Moving guides / Hire safely
How to check a mover's registration
USDOT numbers, FMCSA lookups, state rules and complaint histories.
A few minutes of checking is the single best protection against moving fraud. Interstate movers must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
For moves across state lines
- Ask for the mover's USDOT number and confirm it on FMCSA's mover search (part of its Protect Your Move resources).
- Check that the company name and address match the estimate.
- Look at the company's complaint history in FMCSA's data.
- Find out whether you're dealing with a mover or a broker. A broker arranges the move and hands it to a carrier; ask who will actually move you.
For moves within a state
Many states license or register in-state movers through a transportation or public utility agency. Search your state's agency, and check the state attorney general's complaint records.
Also look at
- Reviews across more than one site, especially recent ones
- How long the company has been in business at that address
- Whether the estimator is an employee of the mover
General moving information, not legal advice. Rules differ for interstate and local moves. Home Swift Services isn't a mover or broker and takes no referral fees.