How do I check that an interstate mover is legitimate?

Ask for the company's legal name and its federal motor carrier registration number, then confirm that the registration is active and matches the name on your paperwork. A legitimate company provides this without pushback.

A modest deposit is common, especially in peak season. A large cash deposit, a demand for payment in full before the load, or pressure to sign quickly are all reasons to slow down and get a second quote.

What if my delivery is late?

Check the delivery spread written on your paperwork, since long distance moves are quoted as a window rather than a date. If the carrier misses the agreed window, put the issue in writing and reference the dates on the bill of lading.

Service Explainers

What you and your mover are each responsible for

How to check that a moving company is legitimate, what the paperwork actually commits each side to, and what to do when something is damaged or delayed.

By Elijah Canfield, Founder, Hire Best Pros · Updated September 9, 2026

Elijah Canfield is the founder of Hire Best Pros. He writes and edits the site's consumer guides, with a focus on how home service and moving projects are priced, scoped and compared.

A half packed living room with labeled moving boxes stacked neatly and a packing checklist taped to a carton

A household goods mover has to identify itself, give you written documents before the move and honor the valuation coverage you selected. You are responsible for accurate information about what is being moved and where, for the items movers are not allowed to carry, and for reading the estimate and the bill of lading before you sign. Interstate movers are registered with the federal regulator, and you can verify that registration before you book.

Key points

Verify registration and insurance before a deposit, not after.
The bill of lading is the contract. The estimate is not.
Basic released value coverage is minimal. Full value protection is a separate election.
Report loss or damage in writing and keep the inventory sheets.

Verify the company before anything else

Interstate household movers must be registered with the federal motor carrier regulator and carry an assigned number. Local movers are regulated at the state level, and requirements vary. In both cases, a legitimate company will give you a legal business name, a physical address and its registration details without hesitating.

Treat the estimate process as part of the check. A company that will quote a binding price for a full house without seeing it, in person or by video, is guessing, and the price will change.

Ask for the legal name, the registration number and proof of insurance.
Confirm the crew is employed by the company you booked, or ask who the work is being brokered to.
Be careful with large deposits, cash only terms and quotes that arrive with no survey.

Not sure what to ask on the first call?

See the questions to ask a moving company

Know which document is the contract

The estimate describes expected charges. The bill of lading is the contract for carriage, and the inventory sheets record the condition of your belongings at pickup. Read both, and do not sign a blank or incomplete document.

Estimates come in different forms. A binding estimate fixes the price for the listed goods and services. A non binding estimate can change with actual weight or volume. A binding not to exceed estimate protects you on the upside and lets the price fall if the shipment is lighter.

Want the mechanics of pricing?

Read how moving estimates work

Understand what the coverage actually covers

Released value protection is the minimum coverage included at no additional charge, and it pays by weight rather than by what an item is worth. Full value protection is a higher level of liability that you elect and pay for, and it obligates the mover to repair, replace or settle for the item's value under the terms of the contract.

Neither is homeowner insurance. If you own something genuinely valuable, ask how it will be documented at pickup and whether it needs to be declared separately.

What you are responsible for

Give accurate information. Long carries, stairs, elevators, shuttle trucks for narrow streets and last minute additions all change the job and the price, and a crew that arrives to a surprise cannot always absorb it.

Handle the items movers cannot take. Fuels, propane tanks, aerosols, most chemicals, and perishable food are usually excluded. Plan to carry irreplaceable documents, jewelry and medication yourself.

Be present or name someone who can make decisions on your behalf at both ends.

If something goes wrong

Note damage on the inventory or delivery paperwork before the crew leaves, and photograph it. Then file the claim in writing with the mover within the window stated in your contract.

Keep every document: the estimate, the bill of lading, the inventory, the weight tickets and your written claim. Interstate carriers also have a dispute resolution process described in the paperwork they must give you.

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Common questions

How do I check that an interstate mover is legitimate?: Ask for the company's legal name and its federal motor carrier registration number, then confirm that the registration is active and matches the name on your paperwork. A legitimate company provides this without pushback.
Is a deposit normal?: A modest deposit is common, especially in peak season. A large cash deposit, a demand for payment in full before the load, or pressure to sign quickly are all reasons to slow down and get a second quote.
What if my delivery is late?: Check the delivery spread written on your paperwork, since long distance moves are quoted as a window rather than a date. If the carrier misses the agreed window, put the issue in writing and reference the dates on the bill of lading.