Amazon Relay Explained: Carrier Requirements, Loads and Payment
Relay is Amazon's own load board for carriers with interstate authority. Its entry bar includes BASIC score limits and $1 million auto liability, and it pays weekly.
Amazon Relay is Amazon’s own freight platform where approved trucking companies book Amazon loads directly, without a broker. As of November 2026, Amazon asks for interstate authority with a USDOT number active at least 180 days, BASIC scores under set limits, $1 million auto liability and $100,000 cargo coverage. Relay pays weekly.
What is Amazon Relay?
Relay is a load board and trip management app run by Amazon for moving freight between its own facilities, such as fulfillment centers, sort centers and delivery stations. Amazon says its freight on Relay is posted, priced and verified by Amazon, and approved carriers get access to nationwide spot loads and contracts. Carriers book, dispatch drivers and manage trips in the Relay app.
Relay is different from the public load boards covered in load boards compared because every load comes from one shipper with its own rules on appointments, trailers and performance.
What are the requirements to join Amazon Relay?
Amazon lists these carrier requirements on its Relay application page as of November 2026:
| Requirement | Amazon’s standard |
|---|---|
| Authority | USDOT number with interstate authority active at least 180 days, and a valid MC number; entity type Carrier, authorized for property, for hire |
| FMCSA safety rating | Satisfactory, none, or not rated |
| BASIC scores | Unsafe Driving and HOS Compliance below 60%; Vehicle Maintenance, Controlled Substances/Alcohol and Driver Fitness below 75% |
| Violation rates | Driver violation rate 35% or lower; vehicle violation rate 50% or lower |
| Auto liability | At least $1,000,000 per occurrence, including $50,000 trailer replacement coverage |
| Cargo | At least $100,000 |
| General liability | At least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate |
| Workers’ compensation and employer liability | Workers’ comp in all states where you operate; employer liability at least $100,000 per occurrence |
Carriers with authority under 180 days can still apply and wait. Amazon says insurance validation is the main cause of application delays, so have certificates naming the right coverage ready. The federal minimums that these limits sit on top of are in commercial truck insurance requirements, and how BASIC percentiles are calculated is in CSA scores explained.
Before applying, pull your own FMCSA Company Snapshot and Safety Measurement System results to confirm your inspection counts, violation rates and BASIC percentiles. A carrier with only a few inspections may show no percentile at all, while one bad inspection can move a small carrier’s violation rate sharply. Then ask your insurance agent for certificates that show each coverage and limit on Amazon’s list, including general liability, workers’ compensation and the trailer replacement coverage, so the application does not stall at insurance validation.
What equipment can carriers use on Relay?
Amazon lists day cab and sleeper tractors; 26-foot and 16-foot box trucks with a working tuck-under lift gate; 48-foot trailers, 53-foot dry vans and 53-foot reefers; and 20-, 40- and 45-foot high-cube containers that meet the UIIA interchange agreement. Box truck operators considering Relay should also read box truck business requirements, since interstate authority is still needed.
How do drivers, loads and payment work?
Each driver creates a profile in the Relay app, verifies identity with a selfie and a driver’s license photo, and passes a background check before hauling Relay loads. The carrier books loads from the Relay load board, assigns a verified driver and tracks the trip in the app.
Payment, according to Amazon’s Relay FAQ:
- The pay week runs Sunday through Saturday.
- Loads completed by 23:59 on Saturday are paid the following Friday.
- Relay creates invoices automatically; carriers do not submit their own.
- Payment disputes must be filed in the Relay portal within 30 days of the weekly invoice.
Weekly pay without invoicing can reduce the need for factoring on this freight, though carriers still carry the cost of fuel and deadhead between Amazon sites.
How does the Relay scorecard work?
Relay gives each carrier a performance scorecard in the portal covering all its loads. The exact metrics and thresholds are shown in the carrier’s own portal and can change, so check them there rather than relying on third-party summaries.
How is Amazon Freight Partner different from Relay?
Amazon Freight Partner (AFP) is a separate program for people who want to start a trucking company that runs Amazon-branded trucks. Instead of booking loads one at a time, the partner hires and manages a team of drivers who are its own employees. Amazon’s AFP site estimates an entry cost of about $40,000 based on five day cabs, with no upfront cost for the branded trucks, and says prior trucking experience is not required. Relay, by contrast, is for existing carriers with their own authority and equipment.
Bottom line
Relay’s entry bar is higher than the federal minimum: Amazon wants $1 million auto liability, general liability and workers’ comp, plus BASIC scores below its limits, which rules out many brand-new carriers in their first six months. Once in, the appeal is weekly pay and freight posted by the shipper itself, balanced by Amazon’s own performance tracking.
FAQ
Can a new authority join Amazon Relay?
Amazon asks for a USDOT number active for at least 180 days, but carriers below that can still apply and will be kept updated while they wait.
Does Amazon Relay take a fee from carriers?
Amazon’s carrier pages do not list a booking fee. Carriers are paid the posted load rate on a weekly cycle.
Can box trucks haul Amazon Relay loads?
Yes. Amazon lists 26-foot and 16-foot box trucks with a working tuck-under lift gate as accepted equipment, and the same authority and insurance requirements apply.
Is Amazon Freight Partner the same as Relay?
No. AFP partners run Amazon-branded trucks with their own employee drivers, while Relay carriers use their own authority and book loads on the Relay board.
