Clear requirements.No guesswork.

Two profiles qualify, and both of them come back to the same thing: Amazon Relay. A company already running Relay carries the contract itself, which is the most valuable configuration there is. A company with authority active past 180 days and insurance in force is one that can apply to Relay. The Amazon requirements below come from Amazon Relay’s own published pages, checked October 31, 2026.

Insurance, with and without Relay

These are two different answers depending on Relay. A carrier without Relay needs a policy in force, because Relay checks the required insurance when a carrier applies. A carrier that already holds a Relay contract can still qualify if its coverage has lapsed. Amazon’s insurance page says a company whose coverage lapses cannot book or haul Relay loads until it is reinstated, and coverage is put back in place as part of closing.

The 180-day minimum

Amazon Relay asks for a DOT number with interstate authority that has been active for at least 180 days, plus a valid MC number (relay.amazon.com/faq, checked October 31, 2026). A company past that mark is worth materially more than one approaching it, because the waiting is already done and it can’t be shortcut.

Safety rating and violations

FMCSA records get pulled as part of diligence, and minor or resolved violations are usually fine. What isn’t a fit: a Conditional or Unsatisfactory safety rating, authority that has been revoked or is not authorised to operate, and a high out-of-service rate. Amazon screens tighter than the federal thresholds. Its published carrier requirements list BASIC percentiles below 60% for Unsafe Driving and HOS Compliance, and below 75% for Vehicle Maintenance, Controlled Substances / Alcohol and Driver Fitness, plus limits on roadside inspection violations for drivers and vehicles (relay.amazon.com/faq, checked October 31, 2026). A record that clears FMCSA can still fail Relay. If yours is in that territory, you’ll hear so plainly rather than being strung along.

Active loans

Outstanding equipment or working-capital loans are not a deal-breaker. Disclose them up front and they are settled at closing, in the order written into the bill of sale.

Sellers often ask which parts of their standing matter most. These are the things that make a company more likely to sell:

• An active Amazon Relay account.
• MC authority active for 180 days or more.
• Insurance active.
• No Conditional or Unsatisfactory safety rating.
• An LLC or corporation. A sole proprietorship can still be discussed on a call.
• A clean FMCSA record.

If your company is missing one of these, ask anyway. Not sure where your company stands? Run the lookup; it takes 90 seconds and it is free.