How to Check a Mover Is Licensed in Massachusetts

Who regulates movers in Massachusetts

Two agencies matter, and which one applies depends on where your move ends. For a move that starts and ends inside Massachusetts, the Department of Public Utilities licenses and regulates household goods movers through its Transportation Oversight Division. For a move that crosses a state line, the federal Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires the mover to be registered and to carry a USDOT number.

So a Cape Cod family moving from Hyannis to Boston is dealing with the state. A family moving from Falmouth to Rhode Island is dealing with the state and the federal government. A reputable company should be able to tell you which numbers it holds without hesitating.

How to look up a mover, step by step

1. Ask the company for its Massachusetts DPU authority number and its USDOT number. If it moves you across state lines and cannot give you a USDOT number, that is your answer.
2. Check the DPU's public list of licensed household goods movers on mass.gov. The DPU makes the list searchable so you can confirm the company name matches the license.
3. Search the company on the FMCSA's Protect Your Move page. It shows whether the mover is registered to carry household goods between states, along with insurance information and complaint records.
4. Check that the name on the license matches the name on the estimate, the truck and the contract. A different name is a reason to ask why.
5. Read the company's reviews on more than one site, and look at how the company answered the negative ones.

You can also ask the DPU for a copy of the rates a mover has on file with the agency. Licensed movers file their rates with the state, which makes it possible to compare what a company quotes you against what it has filed.

Look up any company you are considering, including us. Our USDOT number is 2267484, and it is on every page of this site.

Get the estimate in writing

The Massachusetts Movers Association calls a written estimate one of your best safeguards against overcharges and unpleasant surprises. It also points out that an estimate is not a bid or a contract, and that the lowest number is not always the lowest final cost.

Know which kind of estimate you have been given. A binding estimate fixes the price for the work described. A non-binding estimate is the mover's best guess, and the final bill depends on the actual weight or time. For interstate moves, the FMCSA says federal law requires a mover to deliver your goods for no more than 10 percent above a non-binding estimate, a limit often called the 110 percent rule. That is a federal rule for interstate moves. For a move within Massachusetts, ask the mover and the DPU how overages are handled, and get the answer written on the estimate.

• Ask whether the estimate is binding or non-binding, and have it written on the document.
• Ask what the price includes: stairs, long carries, packing materials, fuel, travel time.
• Ask how extra time or extra items are charged if the job grows.
• Be careful with an estimate given over the phone for a whole-house move without anyone seeing the home.

Read the bill of lading before you sign

The Massachusetts Movers Association describes the bill of lading as the contract between you and the mover. Sign it before packing or loading begins, and check every detail on it first: the addresses, the date, the services and the liability terms. Do not sign a blank or partly filled form.

Understand how much the mover pays if something breaks

The base level of protection is often lower than people expect. The Massachusetts Movers Association says the base declared rate limits a mover's responsibility to $0.60 per pound per article. On that basis, a 40-pound television that is destroyed is worth about $24 to the mover, whatever it cost you.

Ask what higher levels of coverage are available and what they cost, and ask specifically about antiques, art and other high-value pieces. For interstate moves, the FMCSA says a mover must offer you the option of Full Value Protection, which covers the replacement value of lost or damaged goods. Your homeowner's or renter's insurance may cover some of this too. Call your insurer before moving day, not after.

Red flags to walk away from

• No USDOT number in the company's ads or on its website, on a move that crosses state lines. The FMCSA advises avoiding movers that do not show one.
• A company name on the estimate that differs from the name on the truck or contract.
• A price quoted with no written estimate and no one seeing what is being moved.
• Pressure to sign a blank or incomplete contract.
• A demand for a large cash deposit before you have anything in writing.

If something goes wrong

Report damage as soon as you find it, first by phone and then in writing, and keep the damaged items so an adjuster can see them. The bill of lading may set time limits for claims, so read that section on day one. For a problem with a Massachusetts mover, you can file a complaint with the DPU's Transportation Oversight Division. For an interstate mover, the FMCSA takes complaints.

Planning a move on Cape Cod?

If you are planning a local or long-distance move, see how our local moves on Cape Cod work, or read the overview on our moving page. When you are ready, get an instant quote or call (508) 400-5788, Monday to Saturday, 7am to 5pm.

Common questions