Hiring a moving company involves more than finding someone with a truck and an available date.
The company may be responsible for thousands of dollars' worth of furniture, electronics, and personal belongings.
A few careful checks before signing a contract can prevent unexpected charges, damaged property, delays, and moving scams.

For interstate moves in the United States, consumers have access to federal registration records, complaint information, insurance details, and other resources that can help them evaluate a mover before handing over their belongings.

Here is what should be checked before a moving company is hired.

Start by Confirming Whether It Is a Mover or a Broker

One of the first questions should be simple: Will this company actually transport the belongings?

A moving company and a moving broker do different jobs.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a mover owns or operates the transportation service and assumes responsibility for transporting the shipment. A broker acts as a middleman and arranges transportation with another company. Both interstate movers and brokers must be registered with FMCSA.

That distinction matters because a customer who believes a specific company will handle the move may later discover that the job has been assigned to another carrier.

Before agreeing to anything, consumers should ask:

• Is the business a carrier, broker, or both?

• Who will physically transport the shipment?

• Will any part of the move be subcontracted?

• What is the legal name of the company performing the move?

• Who is responsible if something is lost or damaged?

Consumer-awareness resources such as Moving Scam Stories can also help people understand common moving-scam patterns and learn what warning signs to look for before hiring a company.

Verify Registration and Operating Authority

A professional-looking website is not proof that a mover is properly authorized.

For an interstate move, the company should have a U.S. Department of Transportation number and appropriate FMCSA registration. FMCSA specifically recommends checking whether an interstate mover is authorized to transport household goods and reviewing its available complaint information.

The details found in official records should match the company consumers believe they are hiring.

Check information such as:

• Legal business name

• USDOT number

• Operating status

• Household-goods authority

• Business contact information

• Insurance information

• Complaint history

A mismatch deserves further investigation. For example, if a company's website uses one business name while federal records display an unrelated name or address, the customer should ask for an explanation before paying a deposit.

For a move that stays entirely within one state, licensing rules can differ. State or local consumer-protection agencies may regulate intrastate movers, so customers should check the requirements that apply where the move originates.

Look Beyond the Star Rating

Online reviews are useful, but an average rating should never be the entire background check.

A company with hundreds of five-star reviews can still have warning signs hidden in the details. Reviews become more useful when consumers look for recurring patterns rather than isolated praise or complaints.

Pay particular attention to reports involving:

• Prices increasing dramatically after pickup

• Repeated delivery delays

• Missing or damaged belongings

• Difficulty reaching customer support

• Disputes over deposits

• Last-minute changes to the carrier

• Belongings being withheld over additional charges

Reviews across several independent platforms are generally more informative than testimonials published only on the company's own website.

Dates matter as well. A mover may have operated successfully for years and recently changed ownership, management, or business practices. Recent customer experiences can therefore provide context that an old overall rating may hide.

Get Multiple Written Estimates

Price matters, but choosing a mover purely because it submitted the cheapest quote can be risky.

FMCSA's consumer checklist recommends obtaining estimates from at least three movers or brokers and comparing both the price and the services included.

A useful estimate should clearly explain what the customer is paying for rather than presenting one unexplained total.

It should account for factors such as:

• Shipment size or weight

• Transportation charges

• Packing services

• Packing materials

• Stairs or elevators

• Long carries

• Storage

• Specialty items

• Additional pickup or delivery stops

• Other applicable services

Consumers researching how to verify a moving company should compare the information provided in the quote with licensing, business identity, insurance, and other available records rather than treating the estimate as a standalone document.

Understand Binding and Non-Binding Estimates

Not every moving estimate works the same way.

For interstate moves, a binding estimate generally means the customer will not have to pay more than the agreed estimated amount at delivery for the listed shipment and services. However, adding items or requesting extra services can require a revised estimate.

A non-binding estimate, on the other hand, is not a guarantee of the final price. The eventual charge may depend on factors such as the shipment's actual weight and services performed.

Federal rules also provide an important consumer protection for interstate moves involving non-binding estimates: the mover generally cannot require more than 110% of the non-binding estimate at delivery, with qualifying additional charges handled under applicable rules.

That is why the type of estimate should be understood before the move begins.

Check Insurance and Liability Protection

"Fully insured" sounds reassuring, but customers should find out what that statement actually means.

For interstate moves, consumers should understand the mover's liability options before signing. FMCSA explains that movers must offer Full Value Protection, while Released Value provides much more limited protection.

This distinction can become important when expensive furniture, electronics, artwork, antiques, or other valuable belongings are involved.

Ask About Coverage Before Moving Day

Customers should ask:

• What valuation option is included?

• Is Full Value Protection available?

• How is compensation calculated if an item is damaged?

• Are certain items excluded or subject to special conditions?

• How are high-value belongings declared?

• What is the procedure and deadline for filing a claim?

These questions are easier to resolve before a shipment is loaded than after something has been damaged.

Read the Bill of Lading Carefully

Moving paperwork should not be treated as routine paperwork that can be signed without reading.

The bill of lading serves as the contract between the customer and the mover as well as a receipt for the shipment. FMCSA advises consumers to review the estimate, bill of lading, inventory, and other completed documents carefully before signing.

Names, addresses, services, charges, pickup details, delivery terms, and liability selections should all be reviewed.

Most importantly, customers should never sign blank or incomplete documents. FMCSA specifically warns consumers against doing so.

Copies of all signed paperwork should be retained until the move is completed and any claims or disputes have been resolved.

Examine the Company's Payment and Deposit Policies

How a mover requests payment can reveal a great deal about its business practices.

Customers should understand:

• How much is required upfront

• Whether the deposit is refundable

• Which payment methods are accepted

• When the remaining balance becomes due

• What circumstances can increase the final bill

• What cancellation terms apply

A customer should be especially cautious when a company creates pressure to send a large payment immediately or refuses to clearly explain its refund and cancellation policies.

The payment terms should be documented rather than based solely on a telephone conversation.

Confirm the Pickup and Delivery Process

Moving dates are often more complicated than they appear.

A customer may hear "delivery date" and assume it refers to a guaranteed arrival date when the contract actually provides a delivery window.

Before hiring the company, customers should determine:

• Whether pickup is guaranteed or estimated

• Whether delivery is a specific date or window

• Who provides shipment updates

• How delays are communicated

• Whether storage may be required

• Who should be contacted while the shipment is in transit

FMCSA's moving checklist recommends asking how and when pickup and delivery will occur and how the mover or broker can be contacted before, during, and after the move.

Clear answers reduce the chance of confusion once the belongings are already on the truck.

Watch for Common Moving Company Red Flags

No single warning sign automatically proves that a business is fraudulent. Several warning signs appearing together, however, should make a customer reconsider.

Red Flags Worth Investigating

Be cautious when a company:

• Refuses to provide a written estimate

• Cannot clearly explain whether it is a mover or broker

• Has registration information that does not match its business identity

• Provides vague answers about insurance

• Pressures the customer to make an immediate payment

• Uses incomplete paperwork

• Refuses to explain additional fees

• Has repeated complaints involving unexpected price increases

• Cannot identify who will physically transport the shipment

• Asks the customer to sign blank documents

FMCSA notes that while most household moves are completed by legitimate companies, dishonest or "rogue" movers and brokers do exist, making informed selection an important part of consumer protection.

Ask About Claims and Dispute Resolution

Even a reputable mover can encounter an accident or damage an item.

What separates a professional operation from a poorly managed one is often how problems are handled afterward.

Customers should ask about the claims process before hiring the company. The procedure should explain where a claim is submitted, what documentation is needed, and how disputes are handled.

For interstate moves, consumers should also receive information about the mover's arbitration program and claims procedures as part of the required consumer information.

Photographing valuable belongings before pickup and keeping copies of inventories, receipts, estimates, and contracts can make documentation much easier if a dispute occurs.

Check the Inventory Before the Truck Leaves

Due diligence does not end once the mover arrives.

The inventory should accurately reflect the belongings being loaded and note existing damage or unusual wear. Customers should review it rather than automatically signing at the bottom.

FMCSA recommends accompanying movers while the shipment is inventoried and addressing questions about the condition of belongings at that stage. At delivery, missing or damaged items should also be noted on the inventory before documents are signed.

Taking photographs of valuable items and their condition before loading provides another useful record.

A Lower Price Is Not Always the Better Deal

Moving quotes can vary significantly, and price comparison is sensible. The cheapest estimate, however, should not automatically win.

A low quote loses its value if it comes with unclear fees, weak liability protection, poor communication, or unreliable service.

FMCSA similarly advises consumers not to select a mover based solely on the lowest price because other considerations, including safe transportation and timely delivery, may be more important.

The stronger comparison considers price alongside licensing, reputation, documentation, insurance, service scope, and contract terms.

Final Thoughts

A moving company should be researched with the same care given to any business entrusted with valuable property.

Checking registration, insurance, estimates, reviews, contracts, liability coverage, payment terms, and complaint patterns takes some additional time, but those checks can expose problems before the belongings are loaded onto a truck.

A dependable mover should be able to explain who will handle the shipment, what the move will cost, what protection applies, and what happens if something goes wrong. When those answers are difficult to obtain, continuing the search may be the safer choice.