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How to Choose a Long Distance Moving Company

Search for "best long distance movers" and you'll get rankings that are often paid. A better way is to run the same few checks on each company. They take minutes and rely on public records.

  • Check the federal record
  • Compare on the same inventory
  • Red flags that should end the conversation

Check your long-distance price

Your route

Moves that cross a state line only. No obligation.

Step 1: Check the federal record

Every interstate mover needs federal registration. Find the U.S. DOT number on its site or estimate, then look it up in the FMCSA SAFER database.

Check that:

  • The legal name matches the name on your estimate.
  • Its status is active, and it's authorized for household goods.
  • It's registered as a carrier, a broker or both. See broker vs carrier.
  • The address looks like a real place of business.
  • The fleet size makes sense for what it's claiming.

Our own status is on registration and coverage. Apply the same checks to us.

Step 2: Read reviews carefully

Look at reviews on several sites and pay most attention to details: delivery dates, final prices and how claims were handled. Be wary of a page of short, identical praise. Read how a company responds to bad reviews, too.

Step 3: Get written estimates on the same inventory

Get at least two or three, and make sure each company has seen the same things by video or in person. A low price from a company that hasn't seen your home isn't a real price. See binding vs non-binding estimates.

Step 4: Ask these questions

  1. Are you the carrier? If not, who is?
  2. What type of estimate is this, and when will I get the bill of lading?
  3. What's the delivery window? Is it in writing?
  4. How much is the deposit, and how can I pay?
  5. What valuation options do you offer? What do they cost?
  6. Where would my shipment be stored, if needed?
  7. How do you handle claims and arbitration?

Step 5: Watch for red flags

  • No survey, but a firm price.
  • A large deposit, especially cash or wire.
  • A name that keeps changing, or no DOT number.
  • Pressure to sign today.
  • Blank paperwork, which you should never sign.
  • No "Your Rights and Responsibilities" booklet.

More in moving scams.

Step 6: Make the decision

Don't choose only on price. Compare the type of estimate, the delivery window, valuation and how each company responded when you asked hard questions. How a company answers before you've paid is usually the best guide to how it will behave afterward.

Questions

How do I check whether a mover is legitimate?

Look up its U.S. DOT number in FMCSA SAFER, check the name and status match, then compare written estimates based on a survey.

How many quotes should I get?

Two or three written estimates based on the same inventory is usually enough.

How much deposit is normal?

It varies. Be wary of a large up-front deposit, particularly by cash or wire. Pay by a method that gives you some protection.

Should I use a broker or a carrier?

Either can work. Just make sure you know who will carry your things and that the estimate is backed by that carrier.

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