Mover Check
Is My Mover a Broker or a Carrier? How to Check in 5 Minutes
Quick answer: Search the company's USDOT number in the FMCSA Company Snapshot. The record says whether it is a carrier (moves your goods with its own trucks), a broker (sells your move to a carrier), or both. A household goods broker is also required by federal law to tell you it is a broker and to name the carriers it works with.
Why it matters
With a carrier, the company that quotes you is the company that loads your truck. With a broker, your move is handed to a carrier, sometimes one you have never heard of until moving day. That carrier sets the final bill and handles any damage claim. Many of the worst moving complaints (a price that jumps at pickup, a late delivery, goods held until you pay more) start with a brokered move where nobody told the shopper who was really doing the work.
How to check in 5 steps
Find the company's USDOT number
Look on the company's website, quote or contract. Every interstate mover and household goods broker must display it, and federal rules require brokers to show it in their advertising. FMCSA retired MC numbers in October 2025, so the USDOT number is the one to search. If a company will not give you a USDOT number, stop there.
Search it in the FMCSA Company Snapshot
Go to the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot, choose USDOT Number, and enter it. Check that the legal name and address match the company you are talking to. A different name is a reason to ask questions.
Read the entity type and operating authority
The snapshot lists the entity type as carrier, broker, or both. A carrier moves your goods with its own trucks and drivers. A broker sells the move and hands it to a carrier. Also look at power units and drivers: a company selling long-distance moves with zero trucks is arranging them through someone else.
Check the household goods complaint record
Search the same company in FMCSA's household goods mover search to see its complaint history. A pattern of complaints about final prices, deposits or held shipments deserves a hard look.
Get the answer in writing
Ask who will physically move your goods, and get that company's name and USDOT number on your estimate or contract. Then run steps 2 to 4 on that company too.
Tools: FMCSA Company Snapshot · FMCSA household goods mover search · FMCSA complaint database
Quick self check
Answer what you know. This is a guide, not an official determination; the FMCSA record is the final word.
Broker vs carrier at a glance
| Carrier | Broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Who shows up on moving day | Its own crew and truck | A carrier the broker assigns, sometimes chosen after you book |
| Owns trucks and employs crews | Yes | No |
| Who is responsible for loss or damage | The carrier | The carrier that handles your goods, not the broker |
| Who writes the estimate | The carrier, from its own tariff | The broker may relay one, but federal rules say it must be based on the carrier's tariff and a survey of your goods |
| FMCSA entity type | Carrier | Broker |
| Main advantage | One company from quote to delivery | Can shop your move to several carriers |
| Main risk | Limited to that carrier's schedule and routes | The final carrier may price or schedule differently than the salesperson promised |
What a moving broker must give you by law
Federal rules for household goods brokers (49 CFR Part 371, Subpart B) say a broker working with an individual shopper must:
- Say it is a broker. It must tell you it is not a motor carrier and is only arranging your move with an FMCSA-authorized carrier (49 CFR 371.107 and 371.109).
- Show where it is and how to look it up. Its ads and website must list its physical location and its USDOT registration (371.107).
- Give you its list of carriers. It must provide a list of the authorized carriers it works with, with their registration numbers (371.109).
- Give you federal consumer information. Including FMCSA's Ready to Move publication, by link or on paper (371.111).
- Base any estimate on the carrier's tariff and a survey. Estimates must be written and based on a physical survey of your goods by the carrier, unless you sign a waiver (371.113).
- Tell you its cancellation, deposit and refund policy. In writing, before you commit (371.117).
If a company that turns out to be a broker never told you so, that is a warning sign on its own.
Red flags
- The company cannot or will not tell you who will actually move your goods.
- The quote is far below every other quote for the same volume. See typical prices in our 2026 Moving Cost Report.
- A large deposit is required before a carrier is even named.
- The estimate was given over the phone with no inventory, video survey or in-home survey.
- The name on the contract is different from the name on the website.
- The FMCSA record shows zero trucks for a company that says it runs its own fleet.
Questions to ask before you pay a deposit
- Are you a carrier, a broker, or both?
- Which company's truck and crew will pick up my goods? What is that company's USDOT number?
- Is this estimate binding, not to exceed, or non-binding? Is it based on a survey of my inventory?
- How much is the deposit, and when is it refundable?
- Who do I call if my shipment is late or damaged?
How CMR shows carrier and broker status
Every company profile on Consumer Moving Reviews shows whether the company is a carrier or a broker, based on its FMCSA record, and carrier verification is one of the five parts of every CMR Score. Browse the company directory or see how we rank movers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my mover is a broker?
Search the company's USDOT number in the FMCSA Company Snapshot. The record shows the entity type as carrier, broker, or both. Federal rules also require a household goods broker to tell you it is a broker and that it is arranging your move with an authorized carrier.
Is it bad to use a moving broker?
Not always. A licensed broker can find a carrier with space on your route. The risk is that the carrier who shows up may not honor the price or dates the broker's salesperson promised. If you use a broker, get the carrier's name and USDOT number in writing before you pay a deposit.
What does it mean if a company is registered as both a carrier and a broker?
It has its own trucks but may also hand some moves to other carriers. Ask directly whether your move will be handled by its own crew, and get the answer in your contract.
Do MC numbers still matter?
FMCSA retired MC numbers in October 2025. The USDOT number is now the identifier to look up. Older websites and contracts may still show an MC number.
Who is responsible if a broker's carrier damages my things?
Claims for loss or damage go to the carrier that transported your goods. That is why you need the carrier's name and USDOT number before moving day.
Where do I report a moving company or broker?
File a complaint with FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database. You can also contact your state attorney general.
Sources
- 49 CFR Part 371, Subpart B: Household goods brokers (eCFR)
- FMCSA: Protect Your Move
- FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot
- FMCSA household goods mover search
Related: CMR Moving Cost Report 2026 · Best Interstate Moving Companies · Moving broker (glossary)