How to Check if a Moving Company Is Legitimate
A 5-minute verification that catches most scams and tells you whether the mover is real.
Anyone can put up a website and call themselves a moving company. Whether they are actually licensed, insured, and operating legitimately is a different question. Here is how to verify a mover in about five minutes, plus the red flags that should make you walk away.
The two databases that matter most
1. FMCSA SAFER (interstate)
For any moving company that crosses state lines, the federal Department of Transportation requires a USDOT number and (for household goods movers) an MC number. Look them up at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.
What to check:
- Operating status — must be “authorized”
- Operating authority — should list household goods authority for movers
- Insurance status — should be on file
- Safety rating — “Satisfactory” is what you want; “Conditional” or “Unsatisfactory” is a warning
- Out-of-service orders — any active orders are a hard stop
LiteMovers operates under USDOT 2173383 and MC-888055. You can verify both at the link above.
2. PA PUC (intrastate Pennsylvania)
For moves that stay inside Pennsylvania, the PA Public Utility Commission licenses movers under “A-numbers.” Without one, a company is not legally authorized to perform Pennsylvania intrastate moves.
Search the PUC for the company’s license status. LiteMovers operates under PA PUC A-8916211.
The 5-minute verification
Run any mover through this list before you sign anything:
- Get the company’s full legal name, USDOT number, MC number, and PA PUC number from their website or estimate.
- Look up the USDOT and MC numbers at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Confirm active status and household goods authority.
- Look up the PA PUC number at the PA PUC website. Confirm active status.
- Search the company name on the BBB site. Check the rating and any unresolved complaints.
- Search the company on Google. Look at reviews across multiple sources.
- Check the company’s physical address on Google Maps. A real warehouse, office, or business address should show up.
Five minutes. Five sources. If anything fails, walk away.
Red flags that should make you walk away
- ✗ No license numbers visible. Legitimate movers display them prominently.
- ✗ No physical address or only a P.O. box. Where is the warehouse?
- ✗ Refusal to do an in-home or video survey. They are guessing or hiding something.
- ✗ Large cash deposit demanded upfront. Especially before a survey.
- ✗ Rental trucks instead of branded trucks. A real mover invests in their own fleet.
- ✗ The company has multiple names. Often a sign of a problem-history rebrand.
- ✗ Estimate dramatically lower than competitors. Often a setup for add-on charges later.
- ✗ They are a broker who will sell your job to whoever bids on it.
- ✗ No written estimate or pushback when you ask for one.
Brokers vs carriers: know which one you are hiring
A moving broker is a middleman. They sell your move to a carrier who actually performs it. Brokers are legally required to disclose their broker status, but many bury the disclosure or describe themselves in ways that suggest they will do the move themselves.
The simple question: “Will your employees and your trucks perform this move, or will it be subcontracted?” A direct yes-or-no answer is what you want. Hesitation, vagueness, or “we work with a network of partners” usually means broker.
For most consumer moves, hiring a carrier directly is preferable. The carrier is accountable for the move from start to finish.
FMCSA’s “Protect Your Move” resources
The federal government runs a consumer-protection site for interstate moves at fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move. It includes a complaint database, a fraud guide, and a 30-page consumer rights handbook. For interstate moves especially, read it before signing anything.
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a moving company is licensed?
For Pennsylvania intrastate moves, search the company on the PA Public Utility Commission site to confirm an active A-number license. For interstate moves, look up the USDOT number and MC number at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Both lookups are free, take a minute, and tell you if the company is licensed, insured, and currently authorized to operate.
What is a USDOT number and where do I look it up?
USDOT is the federal carrier number assigned by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Every interstate moving company is required to have one. Look it up at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov by company name, USDOT number, or MC number. The lookup shows operating authority, insurance status, and safety record.
What is a PA PUC number?
A PA PUC license (A-number) is issued by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. It authorizes a moving company to operate within Pennsylvania under regulated tariffs. LiteMovers operates under PA PUC A-8916211. You can search for any PA mover’s license status on the PUC website.
Is a BBB rating reliable for checking movers?
BBB ratings are one useful data point but not the whole picture. A high BBB rating and accreditation suggests the company responds to customer issues. A poor rating or accumulated complaints is a warning sign. Combine BBB with Google reviews, Yelp, and the FMCSA database for a fuller picture.
What are the warning signs of a moving scam?
Common red flags: no physical address, no working website, large cash deposit demanded upfront, no in-home or video survey offered, refusal to provide license numbers, dramatically lower price than competitors, name changes (the company has multiple business names), and rental trucks instead of branded trucks. Trust your instincts on these.
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LiteMovers · PA PUC A-8916211 · USDOT 2173383 · MC-888055 · Serving Greater Philadelphia since 2007.
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