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Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110

§13304 Service of Process in Court Proceedings

Title 49 › SUBTITLE IV — INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION › PART B — MOTOR CARRIERS, WATER CARRIERS, BROKERS, AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS › CHAPTER 133 — ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › § 13304

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Motor carriers or brokers covered by chapter 135 must name, in writing, an agent in every State where they operate. This includes carriers working inside the U.S. while moving things or people between places in other countries. The agent’s name and mailing address must be filed with the Department of Transportation, and a State may ask for a filing there too. If no agent is named, court papers can be served on any agent of the carrier in that State. The carrier or broker can change the agent at any time the same way they filed it.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §13304

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Designation of Agent.—
A motor carrier or broker providing transportation subject to jurisdiction under chapter 135, including a motor carrier or broker operating within the United States while providing transportation between places in a foreign country or between a place in one foreign country and a place in another foreign country, shall designate an agent in each State in which it operates by name and post office address on whom process issued by a court with subject matter jurisdiction may be served in an action brought against that carrier or broker. The designation shall be in writing and filed with the Department of Transportation and each State in which the carrier operates may require that an additional designation be filed with it. If a designation under this subsection is not made, service may be made on any agent of the carrier or broker within that State.
(b)Change.—
A designation under this section may be changed at any time in the same manner as originally made.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 10330 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 13304

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110