): Every HHG broker must provide consumers a list of all carriers they dispatch to, with DOT and MC numbers. This lets you check each carrier's complaint history before or after your move.
2. Broker-carrier agreements (49 CFR 371.115): The signed written agreement between the broker and the carrier is public information. It shows the terms under which the broker hired the carrier for your move. This is evidence in any dispute.
3. Transaction records (49 CFR 371.3): Each party to a brokered transaction, including you, has the right to review the broker's record of the transaction. This shows what the broker charged you vs. what they paid the carrier, the spread the broker kept.
What to Do If They Don't Respond
Document the date you sent the request and the lack of response. This becomes evidence of a regulatory violation in:
- An FMCSA complaint (1-888-368-7238 or nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov) - A Section 14704 administrative complaint to the Secretary of Transportation - A state AG consumer protection complaint - A surety bond claim against the broker's BMC-84 bond - A small claims or federal court action
In a documented 2025 case, a consumer sent this exact request to a Florida broker. The broker did not respond. The consumer filed suit citing the non-response as one of eleven regulatory violations. Default judgment was entered.
Contributors: John H. Vetne
Sources: 49 CFR 371.109 (carrier list requirement). 49 CFR 371.115 (broker-carrier agreements, public information). 49 CFR 371.3 (transaction records, right to review). Gardner v. 3 Brothers Moving and Storage LLC, Wake County NC, Case 25 CV 039613-910.