The Amazon load board is Amazon Relay, the platform where trucking companies book freight directly from Amazon, and getting onto it means meeting a defined set of carrier requirements.[1] Amazon describes Relay as free access to spot loads and contracts, with no broker between the carrier and the load. This guide walks through who can apply, what Amazon asks for on authority, safety, insurance and equipment, how onboarding works and what to expect from approval and payment.
What is the Amazon load board and Amazon Relay?
Amazon Relay is Amazon’s connection for carriers that want to haul for Amazon. Amazon Freight’s own explainer puts it plainly: Relay lets carriers book short-term contracts, bid on contract auctions, browse a load board and post equipment for matching, with the work managed in the Relay mobile app.[2] The same explainer is aimed at “carriers looking to grow with more opportunities to keep their trucks moving”, and interested carriers start an application on the Relay website.
On the Relay site the load types include spot loads, Post A Truck, auctions and round-trip contracts, plus an equipment marketplace for renting trailers to Amazon. Amazon says thousands of loads drop on the board all day, and that the upfront rate shows the base rate, fuel and tolls before you book. Rates and volume shown on the page are based on recent averages, and live rates are given at the moment of booking, so nothing on the marketing page is a fixed price.
One point worth knowing is where the loads live. Amazon states that it does not tender loads through third-party load boards. If you see an Amazon load advertised elsewhere, it is offered only to approved carriers through the Relay portal or app.
Who can join Amazon Relay?
Relay is for trucking companies, from owner-operators to large fleets. It is not a gig app for someone with a personal car; for gig-style delivery, see Amazon Flex requirements and how to apply. Amazon’s Freight pages separate three things that are often mixed up:
| Program | Who it serves |
|---|---|
| Amazon Freight | Shippers that need freight hauled, from enterprises to small businesses |
| Amazon Freight Partner | Entrepreneurs and carriers starting or growing a trucking business with Amazon |
| Amazon Relay | Existing carriers that want to haul loads for Amazon |
If you do not yet run a trucking company, the first step is outside Amazon altogether: a for-hire carrier moving regulated freight between states needs federal registration before any platform will accept it.
Compare car rental
500+ rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
Amazon Relay requirements: authority, DOT and MC
Amazon wants a carrier entity that is authorized for property and for hire. The federal side of that is set by FMCSA. A company that moves federally regulated freight owned by others in interstate commerce needs interstate operating authority, often identified as an MC number, in addition to a USDOT number.[3] FMCSA charges $300 for permanent authority, a separate fee is due for each kind of authority sought, and applications are not refunded if mistaken.
On top of the federal minimum, Amazon sets its own conditions on the Relay page:
- A DOT number with interstate authority that has been active for a minimum of 180 days, plus a valid MC number. Carriers that have not yet reached 180 days can still apply and will be kept updated.
- An FMCSA safety rating of Satisfactory, None or Not Rated.
- BASIC scores below set thresholds: Unsafe Driving and HOS Compliance below 60%, and Vehicle Maintenance, Controlled Substances/Alcohol and Driver Fitness below 75%.
- A driver violation rate at or below 35% and a vehicle violation rate at or below 50%.
Amazon also expects carriers to follow safety, DOT and insurance rules, deliver on time, accept tenders consistently and run loads through Relay technology. These are the thresholds Amazon publishes today, and they can change, so confirm them on the Relay page when you apply.
Tip: Look up your own MC or USDOT number in FMCSA’s Licensing and Insurance system first. Its Authority History page shows when your operating authority was granted, which you need to check against Amazon’s 180-day condition.
Amazon Relay insurance requirements
Insurance deserves care, because Amazon says insurance validation is the usual cause of approval delays. The minimums on the Relay page are:
| Coverage | Minimum Amazon lists |
|---|---|
| Commercial general liability | $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate |
| Auto liability | $1,000,000 per occurrence, including $50,000 trailer replacement coverage |
| Cargo | At least $100,000 |
| Workers’ compensation | In every jurisdiction where the company operates |
| Employer liability | At least $100,000 per occurrence |
Ask your insurance agent for certificates that match these lines before you start the application. A policy that meets the federal filing for your authority may still fall short of Amazon’s list, in particular on cargo and general liability, so compare line by line.
Amazon Relay truck and equipment requirements
Amazon accepts specific equipment, not any vehicle with an engine. The Relay page lists tractors (day cab or sleeper cab), box trucks of 26 feet or 16 feet, each with a functional tuck-under lift-gate, and trailers or containers: a 48-foot trailer, a 53-foot dry van, a 53-foot reefer, and 20-, 40- and 45-foot high cube containers that are UIIA compliant.
That answers the common questions about box trucks. A box truck is accepted if it is one of the two listed lengths and has the lift-gate. The page does not list a minimum model year for box trucks, and it does not list cargo vans, so do not assume a smaller vehicle qualifies. Check the current equipment list in the application before you buy or lease anything for Relay.
How to get started with Amazon Relay: onboarding steps
The carrier applies first, and the drivers follow. Amazon’s flow for each driver is:
- The carrier invites the driver to create a profile in the Relay app.
- The driver completes identity verification with a selfie and a photo of a driver’s license.
- The driver provides the details needed to start a background check, which must meet Relay’s standardized requirements.
Amazon says applications are approved or rejected within 1 to 3 weeks of a completed application. After approval, the carrier completes a few digital courses in the Relay Learning Center and can then book loads immediately. There is a separate Canadian site at relay.amazon.ca, so carriers there should apply on that one.
Approval is not guaranteed and the timeline is Amazon’s own estimate. Amazon names insurance validation as the usual cause of delay, so send complete documents the first time.
How the app, rates and payment work
The Relay app is available on iOS and Android. Amazon lists route schedules, real-time change alerts, quick facility check-ins, truck-specific navigation and search along route as driver features, so drivers can book and manage trips on the go.
On rates, Amazon shows the base rate, fuel and tolls up front. It also says carriers can earn an extra $0.02 to $0.05 per mile through safety rewards. Treat that as Amazon’s description of a program, not as a promise of what any one carrier will receive.
Payment runs on a weekly cycle from Sunday through Saturday. Work completed before 23:59 on Saturday is paid the following Friday. That cycle matters for cash flow: fuel and driver wages are due before the first Amazon payment arrives, so plan working capital accordingly.
Is Amazon Relay a fit for your business?
Relay suits an established carrier with clean safety data, active authority and the insurance already in place, because those are exactly the conditions Amazon screens for. It is a poor fit for someone hoping to start with a personal vehicle and no authority. If you are still building the business, the Freight Partner program is the Amazon route aimed at new carriers, while Relay is aimed at carriers already running trucks. For solo delivery work, read using the Amazon Flex app.
Before applying, work through a short checklist: confirm your authority is granted and past 180 days, pull your BASIC scores and violation rates, request insurance certificates that match the table above, confirm your equipment is on the list and prepare your drivers’ licenses for identity checks. Doing that in advance covers the points Amazon says it checks, including insurance validation, the usual cause of delay.
