Moving Companies, Checked Against the Record
We do not rank movers by star ratings and nobody pays for placement. These guides show you how to read the federal register, how the industry is structured, and what to ask before you sign anything.
What it means
Licensed moving company: A carrier registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under a USDOT number. To move household goods across a state line it must also hold active interstate operating authority (an MC number) and have the required insurance on file; moves within one state are licensed by that state.
- Interstate movers on record
- 6,013
- active household-goods authorities, FMCSA census, Sept 2026
- Largest fleet
- 4,731 trucks
- United Van Lines, USDOT 77949
- Typical mover
- 4 trucks
- median fleet across our state directory
- Non-binding cap
- 110%
- the most a mover can demand at delivery
Start here
Every carrier that moves household goods across a state line must hold active operating authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and its record is public: authority status, insurance on file, fleet size, safety rating and complaint history. Two minutes on that register rules out most of the operators you would regret hiring, which is why every guide in this section starts there.
The second thing to understand is who you are actually talking to. National van lines hold the authority and dispatch the long-haul drivers; their local agents sell and load the job under the van line's name; independent carriers do everything under their own number; and brokers hold no trucks at all and sell your move to whichever carrier takes it. The paperwork tells you which one you have, if you know where to look.
The third is the estimate itself. A binding estimate fixes the price for the listed inventory; a non-binding one is a guess, and the mover may not demand more than 110% of it at delivery. The difference between those two documents is the difference between a price and a hope.
Moving Companies guides
14 guides in this section, every figure from the published model.
8 min read Newest
Moving Bill of Lading: What to Check Before You Sign
The bill of lading is your moving contract. The 17 items it must list, the 3-day rule before loading, what never to sign and the copies to keep.
8 min read
Moving Deposit Refund: How to Get Your Money Back
You cancelled, or the mover did, and the deposit is gone. Who holds it, what the written policy must say, the card dispute deadline and where to complain.
8 min read
Virtual Moving Estimates: How to Get One That Holds
A video survey counts as a physical survey for interstate moves. How to run one so the price holds, and what the rules allow if the price changes on moving day.
8 min read
How to Check a Mover's USDOT Number in Two Minutes
Check any interstate mover in FMCSA's register before you pay: USDOT and MC numbers, carrier or broker, registration status, complaints and safety.
7 min read
How to Get a Moving Quote Without Spam Calls
Why one online moving quote sets off dozens of calls, how to price your move without giving out your number, and what the rules say about making calls stop.
8 min read
Movers Holding Your Belongings Hostage: What to Do Now
Your mover raised the price and won't unload until you pay. What federal rules make the mover accept, what to say, what to pay, and who to call, step by step.
7 min read
Moving Broker vs Carrier: How to Tell Who You Hired
A broker arranges your move and owns no trucks; the carrier that loads it may be a company you never spoke to, and its USDOT number goes on the bill of lading.
6 min read
Moving Insurance vs Valuation: What Actually Covers You
Released value pays 60 cents per pound per article, so a 50 lb TV pays $30 and a 200 lb sofa $120; full value protection is the default unless you waive it.
6 min read
Binding vs Non-Binding Moving Estimates Explained
The three kinds of moving estimate, what each one legally commits the carrier to, and the one clause that turns a friendly quote into a four-figure surprise.
7 min read
Moving Scams: 9 Red Flags and the Hostage-Load Playbook
How rogue movers operate — the lowball quote, the deposit, the weight revision, the held shipment — and the two-minute check that stops almost all of it.
Pages in this section
What to know before you start
The five things that decide most of the outcome in this part of a move, in the order you will meet them.
- 1
Start with the USDOT number
Ask for it on the first call and look it up on the FMCSA register before anything else. You are checking that authority is active, that it covers household goods, that insurance is current, and how many complaints have been filed. No number, or a number that belongs to another company, ends the conversation.
- 2
Van line, agent, independent or broker
The USDOT number on your bill of lading is the company legally responsible for your goods. With a van line agent it is the van line's number; with an independent it is their own; with a broker it is a carrier you have never spoken to. Ask which it will be.
- 3
A survey before a price
Long-distance prices depend on weight, and nobody can estimate weight over the phone. A written estimate after an in-home or video survey is the minimum. A quote without one is bait, not a price.
- 4
Deposits are the tell
Established carriers bill on delivery and take little or nothing up front. A large deposit, especially by wire, cash or a payment app, is the single most reliable warning sign in the business.
- 5
Valuation is not insurance
Released value pays 60 cents per pound per article, so a 50 lb television is worth $30 if it breaks. Full value protection is the default unless you waive it in writing. Decide before moving day, not after a claim.
Moving Companies: questions people ask
How do I know if a moving company is legitimate?
Look up its USDOT number on the FMCSA register. A legitimate interstate mover has active authority for household goods, insurance on file, and a physical address that matches its paperwork. Then ask whether its own employees will load the truck and whether its own USDOT number will be on the bill of lading.
What is the difference between a moving broker and a moving company?
A carrier owns trucks and moves you under its own authority. A broker sells your move to a carrier and takes a margin, so the company that quoted you is not the one that arrives. Brokers must register as brokers and tell you that they are one.
Should I choose a big van line or a local mover?
For a long-distance move, a van line or one of its agents gives you a national dispatch network and a published tariff. For a local move, a well-reviewed independent crew is often better value. Either way, the check is the same: active authority, a survey, a written estimate.
How many quotes should I get?
Three, each after a survey of the same inventory, each in writing, each stating whether it is binding. Fewer and you cannot see an outlier; more and the surveys start costing you days.
What should be on a moving estimate?
The inventory it is based on, the services included, whether it is binding or non-binding, the valuation option you chose, the delivery window, and every accessorial charge the mover expects. If any of those is missing, the estimate is incomplete and the price is not the price.
More guides
All 14 topics →How this section is written. Every cost figure on this page and in these guides is generated from the same published model that powers the calculator, and every carrier figure comes from the federal register with the snapshot date shown. We do not operate trucks, we collect no customer reviews, and no company pays for placement.