How to Check a Moving Company's License in Florida

Make sure your movers are licensed and insured.

The next time you hire movers in Florida, make sure they are licensed and insured by the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT). Moving is a regulated industry in Florida, so movers are required to carry a DOT license for their business and to register each of the trucks as commercial vehicles with the DOT. In addition to holding a valid license with the state, moving companies are required to carry insurance. This is mainly to protect you, the consumer, in the event that your property is damaged while in the mover's possession.

Instructions

1. Ask the mover for their DOT license number. They are required to give it to prospective clients who want to verify their license status.

2. Visit the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Administration website, www.fmcsa.dot.gov, and click the "Licensing and Insurance" link under the Quick Link section.

3. Select "Carrier Search" from the drop-down menu in the upper right of the screen and click "Go."

4. Enter the DOT License number into the form under USDOT Number. You can also search by Legal Business Name or Doing Business As (DBA) name, but these are not always the same as the name you know the company by, so a DOT License number is the most direct way to run a proper search.

5. Choose "Florida" from the State drop-down menu, click "Search," and wait for the license check to complete. You will soon see a license status report on the screen.

Tips & Warnings

• After running an online license check, you should check the credibility of the moving company with the Better Business Bureau. The BBB will tell you if any complaints have been made against the company and how those claims were resolved.

References

• U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Administration