How to choose an interstate mover, and what to ask before you sign

No list can choose for you, ours included: we do not rate or rank movers. What you can do is narrow the field to companies allowed to do the job, then ask the questions whose answers decide what you pay and what you can recover.

Start with movers allowed to do the job

• An interstate move needs a mover registered with FMCSA, with active authority to carry household goods. Every company in our directory has a household goods filing, shown as filed, with the date it was read.
• Look close to home first. Find movers lists licensed companies based in your city first, then the rest of your state.
• Check every company that quotes you, including ones you found elsewhere. The USDOT number shows whether authority is active, whether the company is a carrier or a broker, and whether cargo insurance is on file.
• Avoid movers and brokers that don't show a U.S. DOT number in their advertising. That is FMCSA's advice, and the rule below is why.

Get written estimates from a survey

Ask more than one company, and compare the estimates on the same list of belongings and the same services. How to make an estimate accurate is its own guide.

Questions to ask every company

Where an answer is fixed by federal rule, the citation is shown. The rest is what to listen for.

“Are you the carrier that will move my things, or a broker?”

A broker must tell you it is not the carrier, and give you the list of carriers it uses with their USDOT and MC numbers. Then check the carrier, not only the broker.

Federal rule, 49 CFR 371.109

“What are your USDOT and MC numbers?”

Look the company up before you pay anything. A company that won't give them has answered the question.

“Will you survey my home, in person or by video?”

An estimate given sight unseen is first on FMCSA's list of red flags. A video walkthrough counts as a survey.

“Is this estimate binding or non-binding?”

The estimate must say which. A non-binding estimate must be free; the mover may charge for a binding one.

Federal rule, 49 CFR 375.401(b)

“What does the price include?”

Packing, taking furniture apart, stairs, elevators, long carries, a shuttle truck, storage. Charges for services such as elevators and long carries must be settled before the bill of lading.

Federal rule, 49 CFR 375.401(f)

“What coverage does this price include, and what does full value protection cost?”

Your mover must offer full value protection. The cheaper option, released value, pays 60 cents a pound per item.

Federal rule, 49 CFR Part 375, Appendix A

“When will you pick up and deliver?”

The dates or window go on the bill of lading. The mover must deliver within them unless you agree otherwise, and tell you as soon as it knows of a delay.

Federal rule, 49 CFR 375.603, 375.605

“How can I pay at delivery?”

The mover must say which forms of payment it will accept. On a non-binding estimate it must take the form agreed when the estimate was made.

Federal rule, 49 CFR 375.401(c), 375.407(a)

“What is your deposit and cancellation policy?”

Brokers must publish theirs. Ask a carrier for its policy in writing too, and who holds the deposit.

Federal rule, 49 CFR 371.117

“How do you handle complaints and disputes?”

Movers must keep a complaint procedure and offer neutral arbitration for loss, damage and disputed extra charges. It is binding for claims of $10,000 or less if you ask for it, and you can't be made to agree to arbitration before a dispute arises.

Federal rule, 49 CFR 375.209, 375.211

The warning signs FMCSA lists

From FMCSA's Protect Your Move page, last updated 4 November 2024, quoted as published:

• The mover or broker doesn’t perform an on-site inspection of your household items and gives an estimate over the telephone or online — sight unseen.
• The mover or broker does not provide a written estimate or says they will determine the cost after loading.
• The moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move.
• The mover asks you to sign blank documents.
• The mover or broker doesn’t provide you with a copy of the Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move booklet and a copy of FMCSA’s Ready to Move brochure, which movers are required by federal regulations to supply to their customers.
• The company’s website has no local address and no information about their registration or insurance.
• The mover claims all goods are covered by their insurance.
• When you call the mover, the telephone is answered with “Movers” or “Moving Company,” rather than the company’s name.
• Offices and warehouse are in poor condition or nonexistent.
• On moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company-owned or marked fleet truck.
• The mover claims that you have more belongings than estimated.

On the first of these: federal rules count a survey by live or pre-recorded video as a physical survey, so a video walkthrough is not a red flag. A price given without the mover seeing your things is.

What our records can and can't tell you

Each company page shows what is on file with FMCSA: whether authority is active, carrier or broker, and insurance on file, with the date each fact was read. It does not show prices, quality of service or complaints. FMCSA's own search shows complaint records, and FMCSA answers questions at (800) 832-5660.