To check whether an interstate moving company is licensed and insured, get their USDOT number and look it up at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Confirm three things: that the operating status is active, that insurance is on file, and that the company holds authority to transport household goods. A company that will not give you a USDOT number is not a company you should hire.
This check takes about five minutes and prevents more moving disasters than anything else a consumer can do. Here is how to run it properly, and how to read what comes back.
Step 1: Get their USDOT number
Every interstate household goods mover must be registered with the FMCSA and must include their USDOT number in their advertising. It should appear on their website, on their estimate, and on the side of their trucks.
If you cannot find it, ask. The response tells you a great deal. A legitimate company gives it immediately. Hesitation, excuses, or a promise to send it later are all signals.
A note on identifiers: companies have historically carried both a USDOT number and an MC number. FMCSA has been working toward the USDOT number as the single identifier, with authority types shown as suffixes. Plenty of articles claim this change is already complete. FMCSA’s own guidance describes it as under consideration. Work from the USDOT number and do not be confused if an MC number also appears.
Step 2: Look them up
- Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
- Choose the option to search by USDOT number
- Enter the number and search
FMCSA also runs a consumer-facing mover database through its Protect Your Move site, which shows whether a company is authorized to transport or arrange transport of household goods.
Step 3: Read the results properly
This is where most people stop too early. Seeing a record come back is not the same as being cleared.
Operating status
Look for Active. If it says out of service, inactive, or the authority is revoked, stop. That company is not authorized to move you, and hiring them means you have no federal remedies when something goes wrong.
Entity type
The record shows whether the company is a carrier, a broker, or both. This matters enormously. A carrier owns trucks and moves your goods. A broker sells your job to a carrier you have not chosen. Neither is illegal, but you deserve to know which one you are hiring.
Authority for household goods
Not every registered carrier is authorized to move household goods. A company can be perfectly legitimate hauling freight and have no household goods authority at all. Check that the authority specifically covers household goods.
Insurance on file
The record shows whether required insurance filings are current. Operating without them is a violation. Missing insurance means that if your belongings are damaged or destroyed, there may be nothing behind the claim.
Complaint and safety history
Look at the crash and inspection data. A company with a pattern of out-of-service violations is telling you how it runs its operation.
The thing almost everyone gets wrong: insurance is not valuation
This is the most expensive misunderstanding in the moving industry, and it costs consumers real money every day.
When a mover says you are “fully insured,” they are almost always talking about valuation, not insurance. FMCSA is explicit that these are different things. Valuation is the level of liability the carrier accepts for your goods under federal law. Insurance is a separate product, regulated by state insurance commissioners, sold by licensed insurers.
Every interstate mover must offer two valuation options:
| Released Value Protection | Full Value Protection | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Priced by the carrier |
| What it pays | 60 cents per pound per article | Repair, replacement, or cash settlement at current value |
| Applies when | By default, if you do not choose otherwise in writing | Only if you affirmatively select it |
Read that default line again. Released Value is what you get automatically unless you actively choose otherwise. It is set by 49 CFR 375.701.
Here is what 60 cents per pound means in practice. FMCSA’s own example: a 25-pound television, lost or destroyed, pays out $15. Not what you paid for it. Not what a replacement costs. Fifteen dollars.
A 50-pound flat-screen worth $1,500 is worth $30 under that formula. A box of irreplaceable photographs weighing three pounds is worth $1.80.
So when someone tells you they are “licensed and insured,” the follow-up question is: what valuation level is on my bill of lading, and what does it pay per pound? That question is worth more than any reassurance you will get.
What if I want real coverage?
Three routes, and they are not mutually exclusive:
- Select Full Value Protection in writing. It costs money and often has deductible options. Ask for written details of the plan, including how the carrier handles items of extraordinary value.
- Declare items of extraordinary value. Movers may limit liability on items worth more than $100 per pound, such as jewelry, art, or collectibles, unless you specifically list them on the shipping documents. List them.
- Check your homeowner’s policy, then consider third-party insurance. FMCSA suggests checking existing coverage before buying more. Note that disputes with third-party insurers fall outside FMCSA’s jurisdiction.
What if the company does not check out?
No USDOT number, or no record found: walk away. An unregistered interstate mover has no authority, likely no insurance, and often no traceable existence after your belongings are gone.
Authority revoked or out of service: walk away, and consider filing a complaint. Operating without authority is exactly what FMCSA’s Operation Protect Your Move enforcement targets.
Registered as a broker when they told you they were a carrier: that discrepancy is your answer about how they do business.
Everything checks out: good, but registration is a floor, not a guarantee. Licensed carriers with active authority still run hostage loads. Verification tells you the company exists and has something to lose, which matters a great deal when you need leverage later.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a moving company is licensed?
Get their USDOT number and look it up at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Confirm the operating status is active, that insurance is on file, and that the company holds authority to transport household goods.
What does 60 cents per pound mean on a moving contract?
That is Released Value Protection, the free default valuation level. The mover’s liability is capped at 60 cents per pound per article regardless of what the item is worth. A 25-pound television pays out $15.
Is valuation the same as insurance?
No. FMCSA is explicit that valuation is the carrier’s level of liability under federal law, not an insurance policy. Real insurance is regulated by state insurance commissioners and sold by licensed insurers.
What happens if I do not choose a valuation level?
Released Value Protection applies automatically, capping the mover’s liability at 60 cents per pound per article. Full Value Protection only applies if you select it in writing.
Do all registered movers have household goods authority?
No. A company can be registered and legitimate for freight while having no authority to move household goods. Check that the authority specifically covers household goods.
What if the mover will not give me their USDOT number?
Do not hire them. Interstate movers are required to include their USDOT number in advertising, and refusing to provide it is a strong indicator of an operator you do not want handling your belongings.
Related reading
- Moving broker or carrier: how to tell the difference
- Red flags in a moving quote
- How to spot fake moving company reviews
- What your valuation level actually pays if something breaks
- How to track down a mover that stopped answering
Related
Moving broker vs carrier: how to tell the difference
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