License verified
What we check. Active operating authority for the move type: a federal USDOT number and interstate HHG authority for cross-state moves, or the state operating authority required for intrastate moves. We confirm the number is active and matches the operating company name.
Why it matters. Licensing is the single hardest line between a real carrier and a rogue operation. Unlicensed movers are the ones behind most hostage-load and disappearing-truck stories, because there is no authority holding their registration.
Verify it yourself
- Look up the USDOT number on the FMCSA SAFER company snapshot (safer.fmcsa.dot.gov), it should show active authority and 'HHG' (household goods) if interstate.
- For an in-state move, search your state's transportation or public-utilities regulator for the mover's intrastate authority.
- Confirm the licensed legal name matches the name on the estimate and the truck.
Red flags
- No USDOT number anywhere on the website, estimate, or truck.
- A USDOT number that shows 'inactive' or belongs to a different company name.
- The company only operates under a generic 'moving broker' name with no carrier authority of its own.
Insurance confirmed
What we check. Current liability and cargo insurance on file, and that interstate movers offer the two federally-required valuation options, Released Value (free, 60¢/lb per article) and Full Value Protection. We confirm coverage is active, not lapsed.
Why it matters. If a licensed mover damages or loses your belongings, insurance and valuation are what actually make you whole. 'Valuation' is not the same as insurance, and a mover with lapsed coverage leaves you exposed for the full value of your home's contents.
Verify it yourself
- Check the 'Insurance' tab on the FMCSA SAFER snapshot for active BIPD/cargo coverage on interstate carriers.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance and confirm the policy dates are current.
- Read the valuation section of the estimate, know whether you're getting 60¢/lb Released Value or Full Value Protection before you sign.
Red flags
- The mover can't or won't produce a current certificate of insurance.
- You're told 'everything is fully covered' with no written valuation option or policy.
- Coverage is described only as the free 60¢/lb minimum with no full-value option offered on an interstate move.
Source: FMCSA, Your Rights & Responsibilities When You Move (valuation)
Complaint history
What we check. The mover's record in the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database and its Better Business Bureau profile, complaint volume relative to size, the nature of complaints (especially hostage-load, overcharge, and damage patterns), and whether complaints are answered and resolved.
Why it matters. A pattern of the same complaint, a final bill far above the estimate, a truck held hostage for extra cash, is the clearest predictor of how your move will go. Movers rank among the most-complained-about industries every year, so a clean, responsive record is meaningful signal.
Verify it yourself
- Search the mover at the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov).
- Read the BBB profile: look at complaint themes and whether the business responds, not just the letter grade.
- Weigh complaint count against company size, a large carrier will have more raw complaints than a two-truck local.
Red flags
- Repeated complaints describing a final price far above the written estimate.
- Any complaint describing goods held hostage for additional payment.
- A wall of unanswered complaints, or a company that has re-registered under a new name to shed its record.
Review quality
What we check. The quality, recency, and consistency of genuine reviews across independent platforms, not a single cherry-picked star rating. We look for a sustained recent track record and watch for the fingerprints of fake or incentivized reviews.
Why it matters. Reviews are only trustworthy in aggregate and over time. A burst of five-star reviews in one week, or nothing newer than two years ago, tells you more than the headline number. Consistent, recent, specific reviews are the ones that predict your experience.
Verify it yourself
- Read the most recent reviews first, and sort by lowest rating to see how the company handles problems.
- Cross-check the same mover on more than one independent platform, the picture should be consistent.
- Be skeptical of many short, generic five-star reviews posted in a tight window.
Red flags
- Dozens of five-star reviews posted within a few days of each other.
- No reviews newer than a year or two, or reviews that never mention a real move detail.
- Identical wording repeated across multiple 'different' reviewers.
Years in business
What we check. Verified years of operation under the same authority and name, an established track record rather than a brand-new registration or a broker with no crews of its own. We confirm the operating history behind the name on the estimate.
Why it matters. The rogue-mover playbook depends on churn: register, collect deposits, gather complaints, dissolve, and re-register under a new name. A mover with real tenure under one authority has something to lose by mistreating you, and the crews to actually do your move.
Verify it yourself
- Check how long the USDOT authority has been active on the FMCSA snapshot (an 'MCS-150' date far in the past is a good sign).
- Confirm whether you're hiring a carrier with its own crews and trucks or a broker that will subcontract your move.
- Match the business's stated founding year against its licensing and review history for consistency.
Red flags
- Authority registered only weeks or months ago with no operating history.
- A broker taking a large deposit while refusing to name the actual carrier who will move you.
- A company name that appears brand-new but shares an address or phone with a dissolved business.
The data sources we use, and you can too
Every check above is on a public record. We do the work so you start from a vetted shortlist, but nothing here is secret, you can and should confirm any mover yourself before your move.
- FMCSA SAFER
Company Snapshot, operating authority, household-goods authorization, insurance on file, and registration date.
- FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB)
Federal complaint records against household-goods movers, the clearest signal of overcharge and hostage-load patterns.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Complaint themes and whether a business responds and resolves, read the responses, not just the letter grade.
- State transportation & utilities regulators
Intrastate operating authority for in-state moves, which FMCSA does not license (each state regulates its own).
Why vetting matters: the numbers
These are honest, sourced 2026 benchmarks, stated as ranges, never false precision, that explain why a standard like this exists.
- Household-goods moving complaints filed with FMCSA each year
- ~3,000–4,500
- FMCSA-registered interstate household-goods movers, nationwide
- ~7,000–8,000
- Most common serious complaints
- Overcharge vs. estimate · shipment held hostage · loss & damage · pickup/delivery delays
- Federally-required free valuation (Released Value)
- $0.60 per pound, per article
- How often the typical household moves
- about once every 5–7 years
Order-of-magnitude from FMCSA NCCDB household-goods complaint volumes reported in recent years; annual counts vary and many incidents go unreported, so treat as a floor, not a precise total. FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database
Approximate count of active interstate HHG carriers registered with FMCSA; intrastate-only movers are licensed by states and not included, so the true universe of movers is larger. FMCSA, registered household goods carriers
The recurring complaint categories FMCSA highlights in consumer guidance; ordering reflects severity/consumer-harm, not exact frequency. FMCSA, Protect Your Move
The federal minimum liability an interstate mover must offer at no charge; it is not insurance and rarely covers replacement value, the exact, non-ranged figure set by 49 CFR. FMCSA, Ready to Move / valuation options
Derived from US annual mover rates (~8–9% of the population moves each year); an average, not a rule, which is exactly why most homeowners have no trusted mover relationship. SEED / MARKET (US Census mover-rate basis)
How we vet movers, FAQ
What is the Union 5-point standard?
It's the published set of five checks every mover must clear before Moving Union will match it with you: active license (USDOT or state operating authority), confirmed insurance, a reviewed complaint history, genuine and recent reviews, and verified years in business. A mover that fails any point is not matched.
Does Union Verified guarantee a good move?
No, and we won't claim it does. 'Union Verified' means a mover passed our 5-point screen at the time of review. It sharply lowers your risk, but it is not a guarantee of price, availability, or outcome. Always confirm licensing and get a written estimate before your move.
Can I verify a mover myself?
Absolutely, and we encourage it. Every check we run is on public records, FMCSA SAFER for licensing and insurance, the FMCSA complaint database and the BBB for complaint history, and your state regulator for intrastate authority. The links are on this page.
How is this different from a lead marketplace?
Big directories list anyone who pays and sell your details to as many buyers as possible. We do the opposite: only vetted movers are in the network, we match you with at most two, and each is named before it contacts you, with one-to-one consent you control.
Start from a vetted shortlist
Get matched with up to two Union-Verified movers who cleared all five points, each named before they call.