Trust & vetting
How to Verify a Mover's USDOT License
Moving Union Standards Team6 min readUpdated July 2026
A USDOT number is a moving company's federal ID, and it's the single most useful thing you can check yourself. For any interstate (state-to-state) move, the mover must have an active USDOT number with household-goods authority. Here's how to verify it in a few minutes, for free, on public government records.
Verify it step by step
- 01
Find the USDOT number
It should appear on the mover's website, written estimate, and the side of its trucks. If you can't find one anywhere for an interstate move, that alone is a reason to stop.
- 02
Look it up on FMCSA SAFER
Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and search the USDOT number (or company name). The Company Snapshot shows operating status, authority, and the legal + 'doing business as' names.
- 03
Confirm active authority
Check that the operating status is 'active', not 'inactive,' 'out-of-service,' or 'revoked', and that the company is authorized for household goods (HHG) if your move is interstate.
- 04
Check insurance and the registration date
The snapshot's insurance section shows whether required coverage is on file. An old MCS-150 registration date is a good sign of real tenure; a brand-new one on a company claiming decades of experience is not.
- 05
Match the name
Confirm the legal name on SAFER matches the name on your estimate and the truck. A mismatch can mean you're dealing with a broker or a re-registered company hiding a record.
What about in-state moves?
A move that stays within one state ('intrastate') may not require federal USDOT authority, instead it's regulated by your state (a public-utilities commission, department of transportation, or the state DMV, depending on where you live). Search your state regulator for the mover's intrastate authority. Some intrastate movers also carry a USDOT number; either way, licensing should be verifiable.
Public records you can check
- FMCSA SAFER (safer.fmcsa.dot.gov), operating authority, insurance, registration date.
- FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov), complaint history.
- Your state's transportation or utilities regulator, intrastate authority.
- The Better Business Bureau (bbb.org), complaint themes and business responses.
Verifying a license is exactly the kind of homework Moving Union does before matching you, but the record is public, and you should always confirm it yourself. See the full 5-point standard we screen every mover against.
Frequently asked
Where do I check a mover's USDOT number?
On the FMCSA SAFER website (safer.fmcsa.dot.gov). Search the USDOT number or company name to pull the Company Snapshot, which shows operating status, household-goods authority, insurance on file, and the registration date.
Does a local mover need a USDOT number?
Not always. Interstate moves require a federal USDOT number with household-goods authority. A move that stays within one state is regulated by that state, so the mover needs state operating authority instead, though many intrastate movers carry a USDOT number too.
What if the USDOT number shows inactive?
Treat it as a stop sign. An inactive, out-of-service, or revoked authority means the company isn't currently authorized to operate, and a number that belongs to a different company name can signal a broker or a re-registered operator hiding a complaint history.