Why it matters who you hired
The carrier is the company legally responsible for your belongings in transit: its bill of lading is your contract, its valuation covers loss and damage, and its arbitration program handles disputes. If you booked through a broker, the company that shows up may not be the name you saw online — and you need to know who it is before loading day.
What a broker's ads must show
Federal rules require a household goods broker's advertising, including websites, to include:
- Its physical location.
- Its USDOT number and MC number.
- That it is a household goods broker and will not perform the transportation.
- Only the names of carriers it has written agreements with.
What a carrier's ads must show
Carriers have their own advertising rule. Every ad must be truthful and must show the name the company is registered under with the FMCSA (or the carrier whose authority the move runs under) and its USDOT number, in the form "U.S. DOT No." followed by the number. A company advertising moves with no USDOT number at all is skipping a basic federal requirement.
Estimates from a broker
A broker can give you an estimate only on behalf of a carrier that has agreed in writing to adopt it, based on that carrier's tariff. The carrier must still release your goods at delivery if you pay no more than 110% of a non-binding estimate.
Giving an estimate without that carrier agreement carries a federal civil penalty of at least $10,000 per violation, and brokering household goods moves without registration carries at least $25,000.
How to check who you're dealing with
Look up the USDOT number on the estimate. The federal record shows whether the company is registered as a carrier, a broker, or both. Before moving day, ask for the name and USDOT number of the carrier that will actually arrive, and look that one up too. On the day, the name on the truck and on the bill of lading should match it.
Broker or carrier: which is better?
Neither is automatically better. A broker can find capacity when local carriers are booked; a carrier gives you one company from quote to delivery. The problems start when you don't know which carrier is doing the move or when the estimate isn't backed by that carrier. Get the carrier's name, check its record, and make sure the estimate you were given is the one on the carrier's bill of lading.
Questions to ask a broker before you pay anything
- Which carrier will move me, and what is its USDOT number?
- Has that carrier agreed in writing to the estimate you gave me? Can I see it on the carrier's paperwork?
- Whose bill of lading will I sign, and when will I get it? (It must reach you at least 3 days before loading.)
- If something is damaged, who do I file the claim with, and which arbitration program applies?
- Where is your physical office? (Your ads have to say.)
A broker that can't answer the first two questions before taking a deposit is asking you to trust a carrier neither of you has named. Write the answers down and compare them with the bill of lading on moving day.
Common questions
Is it bad to book through a moving broker?
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Not by itself. Ask which carrier will do the move, check its USDOT record, and make sure the carrier has adopted the broker's estimate in writing.
How do I know if a moving company is a broker?
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Its ads must say it is a broker that does not transport. You can also look up its USDOT number: the federal record shows broker and carrier registrations separately.
Who is responsible if a brokered move goes wrong?
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For loss and damage, the carrier that transported your goods: you file the claim under its bill of lading and use its arbitration program.
Does the 110% rule apply to a broker's estimate?
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Yes. When a carrier adopts a broker's non-binding estimate, the carrier must release your goods at delivery if you pay no more than 110% of it.
What happens to a broker that isn't registered?
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Brokering household goods moves without federal registration carries a civil penalty of at least $25,000 per violation, and giving estimates without a carrier agreement at least $10,000.
The rules this page is based on
These are federal rules for interstate household goods moves. In-state moves follow your state's rules. General information, not legal advice.