To verify an interstate mover for a high-value shipment, match its legal name and USDOT number to federal records, identify who will transport the goods, and obtain written packing and valuation terms. Check each document against the same company and inventory before paying a deposit or handing over your belongings.
This guide concerns interstate household moves. Local moves can have different state requirements. Federal registration helps establish identity and authority; it does not certify packing quality or guarantee a successful move.
1. Match the Company Name to the Federal Record
Start with FMCSA’s registered-mover search. The tool identifies business type, registration, contact details, complaints and safety information. Search using the number on the estimate, then compare the result with the company named on your paperwork.
Keep a dated copy of the result. If the salesperson uses a trade name, ask which legal entity will sign the contract and how the names are connected. A number displayed on a website is a starting point for verification, not proof that the business contacting you is entitled to use it.
| Compare these details | Where to check | What to ask if they differ |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name and trade name | Official record and estimate | Which entity is accepting this job? |
| USDOT number | Official search result and shipment paperwork | Whose registration applies to my shipment? |
| Business role | Registration record and written scope | Is this company arranging or performing the move? |
| Contact details | Record, contract and independently confirmed contact | Which contact handles changes or a claim? |
2. Identify the Broker and the Transporting Carrier
A broker arranges transportation; a carrier performs it. FMCSA’s movers-versus-brokers fact sheet explains this distinction. Ask about the role in your particular booking, even if a business holds more than one type of authority.
Before relying on a quote, ask for the transporting carrier’s name, USDOT number and written acceptance of the estimate. Keep the arranger’s and carrier’s contacts separately. Clarify who will provide packing, pickup, linehaul, storage and delivery, and who handles questions if another company is assigned.
Use the carrier-information page as an additional place to review AmeriSafe’s published information. Confirm the carrier and terms for your shipment in its own paperwork.
3. Read Complaint and Safety Information in Context
Look for patterns relevant to your concerns: estimate changes, delivery communication, missing items or claim handling. Ask the company how it addresses a repeated issue and what written process will apply to your move.
Safety and complaint records answer different questions. A registration result cannot establish that a crew has experience with your particular artwork or piano. Ask for a specific packing plan and supporting documentation rather than treating a logo, membership or online star rating as a substitute.
For a move entirely within one state, use that state’s regulator or consumer-affairs agency to check the applicable requirements. FMCSA’s protection guidance distinguishes interstate from intrastate rules.
4. Separate Valuation From Insurance Documents
For interstate household moves, FMCSA describes two valuation options: Full Value Protection and Released Value. Released Value limits the mover’s liability to $0.60 per pound per article; it is not a replacement-cost promise. Full Value Protection can involve repair, replacement or a monetary settlement, with written terms and possible deductibles. Read FMCSA’s valuation guidance before selecting an option.
A building’s certificate-of-insurance requirement concerns particular insurance documentation. It does not tell you how a damaged belonging will be valued. Send the building’s requirements to the company performing the work and ask it to identify the appropriate insurer contact. Confirm that any certificate addresses the actual work and dates.
Ask separately for your shipment’s valuation selection, deductible, declarations and relevant exclusions. If considering additional insurance, obtain its policy terms from the insurer. Do not assume the mover’s valuation arrangement and an insurance policy provide identical protection.
5. Declare Valuable Items and Agree on Packing
FMCSA identifies articles worth more than $100 per pound as items of extraordinary value and advises listing them specifically in the shipping documents. Ask the carrier how to declare these items and obtain its written explanation of the applicable limitation.
Prepare an inventory that a packing crew can use: dimensions, material, fragile parts, condition photographs and any available appraisal or purchase record. Ask who will pack each item, what materials are proposed and whether custom crating is needed. Write down who approves the method and which instructions the crew will receive.
The aim is a documented plan for the actual item. General claims about handling antiques or artwork do not establish the method, price or liability terms for your shipment.
6. Put Access, Handling and Costs in the Estimate
Record stairs, elevator reservations, loading restrictions, long carries and any possible transfer to a smaller vehicle. Share the same information with every company preparing an estimate. Ask which services are included and what circumstances could require an agreed change.
The written-estimate comparison guide explains how binding status differs from the way a price is calculated. Use the actual item list and packing scope when comparing totals, rather than assuming a label such as “all-inclusive” covers everything.
7. Keep a Claim-Ready Document Folder
Keep the signed estimate, inventory, valuation selection, item declarations, condition photographs, bill of lading and relevant communications together. Ask for the carrier’s written claim instructions and arbitration information before pickup.
At delivery, inspect what you can and record visible loss or damage on the relevant paperwork. Review FMCSA’s loss-and-damage guidance and the carrier’s claim procedure if something is wrong. AmeriSafe’s claims resource and arbitration information provide additional published contacts and process information to check against your contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a USDOT number prove a mover is suitable for valuable items?
No. Check the official record for identity and registration, then verify the transporting carrier, packing plan and written valuation terms. Registration does not establish expertise with an individual item or guarantee an outcome.
Does a certificate of insurance establish replacement-value protection?
No. A certificate describes insurance information for a particular purpose. Review your shipment’s valuation selection and any separate insurance policy to understand how a loss would be handled.
Should I verify the carrier if I booked through a broker?
Yes. Obtain the transporting carrier’s name and USDOT number, confirm its role in writing and check that its estimate and shipment documents match the arrangements you accepted.
What should I request before a high-value move?
Request the company and carrier identities, a detailed inventory, packing responsibilities, written charges, valuation terms, valuable-item declarations and claim instructions. Keep copies together so the arrangements can be checked at pickup and delivery.
Prepare Your Shipment Details
For an AmeriSafe enquiry, provide the origin and destination, inventory, valuable-item details and access restrictions when you request a written estimate. Ask which company will perform the move and which packing and valuation terms apply to that shipment.