We are not a law firm

What we actually do

In plain English: We fill out government forms and submit them. Think of us as a very disciplined filing room, not a law office.

Cypress prepares and submits government forms required to operate a motor carrier business: federal motor carrier authority applications with FMCSA, state Secretary-of-State LLC filings, EIN applications with the IRS, BOC-3 process agent designations, UCR renewals, IRP and IFTA quarterly reports, Form 2290 HVUT returns, drug-and-alcohol consortium enrollment, and MVR pulls under permissible-purpose credentials. The work is form preparation, validation, and transmission — not the practice of law.

Why this distinction matters

• Unauthorized practice of law (UPL). Every state prohibits non-lawyers from giving legal advice or representing clients in legal proceedings. Cypress operates inside the well-established lane for filing services and registered agents; we deliberately stay out of the lane reserved for attorneys.
• Attorney-client privilege. Conversations and documents you share with a lawyer can be legally protected from disclosure. Conversations with Cypress are not — they are governed by our Privacy Policy and by subpoena. If you need privileged advice, contact a lawyer.
• Your decisions remain yours. Entity choice (LLC, corporation, sole proprietorship), tax election (S-corp vs partnership), operating-agreement provisions, partner buy-sell terms, indemnity terms — these are legal decisions. Cypress will file what you direct, but we do not advise you on which option is right for you.

When you should call a lawyer (not us)

• You are unsure whether an LLC, corporation, or partnership is right for your operation.
• You are negotiating an operating agreement, partnership agreement, or buy-sell agreement.
• You received a regulatory enforcement letter (FMCSA out-of- service order, IRS notice of deficiency, state DOL investigation) and need to respond.
• You are involved in a lawsuit, an arbitration, or a contract dispute.
• You need tax advice on whether to elect S-corp status, how to structure owner draws, or how to handle a multi-jurisdiction tax issue.
• You are buying or selling a trucking business, a fleet, or authority.

When Cypress is the right call

• You have decided to form an LLC and need it filed.
• You have decided to apply for an MC number and DOT number, and you need the FMCSA paperwork prepared and submitted.
• You need an EIN, a BOC-3, and a registered agent.
• You need recurring compliance handled: UCR, MCS-150, IRP, IFTA, Form 2290, drug-and-alcohol consortium, MVR pulls, CSA monitoring.
• You want one bill, one portal, and one filing record across all of the above.

Where this notice appears

This notice is reproduced in Section 1 of our Terms of Service, in Section 3 of the Engagement Agreement you sign at the start of service, and on the marketing pages where the lane between Cypress and licensed legal practice could be misread.