How to hire movers: the questions to ask before you book

Q: What questions should I ask before hiring a moving company?

Ask for their U.S. DOT or state license number, proof of insurance, and whether crews are covered by workers' compensation. Then dig into money: how they charge (hourly or by weight), minimums, travel time fees, and charges for stairs, bulky items, or supplies. Finally, ask how they handle damage claims, what liability coverage is included, and for recent local references.

Q: How do I verify a moving company is legitimate?

For interstate moves, look up the company's U.S. DOT number in the FMCSA's free online database, which shows registration status and complaint history. Check reviews with the Better Business Bureau and local sources, confirm a physical business address, and be wary of movers who demand large cash deposits or provide quotes without seeing your belongings.

Q: How much does it cost to hire movers?

Local moves are typically billed hourly per crew member and truck, often totaling several hundred to a couple thousand dollars depending on home size. Interstate moves are priced mainly by weight and distance and commonly run several thousand dollars. Get written in-person or video estimates from at least three licensed movers and compare what each includes before booking.

Written by Samantha SheltonNMLS 1647301Updated September 2026

Professional mover carrying boxes into a new home while the family looks on after hiring movers

Before you hire movers, ask about four things: federal registration, what the estimate actually includes, which of the two liability options you’re being offered, and how damage claims get paid. Every mover that crosses state lines must be registered with the federal government, and federal rules require every estimate to disclose both liability choices, full value protection, or released value protection, which pays just 60 cents per pound per article.¹

That 60-cent figure is the one most people learn too late. A lost 10-pound item is worth $6.00 whether it’s a laptop or a lamp, and the choice is made on your estimate, not after the truck pulls away.

Learn how to hire movers and which questions to ask before you book, how to verify registration, what drives your final bill, and how claims work. Still working through the purchase? Start with our Home Buying guide; our Moving & Settling In hub picks up where the loan closes.

Key takeaways:

Licensing comes first: Interstate movers must be federally registered and display a U.S. DOT number in every advertisement they run, and they must hand you 2 required government booklets along with your written estimate.
Released value protection pays 60 cents per pound: Every estimate must offer 2 liability levels, and the free one compensates you at only 60 cents per pound per article, $6.00 on a 10-pound item, regardless of what it cost you.
Get 3 written estimates: A non-binding estimate caps what a mover can require you to pay at delivery at 110% of the quote, so collect 3 written estimates from registered companies and compare what each includes before you book.

How do you verify a moving company is licensed and insured?

Start with one number: the U.S. DOT number. Federal law says a company may provide transportation as a motor carrier, or service as a broker, only if it is registered, and household goods rules require that number in every advertisement it runs, in the form “U.S. DOT No. (assigned number).”² A mover that can’t produce one isn’t a mover you can hire.

Look up the number before you call

The Department of Transportation points consumers to FMCSA’s Protect Your Move mover verification tools to confirm whether a company is registered as a household goods carrier or broker. Do this before the sales conversation. It costs nothing and settles a question a glossy website can’t. Confirm the registration is active for household goods rather than general freight, and find out whether you’re dealing with a mover or a broker. Brokers hand the job to a carrier, so the truck belongs to someone else, get that company’s name in writing.

Ask for the paperwork federal rules already require

When an interstate mover gives you a written estimate, it must also hand over two federal publications: “Ready to Move?” and “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.” Before you sign a bill of lading, it also owes you a notice about tariff availability plus summaries of its arbitration program and complaint procedure, with a main telephone number.

A company that hands these over unprompted is following the rules; one that’s never heard of them is telling you something. Then ask for a current certificate of insurance naming the company, and whether the crew carries workers’ compensation. That’s state law, not federal, and an uninsured injury in your stairwell becomes your homeowners policy’s problem. Our step-by-step guide to hiring movers walks the full sequence.

What will your move actually cost?

Your final bill is set by three things: how the mover charges, what the estimate leaves out, and whether it’s binding. Local moves are typically billed by the hour per mover and truck; interstate moves are priced mainly by shipment weight and distance. On a weight-based move, every box you don’t take is money you don’t spend, which makes downsizing your home the cheapest cost control available.

Binding, non-binding, and the 110% rule

A binding estimate guarantees you cannot be required to pay more than the amount on it at delivery, for the services it lists. A non-binding estimate is the mover’s reasonably accurate projection, and at delivery, it cannot require more than 110% of that figure.³ Any balance beyond that gets billed later, but the truck can’t be held over it.

A mover may charge for a written binding estimate but not for a non-binding one, which must be free and in writing. So “we charge for estimates” is legitimate for a binding quote and a red flag for a non-binding one.

The physical survey is the estimate’s foundation

Federal rules require an interstate mover to conduct a physical survey of your household goods and base its written estimate on what it actually saw. You can waive that survey, but the waiver must be in writing and signed before your shipment is loaded, and waiving it is precisely how lowball quotes happen. A video walkthrough is not a substitute for the survey: federal rules define a physical survey as one conducted on-site or virtually, and a virtual one counts as long as live or pre-recorded video lets the mover clearly identify the goods it will transport.⁴ A quote built from a phone call and a room count is neither, it’s a guess, and guesses get corrected on moving day.

The fee checklist to run line by line

Ask which of these are in your number and which are extra. This is where identical-looking estimates diverge.

Travel time and minimums: Hourly moves often bill the drive to and from your home, and many carry an hour minimum regardless of crew speed.
Long carry and stairs: Distance from truck to door and the number of flights are common surcharges, both knowable before you sign.
Shuttle service: If a tractor-trailer can’t reach your street, your goods transfer to a smaller truck, a surprise charge on tight streets.
Bulky and specialty items: Pianos, safes, gun cabinets, and large-format art are usually priced separately, so name yours during the survey.
Packing labor and materials: Boxes, tape, mattress cartons, and crating for fragile items are often quoted apart from the move itself.
Storage-in-transit: If your closing date slips and the truck must hold your shipment, ask the daily rate and who is liable meanwhile.
Appliance servicing: Disconnecting and reconnecting a washer, dryer, or refrigerator is often a third-party charge.

Build the moving budget around your closing date, not the reverse. Our guide to preparing for a home closing covers what must happen before keys change hands; booking a truck before your loan clears is an expensive lesson.

Full value protection vs. released value protection

Full value protection makes your mover responsible for repairing or replacing what it loses or damages; released value protection pays 60 cents per pound per article and nothing more. Your estimate must disclose both, labeled Option 1, Full Value Protection and Option 2, Waiver of Full Value Protection.⁵ Full value protection applies unless you sign that waiver.

Feature	Full value protection	Released value protection
Cost to you	An added charge, priced by the mover	Free, no additional cost
What the mover owes	Repair the item, replace it with an article of like kind and quality, or pay the cost to replace it	60 cents per pound, per article
Minimum shipment valuation	$6.00 per pound times the weight of your shipment	Not applicable. Payout is weight-based only
Payout on a lost 10-pound item worth $1,000	Repair, replacement, or the cost to replace it	$6.00
How you end up with it	Applies unless you waive it	You sign a waiver of full value protection

The federal booklet is blunt: a 10-pound stereo component valued at $1,000, lost or destroyed, obligates the mover to no more than $6.00. Run that math against your own shipment before deciding the free option is free. Note too that valuation isn’t insurance. A mover may offer separate third-party liability insurance, but isn’t required to.

How the claims process actually works

You have 9 months from the date of delivery to file a loss or damage claim. Once the carrier receives it, federal rules give it 30 days to acknowledge the claim in writing and 120 days to pay it, decline it, or make a firm compromise settlement offer, and if it can’t resolve the claim in that window, it must update you in writing every 60 days.⁶ Interstate movers must also maintain an arbitration program for loss and damage disputes.

Practical translation: photograph anything valuable before it’s loaded, keep the crew’s inventory sheet, and note damage on the delivery paperwork before you sign. A claim is a documentation contest decided on the two days you’re most distracted.

The 15 questions to ask before you sign

Ask all 15 on the phone or during the survey, and write the answers down. The pattern matters more than any single response: a legitimate company answers quickly, while a problem company gets vague where the money is. Our moving tips guide handles the logistics side once you’ve picked a company.

What’s your U.S. DOT number? A good answer is the number itself, offered immediately, not a detour into years in business.
Is your registration active for household goods? A good answer invites you to look it up, because the company knows what you’ll find.
Are you the moving company, or a broker? A good answer is direct, and a broker names the carrier that will load your things.
Can you send a current certificate of insurance? A good answer arrives by email the same day, with the company’s legal name on it.
Is your crew covered by workers’ compensation? A good answer is yes, with a carrier name. An uninsured injury at your house becomes your problem.
Will the survey be on-site or by video? A good answer commits to one, both count as the required survey, instead of asking you to waive it.
Is this estimate binding or non-binding? A good answer states the type plainly and explains what could still change the number.
What is not included in this estimate? A good answer names exclusions before you pry, stairs, long carry, shuttle, bulky items, materials.
Do you charge travel time, and is there a minimum? A good answer gives both figures in writing, not “it depends on the day.”
Who is loading my belongings, employees or temporary labor? A good answer is specific about who the crew works for and whether they’re screened.
Will my shipment share a trailer or transfer between trucks? A good answer is honest; consolidated loads are normal, but they change your delivery window.
What is my delivery window, and what if you miss it? A good answer is a date range in the paperwork, plus the policy on delay.
Which liability option am I signing, and what does the upgrade cost? A good answer walks through both and quotes the full value protection charge.
How do I file a claim, and what’s your timeline? A good answer references the 9-month filing window and the 30- and 120-day carrier deadlines.
Can I have three recent local references? A good answer produces nearby customers from recent months, not website testimonials.

Red flags that should end the conversation

Any one of these is reason enough to call the next company on your list.

No U.S. DOT number: On an interstate move this isn’t a paperwork gap, it’s a company operating outside federal registration requirements.
A quote with no survey and no waiver: A price produced without an on-site or video survey, and without the written waiver, is the classic setup for a moving-day repricing.
A large cash deposit up front: Substantial cash demanded before the truck arrives is the hardest money to recover and the easiest sign to read.
A blank or partly blank bill of lading: Never sign one. It’s your contract, and blank fields get filled in by someone whose interests aren’t yours.
No physical address or a rotating company name: Movers operating under several names, with no verifiable office, are hard to pursue later.
Vagueness about liability options: Both coverage choices must appear on your estimate; a rep who won’t explain them isn’t one to trust with a claim.

Trust the pattern, not one bad moment. If two surface in one conversation, you have your answer, and there’s more emotional weight here than people expect, which our piece on leaving an old home addresses honestly.

Why Align is local

Samantha lives and works in Oakland County. She knows these neighborhoods and these tax bills because they are hers too.

She gives back where she lives: local donations, a free community Easter egg hunt, and other events she pays for herself, with no sales pitch attached. When you move here, your mortgage broker is also your neighbor.

You can sit across a desk from her at 2625 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford.

Find your Michigan community

FAQ: Hiring movers

Here are answers to common questions about hiring movers.

What questions should I ask before hiring a moving company?

Start with the U.S. DOT number, proof of insurance, and whether the crew carries workers’ compensation. Then move to money: how they charge, whether the estimate is binding, what minimums and travel-time fees apply, and what stairs, bulky items, and materials add. Finish with which liability option you’re signing and how claims get handled. Our full guide to hiring movers covers the sequence in order.

How do I verify a moving company is legitimate?

Look up its U.S. DOT number through FMCSA’s free consumer tools, which show whether a company is registered as a household goods carrier or broker. Interstate movers must be federally registered, and that number has to appear in every advertisement they run. Confirm a real physical address, and be wary of large cash deposits or quotes given without a survey. Our Moving & Settling In hub collects the rest of the vetting steps.

What is the difference between full value protection and released value protection?

Full value protection makes the mover responsible for repairing a damaged item, replacing it with one of like kind and quality, or paying the cost to replace it, with a minimum shipment valuation of $6.00 per pound times your shipment’s weight. Released value protection is free but pays only 60 cents per pound per article, $6.00 on a 10-pound item worth $1,000. Our moving tips guide explains how to inventory high-value items first.

How much does it cost to hire movers?

It depends on how far you’re going. Local moves are typically billed hourly per mover and truck, so cost tracks crew size and job length. Interstate moves are priced mainly by shipment weight and distance, so reducing what you ship directly reduces the bill. Get written estimates from at least three registered movers and compare inclusions, not just totals. Trimming the load first, see downsizing your home. Is the most reliable way to lower a weight-based quote.

The bottom line on hiring movers

Hiring movers comes down to verification, written numbers, and liability. Check the company’s U.S. DOT number for free before you take any quote seriously. Get written estimates from three movers, know whether each is binding or non-binding, a non-binding estimate caps what you can be required to pay at delivery at 110% of the quote, and run the fee checklist line by line so you’re comparing the same move. Choose your liability level deliberately, because released value protection pays 60 cents per pound per article, or $6.00 on a 10-pound item. File any claim within 9 months of delivery, set up USPS mail forwarding for your change of address, and let our guide to home maintenance for new owners take over once you’re in.

If you’re ready to buy and want moving day to be the only thing left on your list, talk to Align Lending. We’ll shop your scenario across our lender network, show you the numbers side by side, and keep your file on a closing date you can book a truck around. Call 248-506-5727 or start online today.

Footnotes:

1. Federal household goods moving rules described here apply to interstate moves and are set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; they are subject to change, and moves within a single state are governed by that state’s law instead. Align Lending is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of FMCSA or the U.S. Department of Transportation. Return to text.

2. Registration requirement, 49 U.S.C. § 13901. U.S. DOT number display in advertising, 49 CFR § 375.207. Required publications and pre-bill-of-lading disclosures, 49 CFR § 375.213. Return to text.

3. Physical survey, written estimate, survey waiver, and estimate charges, 49 CFR § 375.401. Binding estimates, 49 CFR § 375.403. Non-binding estimates, 49 CFR § 375.405. The 110% limit on charges collected at delivery under a non-binding estimate, 49 CFR § 375.703 and appendix A to 49 CFR part 375. Cost structures described in this article are general and are not a quote from any moving company. Return to text.

4. Definition of “physical survey” as a survey conducted on-site or virtually, with the virtual option conditioned on live or pre-recorded video that allows the carrier to clearly identify the household goods to be transported, 49 CFR § 375.103. Return to text.

5. Full value protection, released value protection, the 60-cents-per-pound-per-article limit, the $6.00 per pound minimum shipment valuation, and the 10-pound $1,000 stereo component example, appendix A to 49 CFR part 375 (“Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”); normal carrier liability and waiver to released rates, 49 CFR § 375.201. Return to text.

6. Nine-month claim filing window, appendix A to 49 CFR part 375. Thirty-day written acknowledgment, 49 CFR § 370.5. One-hundred-twenty-day requirement to pay, decline, or make a firm compromise settlement offer, and 60-day status updates thereafter, 49 CFR § 370.9. Arbitration program requirement, 49 CFR § 375.211. Return to text.

Sources: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Protect Your Move”; appendix A to 49 CFR part 375, “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”; 49 CFR part 375 (transportation of household goods in interstate commerce, consumer protection regulations); 49 CFR part 370 (principles and practices for the investigation and voluntary disposition of loss and damage claims); 49 U.S.C. § 13901. Definition of a physical survey conducted on-site or virtually, 49 CFR § 375.103.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, financial, or tax advice. Moving contracts, bills of lading, liability waivers, and loss or damage claims should be reviewed by a qualified professional, and federal moving regulations are subject to change. Align Lending does not provide, arrange, endorse, or recommend moving services. Consult a qualified professional about your situation. Align Lending is an independent Michigan mortgage broker, NMLS #2041154.