How to Hire an Interstate Mover Without Getting Scammed in 2026

To hire an interstate mover safely, confirm the company is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, get at least three written estimates based on an in-home or video survey, and never pay a large cash deposit. On a non-binding estimate, federal rules cap what a mover can demand at delivery at 110 percent of the estimate.

Moving across state lines is one of the most expensive single bills a household pays, and it is also where some of the worst consumer scams happen. This guide is for renters and buyers planning a long-distance move. It covers how to check that an interstate mover is legitimate, how estimates and the 110 percent rule work, what valuation coverage actually pays, and what to do if a mover holds your things.

Kenponet covers moving costs the way a loan officer reads a closing statement: line by line. Most of the protections below come from federal rules, so they apply in every state for a move that crosses a state line.

How to check that an interstate mover is legitimate

Start with registration. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires every company that moves household goods across state lines to have a USDOT number and to register with the agency. FMCSA's guide to movers versus brokers explains that a broker must register too, even though it owns no trucks and cannot move anything itself.

That difference matters more than most people expect. Many of the companies that come up first in a search are brokers. A broker takes your deposit, then sells the job to a carrier you have never heard of. FMCSA says a broker must give you a list of the movers it uses, use only registered movers, and base its estimate on the actual mover's tariff.

Run these checks on any company before you book. They take about 20 minutes:

Red flags that point to a moving scam

Most moving scams follow the same script. FMCSA's list of moving scam red flags starts with a mover or broker that gives an estimate over the phone or online without seeing your belongings. Others include a demand for cash or a large deposit, a request to sign blank documents, and a rental truck showing up instead of a company-marked truck.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) gives similar advice in its consumer alert on hiring a moving company. It says a reputable mover should look at your things in person or ask you to describe them in detail before giving a price. It also warns against paperwork with blank spaces for prices, dates or signatures.

The classic scam is a lowball estimate followed by a much higher bill once your things are on the truck. The mover then refuses to unload until you pay. These are called hostage loads. FMCSA's Operation Protect Your Move enforcement sweeps in 2023 and 2024 targeted exactly this pattern. The 2024 sweep ran investigations in 17 states over about three weeks in April.

Binding vs. non-binding estimates: what is the 110 percent rule?

The 110 percent rule limits what a mover can demand at delivery on a non-binding estimate. Under the federal rule at 49 CFR 375.703, the most a mover can collect on delivery is 110 percent of the estimate, plus services you added and certain hard-access charges. Any remaining balance must be billed later.

A binding estimate works differently. It fixes the price for the services listed, so the amount you pay at delivery is the estimate plus anything you added after signing. If you show up with more furniture than the survey covered, the mover can revise it before loading.

Here is the arithmetic on a typical cross-country move. The numbers are a worked example, not a quote.

The binding estimate costs $300 more on paper. If the weight comes in heavy, though, the non-binding job ends up at $6,000 in total. That gap is why many buyers pay a little more for certainty. A "binding not-to-exceed" estimate, where you pay the lower of the estimate or the actual weight, is worth asking for too.

What valuation coverage actually pays

Valuation coverage is the mover's liability for your things, and it is not the same as insurance. FMCSA's page on liability and protection for interstate moves says movers must offer two options: Full Value Protection and Released Value Protection.

Released Value Protection is free, but it pays no more than 60 cents per pound per article. FMCSA's own example is a 25-pound, 50-inch TV. If it is destroyed, you get $15. You must sign a statement on the bill of lading to choose this option. If you do not, the shipment moves under Full Value Protection by default.

Full Value Protection makes the mover responsible for repair, replacement or the current value of lost or damaged items, though it costs extra. Movers can limit liability on items worth more than $100 per pound, such as jewelry or fine china, unless you list them on the shipping documents. Our advice at Kenponet: list those items, or carry them yourself.

Questions to ask every interstate mover before you book

A short phone call tells you a lot about a moving company. Legitimate interstate movers answer these questions without hesitation, and they put the answers in writing. These are the questions worth asking each company on your shortlist:

Compare the answers side by side. A company that dodges the broker question, refuses a survey or pushes for cash has told you what you need to know. Cross it off the list, even if its price is the lowest by several hundred dollars.

Paperwork to keep, and what to do if something goes wrong

Your paperwork is your protection. Before you sign anything, an interstate mover must give you the "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" booklet and FMCSA's "Ready to Move" brochure. These are the documents to keep in one folder:

If a mover demands more than the law allows at delivery, stay calm and put it in writing. Offer the legal amount, note any damage on the inventory before you sign, and file a written claim for loss or damage. FMCSA takes complaints, but it says it cannot resolve individual claims for you. For that, you may need your state attorney general, the mover's arbitration program or small claims court.

Budget for the whole move, not just the truck

The truck is only part of the bill. Deposits, overlapping rent and utility hookups add up fast. If you are moving into a rental, ask about move-in specials; our guide to negotiating rent and concessions shows how a free month can offset a chunk of the cost. On the way out, our rundown of security deposit deadlines by state explains how to get your old deposit back on time.

Moving to Canada, or within it, brings its own costs. Our breakdown of what moving into a rental in Canada costs upfront covers that side.

The short version

Hiring an interstate mover safely comes down to three checks. Confirm FMCSA registration and whether you are dealing with a mover or a broker. Get written estimates based on a real survey, and know the 110 percent rule before moving day. Decide on valuation coverage on purpose instead of accepting 60 cents a pound by default.

Start your search at least six weeks out if you can. Pick three registered movers, ask each for a binding or binding not-to-exceed estimate, and compare them side by side using the table above.