Moving Company Regulations by State
Interstate movers answer to one federal agency. In-state movers answer to whatever their state decided — a full license with capped rates, a simple registration, or nothing. Here's who licenses movers in each state, with the official source we checked.
Who Licenses In-State Movers, State by State
"Unconfirmed" and "reported" are honest labels, not gaps we filled with guesses: we only state a rule when an official source says it.
| State | Status | In-state regulator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | State license required | Alabama Public Service Commission | Rules → |
| Alaska | No state mover license | — | Rules → |
| Arizona | No state mover license | Arizona Attorney General (consumer protection) | Rules → |
| Arkansas | State license required | Arkansas Department of Transportation | Rules → |
| California | State license required | Bureau of Household Goods and Services (Dept. of Consumer Affairs) | Rules → |
| Colorado | State license required | Colorado Public Utilities Commission | Rules → |
| Connecticut | State license required | Connecticut Department of Transportation | Rules → |
| Delaware | Unconfirmed | — | Rules → |
| District of Columbia | State license required | DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection | Rules → |
| Florida | State license required | Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services | Rules → |
| Georgia | State license required | Georgia Department of Public Safety | Rules → |
| Hawaii | State license required | Hawaii Public Utilities Commission | Rules → |
| Idaho | Unconfirmed | — | Rules → |
| Illinois | State license required | Illinois Commerce Commission | Rules → |
| Indiana | State license required | Indiana Department of Revenue (Motor Carrier Services) | Rules → |
| Iowa | State license required | Iowa Department of Transportation | Rules → |
| Kansas | State license required | Kansas Corporation Commission | Rules → |
| Kentucky | State license required | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers | Rules → |
| Louisiana | State license required | Louisiana Public Service Commission | Rules → |
| Maine | No state mover license | Maine Attorney General (consumer protection) | Rules → |
| Maryland | State license required | Maryland Department of Labor | Rules → |
| Massachusetts | State license required | Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities | Rules → |
| Michigan | State license required | Michigan State Police, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division | Rules → |
| Minnesota | State license required | Minnesota Department of Transportation | Rules → |
| Mississippi | State license required | Mississippi Department of Transportation | Rules → |
| Missouri | State license required | Missouri Department of Transportation | Rules → |
| Montana | State license required | Montana Public Service Commission | Rules → |
| Nebraska | State license required | Nebraska Public Service Commission | Rules → |
| Nevada | State license required | Nevada Transportation Authority | Rules → |
| New Hampshire | State license required | New Hampshire Department of Safety (Bureau of Road Toll Operations) | Rules → |
| New Jersey | State license required | New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs | Rules → |
| New Mexico | State license required | NMDOT Transportation Regulation Bureau | Rules → |
| New York | State license required | New York State Department of Transportation | Rules → |
| North Carolina | State license required | North Carolina Utilities Commission | Rules → |
| North Dakota | State license required | — | Rules → |
| Ohio | State license required | Public Utilities Commission of Ohio | Rules → |
| Oklahoma | State license required | Oklahoma Corporation Commission | Rules → |
| Oregon | State license required | Oregon Department of Transportation (Commerce & Compliance) | Rules → |
| Pennsylvania | State license required | Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission | Rules → |
| Rhode Island | State license required | Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers | Rules → |
| South Carolina | State license required | South Carolina Public Service Commission | Rules → |
| South Dakota | No state mover license | — | Rules → |
| Tennessee | State license required | Tennessee Department of Revenue (intrastate authority) | Rules → |
| Texas | State license required | Texas Department of Motor Vehicles | Rules → |
| Utah | Unconfirmed | — | Rules → |
| Vermont | Reported, not confirmed | — | Rules → |
| Virginia | State license required | Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles | Rules → |
| Washington | State license required | Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission | Rules → |
| West Virginia | No state mover license | — | Rules → |
| Wisconsin | State license required | Wisconsin Department of Transportation (Motor Carrier Unit) | Rules → |
| Wyoming | State license required | Wyoming Department of Transportation (Operating Authority) | Rules → |
How States Regulate In-State Movers
Federal law sets one rulebook for interstate moves. For moves inside a state, every legislature chose its own approach, and they fall into roughly three models.
A regulator decides who may move you
The mover applies to a utilities commission or transportation department, files its rates, and proves insurance. Some states go further and cap prices: Georgia and North Carolina both publish a maximum rate tariff that in-state movers can't exceed.
The state keeps a list
The mover registers with a consumer or labor agency rather than a rate regulator. Florida registers movers through its agriculture and consumer services department, Maryland through its labor department, and the District of Columbia through a basic business license.
Contract and consumer law only
Alaska deregulated in 1985, Maine repealed its license in 2009 and West Virginia removed movers from its Public Service Commission in 2017. Arizona has no mover license but a moving-services law that requires a written contract. Here your paperwork is most of your protection.
How to check a mover's state license
Ask the mover for its state license, permit or certificate number — several states require it to appear in ads or on the contract. Then check it with the regulator named on your state's page. Some regulators publish a searchable list (California, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska and New Jersey among them); others confirm by phone.
A USDOT number is a separate, federal check. It tells you the company is registered with the FMCSA and whether it may cross state lines, but not whether it holds state authority.
Why some states say "unconfirmed"
Mover licensing is spread across commissions, transportation departments, consumer agencies and revenue offices, and rules change — New Mexico moved its regulator in 2024, Maryland launched a new registration process in 2025. Many popular "license by state" lists online are out of date or copy each other.
So we only mark a state's rule as confirmed when a state statute or agency page says it, and we date every check. Where we found only a third-party summary, or nothing official, the page says so.
Common questions
Do moving companies need a license?
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For moves across state lines, yes: every interstate mover needs a USDOT number from the FMCSA. For moves within one state, it depends on the state — we found an official source requiring state authority in 42 of 51 jurisdictions.
Which states don't license movers?
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Alaska (deregulated in 1985), Maine (license statute repealed in 2009) and West Virginia (Public Service Commission jurisdiction removed in 2017) no longer license movers. South Dakota's official carrier handbook lists no intrastate authority, and Arizona has a moving-services consumer law instead of a license. A few states are marked unconfirmed because we couldn't find an official source.
Who regulates interstate movers?
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in every state. Federal rules cover estimates, payment at delivery, valuation and claims.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before relying on any rule.