To file a complaint against an interstate moving company, go to nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov and submit through the National Consumer Complaint Database. It takes about fifteen minutes. The complaint becomes part of the company’s permanent record, and FMCSA uses complaint volume to decide which carriers and brokers to investigate. For urgent situations, call 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238), 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern, Monday through Friday.
Most people who get scammed by a mover never file. They are exhausted, the move is over, and it feels like shouting into a void. It is not. Here is what filing actually does and how to do it so it counts.
What does filing actually accomplish?
Be clear-eyed about this, because false expectations are why people give up.
What it does not do: FMCSA does not act as your lawyer, does not recover your money for you, and will not get your sofa off a truck tomorrow. There is no individual case worker assigned to your complaint.
What it does do:
- Creates a permanent record attached to that company’s registration
- Feeds the data FMCSA uses to select investigation targets. Operation Protect Your Move specifically pursues carriers and brokers with the worst complaint records
- Creates official documentation of your case, which is useful in arbitration, in small claims court, and with your state Attorney General
- Often changes the company’s behavior. A registered carrier with authority and insurance has something to lose, and some settle quickly once a formal complaint exists
The honest framing: your complaint is one data point. Enough data points is what triggers enforcement. This scam survives on the gap between how many people it happens to and how many report it.
Before you file, gather these
The complaint takes fifteen minutes if you have your documents ready and much longer if you are hunting for them mid-form.
- The company’s name and USDOT number. If you only have the name, look them up at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
- Your bill of lading
- Your written estimate, and note whether it is binding or non-binding, weight or cubic feet
- The inventory sheet
- Dates: when you booked, when they loaded, when they delivered or failed to
- Amounts: what you were quoted, what you were charged, what you paid
- Any written communication, including texts and emails
- Photographs of damage, the truck, paperwork, or handwritten charges
If a broker was involved, file against both
This is the step most people miss.
If you booked through a broker and a different company showed up, two separate entities were involved and each has its own registration and its own complaint record. The broker’s conduct and the carrier’s conduct are separate matters.
File one complaint against the carrier that physically handled your goods, identified by the USDOT number on your bill of lading, and a second against the broker that booked the job.
Do not let either company convince you the other is solely responsible. That handoff is the oldest move in this industry, and filing against both is how you refuse it.
How to write the complaint so it lands
The narrative field is where your complaint either becomes actionable or becomes noise. A few principles:
Use the language of the regulations
Instead of “they charged me way too much and held my stuff,” write something closer to: “The carrier refused to deliver my shipment after I offered payment of 110% of the non-binding estimate, as required before release of the shipment.”
That phrasing maps to an existing complaint category. NCCDB has a specific category for a shipment held hostage for payment above 110% of a non-binding estimate.
State facts in order, with dates
A clean chronology beats an emotional account every time. Booked on this date for this amount. Loaded on this date. Told on this date that the price had increased to this amount. Offered this payment on this date. Refused delivery.
Name the specific violation
If you can identify what rule was broken, say so. Common ones:
- Refused to release the shipment after lawful payment
- Amended the estimate after loading, when the mover cannot revise upward once the shipment is loaded
- Issued a non-binding estimate based on cubic feet, when non-binding estimates must be based on weight
- Could not produce a certified weight certificate for a weight-based charge
- Failed to provide a written estimate
- Operated without valid authority or without insurance on file
Leave out the parts that do not help
How rude the driver was, how stressful the week was, how the company’s owner behaved on the phone. All real, none of it actionable. Keep the complaint to conduct that violates a rule.
Where else to file
FMCSA is the primary route for interstate moves, but it should not be the only one.
| Where | Best for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| FMCSA / NCCDB | Any interstate move violation | Permanent record, feeds enforcement targeting |
| State Attorney General | Deceptive trade practices | Often faster than federal action; the route when police decline |
| Better Business Bureau | Companies that care about reputation | Public and visible, which produces settlements |
| Your state regulator | Moves entirely within one state | FMCSA rules generally do not cover intrastate moves |
One important note on intrastate moves: if your entire move happened within one state, the federal rules in this article generally do not apply and FMCSA is not your route. Your state’s regulator and Attorney General are.
What happens after you file?
You will receive confirmation. You will not receive a case worker or a resolution timeline.
The complaint enters the database and is available to FMCSA investigators and, in aggregate, to the public. Some companies respond directly, particularly registered carriers protecting their record. Many do not.
Meanwhile, keep your own options moving. Filing with FMCSA does not affect your right to pursue a civil action, and disputes over loss or damage under your bill of lading may be subject to arbitration.
Frequently asked questions
How do I file a complaint against a moving company?
Go to nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov and file through the National Consumer Complaint Database. It takes about fifteen minutes. For urgent situations, call 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM Eastern, Monday through Friday.
Does filing an FMCSA complaint actually do anything?
It becomes part of the company’s permanent record, and FMCSA uses complaint volume to select which carriers and brokers to investigate. Operation Protect Your Move specifically targets companies with the worst complaint records. It does not, however, recover your money directly.
Can I file a complaint after my move is finished?
Yes. Complaints can be filed after the fact, and doing so still contributes to the company’s record and to enforcement targeting.
Should I file against the broker or the carrier?
Both, if both were involved. They are separate registered entities with separate complaint records, and their conduct is assessed separately.
Does filing with FMCSA stop me from suing?
No. Filing a complaint does not affect your right to pursue a civil action. The two processes are independent.
What if my move was within one state?
FMCSA regulates interstate moves. For a move entirely within one state, file with your state’s regulator and Attorney General instead.
Related reading
- How to dispute the charges and get your money back
- How to write a demand letter to a moving company
- Can you sue a moving company?
- Who regulates local movers inside one state?
- How to file a damage claim, and the nine-month deadline
Related
What to do when movers won’t deliver your belongings
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Moving Scam Secrets is the complete field guide, written from twenty years inside the industry. It covers the documentation that wins claims, the complaint language that gets attention, and the exact pressure points that get moving companies to settle.