Directory being compiled
Checking a mover in Florida
Our Florida carrier directory is still being compiled from the FMCSA record, so there are no listings here yet. You can check any mover yourself in about ten minutes; here is how.
Four steps to check any mover
They work the same for a company based in Florida or anywhere else.
Get the numbers in writing
Ask for the company’s legal name and its USDOT number, and for a move across state lines its MC number too. They belong on the written estimate. A mover that will not give them has answered your question.
Look the USDOT number up
Type it into the FMCSA Company Snapshot on SAFER. It is free, needs no account and takes about a minute. Search by name if you only have the brand, then match the number.
Match the record to the paperwork
The legal name, address and numbers on the snapshot should match the estimate. For an interstate move, the record should show authority to carry household goods and insurance filings on record.
Get the estimate in writing
Binding or non-binding, it should be written. On a non-binding estimate the mover cannot demand more than 110% of it at delivery; any rest is billed later. Ask for the “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” booklet.
Six lines to read on the SAFER snapshot
Search by USDOT number, then read these six lines.
- Legal name and DBA
- The same company named on your estimate. A brand name is fine if the legal name behind it matches.
- USDOT status
- Active. “Inactive” or “not found” means stop and ask why before you pay anything.
- Operating authority
- For a move across state lines, authority that covers household goods. A broker can arrange a move but does not haul it, and must say so.
- Insurance on file
- Filings on record for a carrier. This is the company’s federal minimum, not coverage for your belongings.
- Out-of-service orders
- None. An out-of-service order is a reason to walk away.
- Safety rating
- Many carriers are simply unrated. That alone is not a warning sign, but a “conditional” or “unsatisfactory” rating is worth a question.
A move that stays inside Florida
The federal record covers moves that cross a state line. A move that starts and ends in Florida can fall under state rules instead, so ask the mover which state agency licenses it and check there as well.
Red flags worth walking away from
A price over the phone, sight unseen
A real estimate comes after the mover sees your home or a full inventory, by video or in person.
A large deposit before anything is written
Be wary of a big cash or wire deposit before you have the estimate, the legal name and the USDOT number in writing.
The name keeps changing
The company on the phone, the estimate and the snapshot should be the same one. A new name on the paperwork needs an explanation in writing.
No USDOT number on the estimate
“We’ll add it to the bill of lading later” is not good enough for an interstate move.
Get written estimates for your Florida move
The 8 Top Movers moving team gets rates from the licensed movers in its network and brings back written estimates. You never pay us, and asking is never a booking.