Work through the steps in order. You need the mover’s legal name and one identifier, either a USDOT number or a state credential number. Write each answer in the record sheet at the end.

Step 1. Decide which rulebook applies

Look at the route, not the distance. If the move starts in one state and ends in another, or crosses another state on the way, it is interstate and federal rules apply. If it starts and ends in the same state and never leaves it, the state’s rules apply.

Interstate: continue with steps 2 to 4 and step 6.
In-state: continue with steps 5 and 6.
Not sure: read interstate vs. intrastate moves first.

Step 2. Collect the mover’s identifiers

Every advertisement by an interstate household goods mover must show the company’s name and its USDOT number in the form “U.S. DOT No.” followed by the number (49 CFR 375.207). Collect the same details from the written estimate and the bill of lading.

Legal company name as written on the estimate.
USDOT number.
MC number, if the company lists one.
The name of the carrier that will actually haul the goods, if a broker is arranging the move.

Step 3. Search the federal mover database

Open the FMCSA mover search tool and search by company name, USDOT number or MC number. FMCSA says the record shows the company’s headquarters, contact information, registration status, type of business and complaint and safety information (FMCSA).

Type of business. A carrier moves goods. A broker arranges the move and must use a registered carrier. If the company is a broker, ask which carrier will haul the load (FMCSA, Movers vs. Brokers).
Registration status. The authority must be active for the work you are booking.
Complaint information. Read it as history, not as a verdict. FMCSA does not endorse a company because it appears in the database (FMCSA).

Step 4. Cross-check the SAFER Company Snapshot

Search the same USDOT or MC number in the SAFER Company Snapshot. It shows the company’s identification, size, safety rating if one exists, roadside inspection summary and crash information. If the name or address differs from the estimate, ask why before you sign.

Step 5. Check the state record for an in-state move

Federal registration does not cover a move that stays inside one state, and some states require their own license, registration or rate filing. Open your state page and use the lookup it names.

Find the credential name the state issues, such as a household goods license, permit or registration.
Open the state lookup and search by the field the page lists: company name, license number or USDOT number.
Confirm the status is active and the name matches the one on your estimate.
If the page says no state credential exists, use the state business registry link and the complaint route on the same page.

A state may also require an in-state carrier to hold a USDOT number (FMCSA), so a USDOT number alone does not prove a state credential. Check both when the state issues one.

Step 6. Match every name

Put the four names side by side: the advertisement, the written estimate, the federal record and the state record. The name in the advertising must be the name on the USDOT registration, or the name of the carrier whose authority the move runs under (49 CFR 375.207). If a broker is involved, the broker’s name and the carrier’s name will both appear. Ask for the carrier in writing.

Record sheet

Copy these fields into a note and fill them in before you pay a deposit.

What to record
Legal company name	From the written estimate
USDOT number	From the advertisement or estimate
MC number	From the estimate or FMCSA record
Business type	Carrier, broker or freight forwarder, from FMCSA
Federal status	Active or inactive, from FMCSA
State credential	Name and number, from the state lookup
State status	Active, expired or none required
Name match	Matches the estimate, or the difference explained in writing

Stop signs

An interstate mover cannot give you a USDOT number, or the number does not match the company name.
The federal record shows inactive authority.
The company is a broker but will not name the carrier in writing.
Your state issues a mover credential and the company does not hold one.
The name on the estimate differs from the name on the federal or state record and no one will explain it.

More warning signs and where to report a company.

Sources

49 CFR 375.207, items required in advertisements , Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
Search for a Registered Mover , Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Mover search tool (search by company) , Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
SAFER Company Snapshot , Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Movers vs. Brokers , Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Steps to Select a Mover , Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Do I Need a USDOT Number? , Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Avoid scams when you hire a moving company , Federal Trade Commission

Mover license check: a walkthrough that works in any state