MovingRated Guide
How to choose a moving company: the 8 checks that matter
Selecting a mover is not a single decision; it is a stack of overlapping checks, no one of which is sufficient on its own. A company can hold an active USDOT number and still carry a B- BBB grade with a pattern of unresolved damage claims. The framework below sequences the checks in the order they actually narrow the field — federal registration, state authority, complaint history, estimate practice, contract clarity, valuation coverage, broker disclosure, and claims process.
Advertising disclosure. MovingRated is reader-supported. Featured partners on this page are affiliate partners — when you click through and complete a qualifying booking, MovingRated may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence editorial rankings or which partners are featured. Every featured partner has cleared our published vetting bar (partner standards). State and federal consumer resources on this page are independent of any commercial relationship. How we rate · Editorial standards.
Why no single check is enough
A mover with active federal authority can still be a serial complaint-generator on the BBB. A company with an A+ BBB grade can be a brokerage that does not own a single truck. A firm with three years in business under one name may have operated for nine more years under three other names. None of these signals contradict each other — they describe different parts of the operation, and each check answers a different question.
The framework treats vetting as a stack. The federal authority check confirms the carrier is allowed to operate across state lines under 49 CFR Part 375 (per the FMCSA's regulatory framework at fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move). The state check confirms intrastate authority where it applies. The complaint check, the estimate check, the contract check, the valuation check, the broker check, and the claims check each filter out a different failure mode. A mover that clears all eight is not guaranteed to deliver a clean move — no vetting framework can guarantee that — but a mover that clears all eight is operating inside the regulated industry rather than around its edges.
Check 1: FMCSA registration for interstate moves
Any household-goods carrier transporting a shipment across state lines is required to hold an active USDOT number and FMCSA operating authority (per 49 CFR Part 375). Verification takes under two minutes at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov — search by company name or USDOT number, then confirm three things: the operating authority status reads "active," the entity type is "carrier" (not "broker," which is a separate check below), and there are no "out of service" flags on the safety record.
The SAFER record also exposes the carrier's complaint count filed through the National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB), the number of trucks and drivers reported, and the years of operation. A "new entrant" carrier — one with under 18 months of operating history per FMCSA classification — is not automatically disqualifying, but it is a data point to weigh against the rest of the stack.
A company claiming to handle interstate moves without an active USDOT number is operating in violation of federal law. The FMCSA's "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" pamphlet (fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move) is the federal consumer-rights document for household-goods moves and is required to be provided by every interstate carrier before pickup.
Check 3: BBB grade and complaint pattern
The Better Business Bureau publishes business profiles at bbb.org with a letter grade (A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F) and a public complaint history. Most legitimate movers carry B or higher. A grade under B with multiple unresolved complaints is a flag worth investigating before doing any further work on a candidate.
Read the actual complaints, not just the count. A high-volume mover will accumulate complaints proportional to volume; the question is what kind. Patterns that recur across complaints — price inflation between estimate and final invoice, missed delivery windows, damage claims denied without explanation, non-delivery of held goods — are far more diagnostic than total complaint count. A mover with 40 complaints over five years where 38 were resolved through repair, replacement, or refund is operationally different from a mover with 12 complaints where 9 are open or marked "unanswered."
The BBB profile also lists business name history. A company that has operated under three different names in five years is rotating identities, often to escape complaint history — a pattern documented in FMCSA enforcement actions and state AG consumer protection filings.
Check 4: online review signal versus noise
Aggregate review scores on Google, Yelp, and the BBB are useful but manipulable. A 4.8-star average across 200 reviews can include incentivized reviews, fabricated reviews, and review-management practices that suppress negatives. Read the 1-star and 2-star reviews — they tend to contain the operational detail (specific dollar amounts, named crew members, dated incidents) that is harder to fabricate.
Watch the date distribution. A company with 150 five-star reviews posted within a six-week window followed by 50 one-star reviews over the next year is a company that ran a review-acquisition push and then degraded operationally. A flat distribution of mixed reviews over multiple years is more consistent with a real operating history.
Cross-reference between platforms. A company with strong Google reviews, weak Yelp reviews, and a B- BBB grade is showing operational variance that isn't captured in any single source. The signal is in the disagreement.
Check 5: in-home or virtual walkthrough requirement
Federal regulation (49 CFR Part 375) requires interstate carriers to provide a written estimate based on a physical or virtual survey of the household goods being moved. A mover willing to issue a binding price over the phone in five minutes — without inventory questions, without seeing the home — is either guessing or setting up for a price adjustment on moving day.
A proper walkthrough covers the inventory by room, identifies disassembly requirements (beds, large furniture, exercise equipment), notes access constraints at both ends (stairwells, narrow hallways, elevator dimensions, long carries from the truck to the door), and asks about specialty items (pianos, safes, fine art, large appliances). Virtual walkthroughs over video call are common and acceptable; the requirement is that the inventory is actually surveyed, not that the surveyor is physically present.
A mover that quotes without a walkthrough is a mover that has not committed to the price. Insist on a walkthrough before accepting any estimate as decision-grade.
Check 6: binding versus non-binding estimate
Interstate household-goods estimates come in three forms under FMCSA regulation: non-binding, binding, and binding "not-to-exceed."
A non-binding estimate is the carrier's good-faith projection. The actual price is calculated on the certified weight at delivery. Under the federal "110% rule," the carrier can collect up to 110% of the non-binding estimate at delivery; any amount above 110% must be invoiced and paid within 30 days, not held against the shipment. Non-binding estimates protect the consumer if the actual weight is lower than estimated.
A binding estimate locks the price based on the surveyed inventory. The price does not move regardless of actual weight. The protection direction reverses — the consumer is protected if actual weight is higher; the carrier is protected if actual weight is lower. Binding estimates require an accurate inventory survey to be fair to both sides.
A binding "not-to-exceed" estimate caps the price at the binding number but bills at the lower of binding or actual weight calculation. It is the most consumer-favorable structure when offered. Confirm in writing which structure applies before signing.
Check 7: valuation coverage versus moving insurance
Federal regulation requires interstate carriers to offer two valuation options: released value protection and full value protection. These are not insurance — they are the carrier's liability limits — and the distinction matters for any damage claim.
Released value protection is the federal default and is included at no charge. The carrier's liability is capped at 60 cents per pound per item. A 12-pound laptop destroyed in transit is reimbursed at $7.20 under released value, regardless of replacement cost. For most household goods, released value is functionally no protection.
Full value protection raises the carrier's liability to the replacement cost of damaged or lost items, less depreciation in some structures. The cost typically runs 1-2% of the declared shipment value. The declared value must be elected in writing before the move. Some carriers also offer separate moving insurance through third-party providers, which can supplement valuation coverage; verify whether what is being offered is carrier valuation or third-party insurance, because the claims process and recourse differ.
Walk through the valuation election with the mover before signing the bill of lading. A mover unable to explain the difference between released value and full value is a mover who has not trained their staff on the federal disclosure requirement.
Check 8: broker versus carrier disclosure
A moving broker arranges transportation but does not own trucks or employ movers. Brokers are legal under FMCSA regulation and must register separately from carriers, but they are required to disclose broker status in writing and to provide the actual carrier's name and USDOT number before the pickup date.
The practical issue is that the broker is the entity the consumer signs with, and the carrier is the entity that handles the goods. A broker that books the move at one quality tier and dispatches it to a low-tier carrier produces a quality mismatch the consumer did not contract for. A broker is not in the chain of custody for the goods, which complicates damage claims and recourse.
Verify the entity type at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov — the SAFER record lists "carrier," "broker," or "carrier/broker" for dual-registered entities. Ask directly: "Are you the carrier handling this move, or are you a broker dispatching it?" A broker's refusal to disclose the carrier name in advance, or any hedge on this question, is a flag. Once the carrier is named, run the eight-check stack on the actual carrier — not the broker.
The bill of lading: what to read before signing
The bill of lading is the contract between the consumer and the carrier. Federal law requires it to be issued at pickup and to include the pickup address, the delivery address, the agreed price (binding) or rate basis (non-binding), the delivery window, the inventory of items loaded, the valuation election, and the carrier's identity and USDOT number.
Read every field before signing. Blank fields on a bill of lading are not acceptable — anything left blank can be filled in later by the carrier without consumer review. Confirm the inventory matches what was actually loaded; the inventory sheet is the baseline for any damage claim, and items not noted at pickup are difficult to claim at delivery.
The bill of lading also documents pre-existing condition notations on each item. A scratch on a dresser noted at pickup with a numbered tag and a condition code is part of the baseline; a scratch found on delivery without a corresponding pickup notation is presumed to be transit damage. Walk through the condition notation with the crew lead for any item of significant value before signing.
A driver who is visibly impatient about the document review is a data point worth weighing against the other seven checks.
Claims process and recourse
Damage and loss claims for interstate moves are governed by federal law. The carrier has 30 days to acknowledge a claim in writing and 120 days to pay, deny, or make a settlement offer (per 49 CFR Part 370). The consumer has 9 months from delivery to file a claim — though earlier filing produces stronger documentation.
Document damage with photographs at delivery, before the crew leaves and before items are moved from where they were placed. Note damage on the delivery receipt before signing. If the damage is severe enough to refuse delivery of the item, mark the receipt accordingly; signing a clean delivery receipt and discovering damage later does not bar a claim, but it weakens the documentary evidence.
If a claim is denied or the settlement offer is inadequate, the consumer can file a complaint with the FMCSA at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (368-7238) and through the National Consumer Complaint Database at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov. State Attorney General consumer protection divisions accept complaints in parallel — California AG (oag.ca.gov) and Texas AG (texasattorneygeneral.gov) maintain online complaint portals as examples.
Arbitration through an FMCSA-approved program is available for interstate disputes; for intrastate moves, recourse runs through the state regulator (where licensing exists) and the state AG.
How the MovingRated vetting bar fits in
The eight-check framework above is the consumer-facing version of the same stack MovingRated applies to its featured partners. The published bar — FMCSA-active, BBB B or higher, 3+ years in continuous business under the current name, and no unresolved pattern in state AG complaint data — is documented in full at /how-we-rate, alongside the removal mechanism for partners that drop below the bar after listing.
The framework is offered as a consumer resource regardless of whether the eventual mover comes from a MovingRated featured partner, an AMSA member directory listing (moving.org), a BBB-accredited search, or any other source. The federal and state primary sources cited inline above are the authoritative consumer-rights infrastructure for household-goods moves and are available to every consumer at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for in a moving company?
Eight overlapping checks: an active USDOT number and FMCSA operating authority for interstate moves (verifiable at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov), state licensing for intrastate moves where it applies, a BBB grade of B or higher, a written estimate based on an in-home or virtual walkthrough, a clearly labeled binding or non-binding estimate, full value protection election in writing, broker-versus-carrier disclosure, and a documented claims process. No single check is sufficient.
How do I check if a moving company is licensed?
For interstate moves, search the carrier at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov by company name or USDOT number. Confirm operating authority is active, the entity is registered as a carrier (not solely a broker), and there are no out-of-service flags. For intrastate moves, check the state licensing agency — California Public Utilities Commission, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, New York DOT, or the equivalent in the move state.
What does a BBB grade actually tell me about a mover?
The grade reflects complaint volume, complaint resolution rate, time in business, and BBB-specific factors like accreditation status. A B grade or higher is the working threshold for a credible mover. Below B with multiple unresolved complaints is worth investigating closely. Read the actual complaints — patterns of price inflation, missed delivery windows, or denied damage claims are more diagnostic than the total count.
What is the difference between a moving broker and a moving carrier?
A carrier owns trucks and employs movers; the carrier handles the goods. A broker arranges transportation and dispatches the move to a carrier; the broker does not handle the goods. Both are legal under FMCSA regulation, but brokers must disclose broker status in writing and provide the actual carrier name before the pickup date. Verify the entity type at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.
What is the 110% rule on moving estimates?
For non-binding estimates on interstate moves, the carrier can collect up to 110% of the non-binding estimate at delivery based on actual weight. Any amount above 110% must be invoiced and paid within 30 days — the carrier cannot hold the shipment for the excess. The rule is established under FMCSA regulation at 49 CFR Part 375 and applies only to non-binding estimates, not binding ones.
What is full value protection and is it worth it?
Full value protection raises the carrier liability to the replacement cost of damaged or lost items, versus the federal default of 60 cents per pound per item under released value protection. For a 12-pound laptop, released value pays $7.20; full value pays replacement cost. The cost typically runs 1-2% of declared shipment value. For households with electronics, antiques, or fine furniture, the math favors full value.
How long do I have to file a damage claim after a move?
For interstate moves under FMCSA jurisdiction, consumers have 9 months from delivery to file a damage or loss claim. The carrier has 30 days to acknowledge the claim and 120 days to pay, deny, or make a settlement offer. Document damage with photographs at delivery before items are moved, and note damage on the delivery receipt before signing. Earlier filing produces stronger documentation.
What if the moving company I am considering operates in a state with no intrastate licensing?
Tennessee, Indiana, Alabama, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Wyoming do not actively license intrastate household-goods movers as a separate category. The fallback stack is the carrier federal authority at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov if they also handle interstate, the BBB profile and complaint pattern at bbb.org, and the state Attorney General consumer protection complaint history.