Trust & vetting
12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Movers
Moving Union Standards Team6 min readUpdated July 2026
The best way to separate a professional mover from a rogue operator is to ask a few pointed questions and listen carefully to the answers. A legitimate company welcomes them; a scam operation gets vague or defensive. Here are the twelve worth asking before you sign anything.
Licensing and insurance
- What's your USDOT number (or state license number)? A legit mover gives it instantly so you can verify it.
- Are you a carrier or a broker? If a broker, who is the actual carrier, and what's their record?
- What valuation and insurance options do you offer? You want to hear both released value and full-value protection for an interstate move.
- Can you provide a certificate of insurance? Essential if your building requires one.
The estimate and the price
- Will you do an in-home or video survey? A real estimate is based on seeing your belongings, not a phone guess.
- Is the estimate binding, non-binding, or binding-not-to-exceed? Know which before you sign.
- What could make the final price higher than the estimate? Stairs, long carries, bulky items, get it in writing.
- What deposit do you require, and how is payment collected? Be wary of large up-front cash, wire, or app deposits.
The crew and the day
- Are the movers your employees or day-labor subcontractors? Employed, trained crews tend to be more careful and accountable.
- How do you handle claims for damage or loss? A clear, written process is a good sign.
- Can you share recent references or reviews for moves like mine? Specific, recent references beat a headline star rating.
- How long have you operated under this name and authority? Real tenure is protective; a brand-new registration is a caution.
Answers that should worry you
- Refusing or dodging the USDOT / license question.
- Quoting a firm price without ever seeing your belongings.
- Demanding a large deposit by cash, wire, or a payment app.
- No written estimate, or terms that keep shifting.
Every Moving Union match has already cleared these questions on licensing, insurance, complaints, reviews, and experience, see how we vet movers, but you should still confirm the answers with each mover before you book.
Frequently asked
What should I ask a moving company before booking?
Start with licensing (USDOT or state number, carrier vs broker), then the estimate (in-home survey, binding vs non-binding, what could raise the price), then payment (deposit terms), and finally the crew (employees vs subcontractors, claims process, references, and years in business).
What's the difference between a binding and non-binding estimate?
A binding estimate fixes the price for the listed services; a non-binding estimate is an educated guess that can change based on actual weight or hours; a binding-not-to-exceed caps your cost at the estimate but lets it come in lower. Always know which you're getting before you sign.
Is it a red flag if a mover won't give references?
It's a caution. A reputable mover can point to recent, specific reviews or references for moves like yours. Vagueness, only generic five-star reviews, or refusal to discuss its complaint history all suggest you should keep looking.