Once you've compiled a list of potential moving companies, you can use the Internet as a resource tool. Check with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) or other consumer organizations in your local area for the moving companies you've selected.

Another way to check on movers in your area is to contact your state moving association. Ask them if your potential moving company is a member and what kind of reputation the mover has. While not every state has an association, the majority have either a moving association or a warehouseman’s association, which you can find in your local White Pages or by searching the Internet.

Moving companies who are members of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) have all agreed to abide by the terms of published tariffs (a tariff is the carrier's provisions, including rates, for services performed, applicable to the customer's move) and participate in the Arbitration Program sponsored by that organization. The Arbitration Program ensures that AMSA member movers comply with the federal requirement that they have a formal arbitration program available to resolve their customers' disputes over lost or damaged articles. If you cannot resolve such a dispute with your mover, you may request arbitration to resolve your claim. Many AMSA members are also participants in the AMSA Certified Mover and Van Line Program. AMSA-certified moving companies and van lines are companies which have voluntarily agreed to abide by a Code of Conduct that requires complete disclosure of moving information to consumers, written estimates of charges, timely service, and prompt response to claims and complaints. They also have agreed to arbitrate disputes of up to $5,000 arising from loss or damage to the articles in your shipment. To find out if the moving companies you are considering are certified members of the AMSA, click on one of these links:
AMSA certified van lines: www.moving.org/before/certmoverlist.html#certvan
AMSA certified movers: www.moving.org/before/certmoverlist.html#certmover
An interstate (interstate means moving from one state to another) moving company must be licensed with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the federal agency that regulates moving companies. A moving company that holds a proper license is subject to all of the consumer and other regulations administered by the DOT. Call the moving company's office and ask for their DOT number. Ask if they are affiliated with a certain van line. If they are, ask for that DOT number. But remember, a DOT number alone does not guarantee a reputable moving company.

Now that you have the DOT number, you can find out even more information on your potential moving company. To make sure that your moving company not only has the license authority to perform your move, but also the insurance to make it legal, visit www.safersys.org. This is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Web site that allows you to search for motor carrier license information. On the left side of the Web page, there is a search area labeled "Public Business Services." Pull the first menu bar down to "Licensing & Insurance," then enter your moving company's DOT license number (you should enter the van line DOT number here, if your moving company is affiliated with a specific van line).

Click on the button labeled "Screen" to view insurance information.

Under the column "Authority Type" there are three listings: Common, Contract, and Broker. The column with the header "Authority Status" will tell you if their authority is active. Your moving company should have at least "Common" marked as active. If the columns "Application Pending" or "Revocation Pending" do not say "NO" for common authority, then you should be aware that something might be wrong. The last table lists the insurance required for moving companies and the insurance your moving company has on file. A moving company is required to have BIPD ($750,000 minimum) and cargo insurance filed with the FMCSA, so if your moving company does not have either one of these insurances, you should be looking for a different moving company.

One final way to check your moving company is to call the FMCSA's Safety Violation and Consumer Complaints hotline at 888-368-7238 and ask about the complaint history of your moving company.