Choose the correct authority check
For a household move conducted entirely within North Carolina, check the mover’s operating authority with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). For a move crossing a state line—even if the origin or destination is Raleigh—use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Protect Your Move resources to review federal registration and complaint information. Do not treat a website logo, registration number, or verbal assurance as a substitute for the official record. If your route classification is unclear, read the intrastate-versus-interstate moving guide at /resources/intrastate-vs-interstate-moves-raleigh/ before comparing companies. Sources: North Carolina Utilities Commission — Transportation: https://www.ncuc.gov/industries/transportation/transportation.html; FMCSA — Protect Your Move: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move
Match the company to its official record
Ask for the company’s exact legal name and applicable identifying number, then compare them with the official record. Confirm that the record represents the business named in your estimate and that its authority or registration fits your type of move. Investigate mismatched names, numbers belonging to another entity, or documents that omit the legal contracting party. For interstate moves, also determine whether the company is a carrier or broker. A carrier transports the shipment; a broker arranges transportation by another company. Review the estimate and disclosures to identify who will move the goods, which entity is responsible under the agreement, and whether another carrier may be assigned. FMCSA’s mover-search and complaint resources provide more useful context than a badge displayed on a company website.
Review documents before paying a deposit
Obtain a written estimate and read it before paying or signing. The document should identify the contracting business, shipment details, charges or rate terms, payment conditions, and applicable valuation or liability option. Interstate movers must provide the FMCSA booklet Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. Review that material before accepting the agreement. Pause when a company will not provide its legal identity, applicable registration details, written terms, or required interstate disclosures. Other reasons for additional scrutiny include demands for a large or poorly explained deposit, pressure to pay through a difficult-to-recover method, blank or incomplete paperwork, and terms that materially change without written explanation. A deposit alone does not establish wrongdoing; assess its amount, purpose, refund terms, payment method, and documentation together. Source: FMCSA — Consumer Rights and Responsibilities: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move/consumer-rights
Make a documented booking decision
Save copies or screenshots of the official records you reviewed, the written estimate, broker-or-carrier disclosures, deposit terms, valuation selection, and correspondence. Compare the legal name across every document and ask for corrections in writing before signing. Authority and registration checks do not guarantee service quality, but they help establish whether the business is properly identified and appears authorized for the proposed move. After verification, use the moving-cost factors guide at /resources/raleigh-moving-cost-factors/ to prepare the details needed for a more specific estimate.