What's my MC authority worth? An honest framework

The first question every seller asks is “what’s it worth?” The honest answer is “it depends” — not because we’re hedging, but because there are five or six real variables that move the number meaningfully.

Here’s the framework we actually use when pricing an LLC.

The variables

In rough order of how much they swing pricing:

1. Active Amazon Relay contract. This is the biggest single factor. An LLC with an active Relay contract trades in a much higher band than a non-Relay LLC, because Relay onboarding is the bottleneck most acquirers are trying to skip.

2. MC authority age. For non-Relay LLCs, authority needs at least 180 days of continuous history to be in range for a written offer — Amazon’s onboarding criteria wants to see that track record. Authority younger than that hasn’t seasoned in yet, and the value follows accordingly.

3. Insurance status. Active in-force coverage is always preferred. For non-Relay LLCs it’s usually required.

4. Violation history. Clean FMCSA records are worth a premium. Out-of-service orders, HOS pattern violations, or unsafe-driving thresholds reduce the price — sometimes substantially.

5. State of registration. Some states are friendlier than others for trucking operations. This is a smaller factor but it shows up on the margin.

6. Active loans or factoring lines. Doesn’t change the underlying value of the LLC, but it changes the wire to you. The purchase price is the same; what you net is different.

What we don’t price for

A few things sellers sometimes expect to add value, but actually don’t much:

• Branding and Google reviews. The business is typically re-branded after closing. Your Google reviews are tied to your business name and aren’t worth much in transfer.
• Driver roster. Drivers are at-will. They don’t come with the LLC unless they choose to.
• Office furniture, signage, marketing assets. Out of scope.
• Existing load-source relationships. Helpful but not load-bearing. Most of these re-establish quickly under new ownership.

What increases the number

• Long, clean operating history with consistent revenue. Even when an LLC isn’t being valued primarily for cash flow, a track record of clean operation is worth a small premium.
• Pre-existing equipment in good condition. If trucks or trailers transfer with the LLC and they’re in operating shape with clean titles, the price adjusts up.
• Proactive disclosure. Sellers who flag everything up front get a smoother, faster close. Honesty itself doesn’t add a premium, but a faster close has its own value.

Why we don’t publish a price grid

We’ve thought about putting numbers on a public page. The reason we don’t: any grid is a misleading simplification. Two LLCs with the same MC age, same insurance, same state can have twenty-percent different valuations because of one variable that doesn’t fit cleanly in a table (recent violation, equipment condition, lender complications).

The right way to price an LLC is to look at the specifics, run the analysis, and write a number. That’s why our quotes come back within hours instead of being published as a grid.

How to get the highest number

Three things, in order of impact:

1. Have an active Amazon Relay contract. Biggest single lever.
2. Keep insurance active and current. Even if you’re going to sell soon, don’t let it lapse mid-process.
3. Disclose proactively. A clean diligence pass means the offer doesn’t shrink later.

If you’d like a real number on your specific LLC, the FMCSA-powered form takes two minutes and we come back within hours during the working week.

For the specific case of MC authority age — why 180 days of history is the threshold and what to do if you’re not there yet — see why your MC authority needs 180 days of history. For a sense of what real sellers got paid in real scenarios, the closing stories page is the closest thing we publish to a price grid.