How to Find a Good Moving Company Near You
To find a good moving company, look up the mover’s USDOT number and complaint history in the FMCSA database (interstate) or with your state regulator (local), confirm you’re hiring a carrier rather than a broker, require an in-home or video survey, and treat any large deposit demand as a red flag.
Moving attracts more scams than almost any household service, because your entire life is literally on someone else’s truck. The vetting below takes under an hour and screens out nearly all of the bad actors.
Step 1: How Do You Verify a Mover Is Licensed?
- Interstate moves: Every legitimate interstate mover has a USDOT number. Look it up free in the FMCSA’s mover search tool — you’ll see registration status, insurance on file, and complaint history. A company that won’t give you its USDOT number on the phone is disqualified, full stop.
- Local (within-state) moves: FMCSA doesn’t regulate these. Check your state’s regulator — usually the public utilities commission, DOT, or consumer affairs department — for licensing and complaints. Many states publish searchable databases.
- Bonus signal: ProMover certification from the American Trucking Associations’ Moving & Storage Conference indicates a vetted member that has agreed to the industry’s ethics code.
- While verifying, also confirm the mover offers both required valuation options — interstate movers must by law.
Step 2: Are You Talking to a Carrier or a Broker?
This is the #1 scam vector in moving. A carrier owns trucks and employs crews; a broker sells your move to whichever carrier takes it — often the lowest bidder, sometimes an unvetted one. Brokers are legal but must disclose their status; the problem is brokers that pose as movers, quote unrealistically low prices, take your deposit, and disappear from accountability when the actual carrier shows up demanding more.
Ask directly: “Are you a motor carrier or a broker, and will your own employees and trucks handle my move?” The FMCSA search results also display whether a company is registered as a carrier, broker, or both.
Step 3: Why Insist on an In-Home or Video Survey?
A real estimate requires seeing your stuff. Reputable movers do an in-home walkthrough or live video survey before quoting; for interstate moves, written estimates based on a visual survey are the standard the FMCSA’s Protect Your Move program tells consumers to demand. A phone-only quote that sounds too good is the opening move of a price-jacking scam. Get at least three written estimates, ask whether each is binding, and sanity-check them against typical moving costs and hourly mover rates — the outlier low bid is usually the trap, not the bargain.
Step 4: What Deposit Is Normal for Movers?
Small or none. Most reputable movers charge nothing or a modest reservation fee (commonly under $100–$500, often credited to the bill), with payment due on delivery. Demands for 25–50% upfront — especially by wire transfer, Zelle, or cash — are a hallmark of scam operations. The same logic applies across home services; see our guide to how much deposit a contractor should ask for. The FTC’s consumer guidance similarly warns against large advance payments to movers.
Step 5: What Is the Hostage-Load Scam?
The worst-case scenario the FMCSA built Protect Your Move around: a mover quotes low, loads your belongings, then demands thousands more before releasing them. Your defenses:
- Verified USDOT registration and clean complaint history before booking.
- A binding written estimate from a visual survey.
- No large prepayment that removes their incentive to deliver.
- If it happens anyway: file with the FMCSA complaint line immediately, involve local police (holding goods beyond a binding estimate can be theft), and follow the escalation steps in our what to do if you’ve been scammed guide.
Step 6: How Should You Read Reviews?
Look past the star average:
- Read reviews older than the current peak season. Scam companies routinely rename themselves after a bad summer; a company with no review history before last year deserves scrutiny — as does one whose address or phone number appears under multiple company names in a search.
- Look for patterns on the things that matter: final price vs. quote, damage handling, punctuality.
- Weight detailed negative reviews over vague positive ones.
Step 7: Get It in Writing and Book Early
Confirm the estimate type (binding vs. non-binding), inventory, dates, valuation election, and all fees in writing — our questions to ask a moving company checklist covers every item. Then book promptly: good movers fill their calendars weeks out, especially in summer. See how far in advance to book movers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a reliable moving company near me? Verify the USDOT number and complaint history with FMCSA (interstate) or your state regulator (local), confirm carrier-vs-broker status, get three survey-based written estimates, and refuse large deposits.
How do I check if a mover is licensed? Use the FMCSA’s free mover search for interstate companies; for local moves, check your state’s utilities commission or consumer affairs licensing database.
What’s the difference between a moving broker and a carrier? A carrier owns the trucks and crews that move you; a broker resells your job to a carrier. Broker-posing-as-mover is the most common moving scam setup.
How much deposit should a moving company ask for? Little to none — a small reservation fee at most, with payment on delivery. Demands for 25%+ upfront, especially via wire or cash apps, are a major red flag.
What is a hostage load? When a mover loads your goods, then demands far more than the estimate to deliver them. Prevent it with a verified mover, a binding written estimate, and minimal prepayment.
Last updated: June 2026. Verification and scam-prevention guidance per the FMCSA’s Protect Your Move program and mover search database, the FTC, and the ATA Moving & Storage Conference. For informational purposes only.