Before you pay a mover
Match the company selling the move, the carrier doing it and the business receiving your money.
A good-looking quote can still leave a basic question open: which company are you actually checking? The name on an advert, the estimate, a federal record and the payment request may not be identical. A difference is a question to resolve, not a finding of wrongdoing.
This guide is for people arranging a US interstate household-goods move. For a move entirely within one state, check the applicable state requirements; the federal lookup alone does not settle them. FMCSA explains that distinction in its steps for choosing a mover.
Start with one column per business
Open the comparison worksheet. Copy the business names and identifiers exactly from the documents you received. Do not fill missing fields with guesses or copy a similarly named company's record.
| Piece of the paper trail | Write down | Question if it differs |
|---|---|---|
| The business offering the move | Legal/trading name, website, business city/state | Is this the business named on the estimate? |
| A broker, if involved | Name and registration identifier | Who will transport the shipment? |
| The carrier | Name and USDOT/MC identifiers where supplied | Do the identifiers match the carrier's record? |
| The payment request | Business/payee name and written terms | Why is this payee different, and what is its role? |
FMCSA distinguishes a broker arranging transportation from the mover transporting the goods. It says both interstate movers and brokers must be registered. Ask a broker which moving companies it uses, and verify the relevant identities in the official mover search linked by FMCSA. A broker is a role to understand; the label alone is not a verdict.
Keep the record attached to its identity and date
For every result, keep four things together: the exact business, the source link, when the information was observed and what the source actually establishes. A website review date is not automatically the date a regulator checked a carrier.
Trusty's public-record tool is designed to retain identity, findings, dates and limitations. A lookup may be ambiguous, thin or unavailable. “No matching record returned” does not mean “no complaints,” and an unavailable source is not a clean result. When comparing two businesses, missing information on one side is a gap to investigate, not a reason to score it higher.
Compare the quotes before comparing the totals
Put each written estimate beside the same list of belongings and services. Record what is included, the estimate type, payment/cancellation terms and any stated conditions that can change the amount. Where a field is unclear, ask the business to explain it in writing before making your decision.
FMCSA recommends comparing written estimates and checking the mover's authority, insurance and complaint history. Its selection guide is the primary reference; this worksheet does not decide your contractual rights.
Pause at a mismatch
Suppose the estimate names Company A, the record you found belongs to Company B, and the payment request names Company C. That is a hypothetical example, not a claim about a real mover. Stop combining those records into one story. Ask who each business is, what it does and which agreement explains the payment. Save the answer with the quote.
FMCSA flags demands for cash or a large advance deposit, missing written estimates and blank documents to sign among its warning signs. Follow the agency's guidance if you encounter them; a Trusty lookup does not override it.
Bring one unanswered question forward
The worksheet is complete enough to use when each quoted business has either a matched identity/source or an explicit unresolved field. You should be able to point to the next question that could change your decision. An all-green score is not the goal.
Dig into the paper trail with Trusty. Start with the mover resource or use the worksheet with the official sources directly. Public-record tools return dated evidence and limits; they do not certify a business or guarantee a move. A paid Trusty read is a separate product and action.