National Van Lines has been in business since 1929, and over the decades we’ve watched the tools available to moving customers improve significantly. Today the federal government publishes everything you need to evaluate any interstate carrier before you hire them for interstate moving services. A USDOT number is one of the key identifiers that the federal government uses in the moving industry.
7 Steps for Verifying a Long Distance Mover With Their USDOT Number
To get started you’ll need to locate the USDOT number for the mover you’re considering hiring. Most of them list their number on the footer of their website, and make it available in any materials they share with you.
Alternatively, look up the number in the federal SAFER database to verify they are a long distance moving company, then confirm that the carrier’s operating authority is active for household goods. Check its insurance and complaint history, and make sure the legal name on file matches the company that’s giving you the quote. It takes about 10 minutes, uses only official government tools, plus every step is free. When a mover cannot produce a valid USDOT number then you should not hire them.
Here’s exactly how to use the tools and resources provided by the government to make the best choice for your long distance move.
1. Start With the USDOT Number Look-Up
Any company that transports household goods across state lines is legally required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and display its USDOT number on its marketing materials, including its website, quotes and trucks. This requirement comes from federal regulation (49 CFR 390.21).
Your first task is simply to find the USDOT number. An accredited interstate mover lists it openly. National Van Lines’ USDOT number is 76628. You’ll find it at the bottom of our website and on every quote we send. An interstate mover operating without a visible USDOT number is not properly registered. A legitimate long distance moving company makes its USDOT number easy to find.
2. Look Up the USDOT Number in the FMCSA SAFER System
Once you have the USDOT number, go to the FMCSA’s SAFER System. You can search by USDOT number, MC number or company name. The USDOT number is the most reliable search because company names are easy to fake or copy.
This quick list will help you identify the status of your moving company. It’s a very reliable way to confirm a carrier is legally authorized to move you in the first place. When the record loads, check for these three things.
- Operating Status – Look for ACTIVE. If it says “Out of Service” or “Inactive,” the company is not legally authorized to move you right now.
- Entity Type and Authority – Confirm the carrier holds authority for household goods (HHG). A company with freight authority but no HHG authority is not licensed to move your home.
- Operating Status Date – A brand-new registration isn’t automatically a problem, but still conduct the complaint and insurance checks below before you trust it with a cross-country move.
3. Confirm the Legal Name Matches
Every moving company operating across state lines is required to have a USDOT number, and that number is permanent. It belongs to one legal entity and cannot be sold, transferred or reassigned. The FMCSA will take away operating authority from any company found using a USDOT number that was not issued to them.
That rule exists because a real fraud pattern has been documented for years. A moving company will operate while building a record of complaints or safety violations, then shut down and reopen under a new name with a clean slate.
When you check a mover in SAFER, look at whether the legal name and any DBA (doing business as) name matches the company you are actually talking to. If the name on your quote, the name on the USDOT record, and the name on the contract all say something different, ask for an explanation before you sign anything. A legitimate mover will be able to answer your questions without issue.
4. Know the Difference Between a Moving Company and a Broker
When you request a moving quote, you may be talking to a moving carrier or a broker. There are important differences between a moving carrier and a moving broker
A moving carrier owns trucks and employs the moving crews—these are the companies that physically move your belongings. A moving broker sells you a move, then contracts it out to a carrier you did not choose and may have never heard of. Brokers are legal and regulated, but the company that shows up on moving day may not be the one you thought you hired.
National Van Lines is a licensed carrier. Your move stays within the National Van Lines agent network from start to finish.
When you verify any mover in SAFER, check whether they are listed as a carrier or a broker. It tells you who is actually accountable on moving day.
5. Check Insurance and Safety History
Inside the SAFER record, you can determine whether or not the carrier has active insurance. For a household goods mover, look for active BIPD (bodily injury and property damage) coverage and cargo coverage. When neither is on file, then that carrier is operating illegally, and you should not book with them.
While you’re there, also check these two safety data points.
- Out-of-Service Rate – This is the percentage of vehicles pulled off the road during inspections for safety violations. A carrier with a high rate has a maintenance problem worth knowing about.
- Crash History – Look at total crashes relative to fleet size. A small carrier with a high crash count relative to how many trucks they run reveals a much different story than a large carrier with the same number.
It’s important to remember that these two data points can give more context about a carrier’s safety and maintenance history. The most important thing is that the moving company has proper insurance. No active coverage means that you should not let them move your household.
6. Read the FMCSA Complaint History
The FMCSA runs a National Consumer Complaint Database. You can search any carrier by name and see what customers have reported.
One complaint found on a large mover’s record is not unusual. What you’re looking for is a pattern, especially concerning issues like these.
- Hostage Load – In this situation, the mover loads your belongings, then demands payment well above the original estimate before they will unload. This is illegal, and one of the most common interstate moving scams.
- Deceptive Business Practices – Such practices include bait-and-switch pricing or fees that were never disclosed up-front.
- Weight Estimate Disputes – This is a lowball quote that grows significantly once your belongings are on the truck.
A cluster of complaints about hostage loads, deceptive business practices or weight estimate disputes is a reason to bypass that company and keep looking.
7. Understand Your Estimate Before You Sign
Before you sign anything, make sure you understand your estimate type and your valuation coverage.
A binding estimate locks in a price based on the inventory you provide. A non-binding estimate is based on the actual weight of your shipment, and federal rules cap what a mover can collect at delivery at 110% of that estimate. If a driver demands more than that before unloading, they are violating federal law.
On valuation, you will typically have two coverage options. Released Value is free but if something is damaged, it pays only 60 cents per pound per article. Full Value Protection costs more and covers replacement value. Ask your mover to explain both in writing before moving day.
Once you understand how to use a USDOT number to verify your long distance moving company, keep up your learning streak with our blog on how to understand and compare moving company quotes.
Why USDOT Verification Matters When Choosing Long Distance Moving Companies
Running a USDOT number look-up takes about 10 minutes or less. What it tells you is whether the long distance moving company you’re considering is legally authorized, properly insured, and accountable to federal oversight.
National Van Lines has operated under the same USDOT number for over three million miles of long distance moves. In a business built on trust, that continuity matters.
“The customers who have the smoothest moves are almost always the ones who asked the right questions up-front, because they understand exactly who they’re hiring. At National Van Lines, we’re incredibly proud to be a long-time licensed carrier, and we welcome open conversations about who we are, and our status as a long distance moving company.”
– Mark Doyle, President, National Van Lines
We understand that your belongings are an invaluable (and sometimes irreplaceable) part of your household, and we know you want to protect them. By choosing a credible long distance moving company like National Van Lines, you’ll get legitimate protections that provide peace of mind.
What to Do if Something Goes Wrong
If a mover threatens to hold your shipment, demands cash beyond the legal limit or refuses to deliver, know that you have a direct line to the federal government. Call the FMCSA’s complaint hotline at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238), open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. You can also file online through the National Consumer Complaint Database.
Your 10-Minute USDOT Verification Checklist
Before you sign anything with a long distance mover, here are the steps to take in checklist form.
- Find the USDOT number. It should be easy to find on the website and on every quote.
- Look it up in SAFER and confirm status is ACTIVE with HHG authority.
- Match the legal name and DBA to the company quoting you.
- Confirm whether you’re hiring a carrier or a broker.
- Verify active insurance (BIPD and cargo).
- Scan safety data for out-of-service rates and crash history outliers.
- Read the complaint database for patterns of hostage loads or deceptive pricing.
- Verify any ProMover badge in the official registry at promover.amsa.org.
- Get your estimate type (binding vs. non-binding) and valuation coverage in writing.
- Save the FMCSA hotline number in case anything goes wrong.
Doing 10 minutes of research before you book is the easiest part of a long distance move. The carriers worth hiring will make the rest of the move just as straightforward.
Choose a Long Distance Moving Company You Can Verify
A little research before you book can help you feel more confident about the mover handling your household goods. Ready to work with a long distance moving company you can verify in minutes? Call National Van Lines at 800-323-1962 or request a free, no-obligation written quote today.