OTI bonds (FMC-48).
From $2,000. Enter your amount.

A sole proprietorship or partnership acting as an Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) — an ocean freight forwarder or non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) — must file a bond with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) under 46 CFR Part 515 before its license or registration takes effect. The bond, submitted on FMC form 48, guarantees your compliance with the Shipping Act and the FMC's own financial-responsibility rules. The required amount depends on your OTI category; premium is priced at 4% of the bond amount: $2,000 at $50,000, $3,000 at $75,000 and $6,000 at $150,000. Enter your figure and your exact price appears at the application.

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Required under 46 CFR Part 515 before an FMC-licensed or registered OTI can lawfully operate

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Filed on FMC form 48 — the standard bond form for a sole proprietor or partnership OTI

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Priced at 4% of the bond amount — $2,000 at $50,000, $3,000 at $75,000, $6,000 at $150,000

From $2,000your price at applicationSoft pull onlynever a hard inquiryInstantissued the moment you pay

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How it works

Apply to filed in one sitting.

No open-ended underwriting queue for a standard OTI bond — enter your amount, pay, and file with the FMC. Here is the whole thing:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply online

Whether you operate as a freight forwarder or NVOCC, your business details, and the bond amount your category requires — that is the entire application.

INSTANTLY

Issued on the spot

Most standard OTI bonds price and issue the moment you pay. The application includes a soft-pull credit consent that never affects your score.

SAME DAY

File with the FMC

Your executed FMC-48 bond is transmitted for filing with your OTI license or registration application. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the OTI bond actually guarantees

The Federal Maritime Commission licenses ocean freight forwarders and regulates NVOCCs under the Shipping Act, implemented at 46 U.S.C. §§ 40901–40904 and detailed in 46 CFR Part 515. Before an OTI's license or registration takes effect, it must show financial responsibility — most commonly through a surety bond filed on FMC form 48, though an insurance or guaranty alternative is also permitted under the regulation.

It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the FMC as obligee, protecting shippers and the public against an OTI's failure to meet its Shipping Act obligations. Under 46 CFR 515.21, the required amount tracks your OTI category — an ocean freight forwarder, a non-negotiated-rate NVOCC, and a registered (negotiated-rate) NVOCC are bonded at different levels, and a group or association of OTIs can file a collective bond instead of separate ones.

It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. This entry covers a sole proprietorship or partnership filing FMC-48; a corporation or an OTI operating under more than one trade name may need separate proof of financial responsibility for each entity.

46 CFR Part 515 / 46 U.S.C. §§ 40901–40904Ocean Transportation Intermediary licensing, registration, and financial-responsibility requirements are set by the Federal Maritime Commission under 46 CFR Part 515, implementing 46 U.S.C. §§ 40901–40904. Section 515.21 sets bond amounts by OTI category. Confirm your exact required amount with the FMC or your license/registration paperwork before applying — the figure differs for freight forwarders and NVOCCs, and between non-negotiated- and negotiated-rate NVOCCs.

You need this bond if you're

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Applying for a new OTI license or registration as a sole proprietorship or partnership

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An ocean freight forwarder arranging export cargo bookings and documentation

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An NVOCC issuing your own bills of lading as a non-vessel-operating common carrier

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Renewing an expiring OTI bond to keep your FMC license or registration active

One application, issued on the spot.

Submit the application with your OTI category and the bond amount it requires — the executed FMC-48 bond is generated instantly, ready to file.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

What amount should I enter?Enter the amount 46 CFR 515.21 sets for your OTI category — commonly $50,000 for an ocean freight forwarder, $75,000 for a non-negotiated-rate NVOCC, and $150,000 for a registered (negotiated-rate) NVOCC. Confirm the exact figure on your FMC license or registration paperwork.

What does the bond guarantee?It guarantees your compliance with the Shipping Act and the FMC's OTI regulations — including your obligations to shippers whose cargo you arrange or carry. If the FMC or a harmed party makes a valid claim, the surety pays up to the bond's face amount and then looks to you for repayment.

Do I pay the full bond amount?No. You pay the premium — 4% of the bond amount, $2,000 at the $50,000 freight-forwarder amount — not the bond's face value. The face amount is the surety's maximum exposure if a claim is made, never a deposit the FMC or the surety holds.

Is there a credit check?The application includes a credit consent, but it authorizes a soft credit pull only — a soft inquiry that never affects your score. No hard inquiry ever runs on this bond.

Where do I file it?With the Federal Maritime Commission, alongside your OTI license or registration application. We issue the executed FMC-48 bond ready to transmit; a wet-ink original is mailed on request if the FMC needs one.

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OTI bonds (FMC-48).From $2,000. Enter your amount.