Choosing a moving company in Colorado starts with a lookup, not a sales call. Movers that carry household goods for hire within the state register with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Movers that cross state lines answer to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and carry a USDOT number. Both records are public, and checking them takes a few minutes.
That check doesn't tell you everything, but it filters out the operators who can't pass it. The questions below cover the rest. Use them on every mover you're considering, including us.
Which Rules Apply to Your Move
The first thing to know is which regulator covers your move. It depends on where the move starts and ends, not on how far the truck drives.
| Your move | Who oversees it | What to look up |
|---|---|---|
| Starts and ends in Colorado, even across the mountains | Colorado Public Utilities Commission | The mover's registration under its exact business name |
| Starts or ends in another state | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration | The mover's USDOT number and its operating authority |
| Booked through a company that doesn't own trucks | FMCSA, if the move is interstate | Whether it's a broker or the mover that will actually do the work |
Step by Step: Checking a Mover
- Ask for the company's exact legal name and, for interstate moves, its USDOT number. A mover that won't give you either is one to skip.
- Look the name up in the PUC's records for an in-state move, or the USDOT number in FMCSA's online records for an interstate one. Check that the name on the record matches the name on the quote.
- Read FMCSA's Protect Your Move pages, which list common warning signs and explain the difference between a mover and a broker.
- Ask for a written estimate based on an inventory of your home, taken in person or by video.
- Compare quotes on what they include, line by line, before you compare the totals.
Questions to Ask Before You Book
Registration tells you a company exists and is on file. It doesn't tell you how the company plans a move or what happens when something goes wrong. These questions do.
About the estimate
- What is the estimate based on, and who took the inventory?
- What could change the final cost on moving day?
- How are stairs, elevators and long walks from the truck accounted for?
- What happens if we add items after the estimate?
About the move itself
- Will your own crew do the move, or will another company?
- Which furniture will you take apart and put back together?
- How is furniture padded, and how are floors and doorways protected?
- What's the plan if snow or a road closure affects the date?
About payment, liability and claims
- When is payment due, and is a deposit required?
- What valuation options do you offer, and what does each one cover?
- How do I report damage, and how long does a claim take to review?
Write the answers down. A company that answers clearly on the phone tends to put the same answers in writing, and that's what you'll want to read before you sign.
What a Good Answer Sounds Like
Specific, and a little cautious. A mover that has looked at your inventory and access should be able to explain what drives the quote for your house: the third-floor walk-up, the narrow stair turn, the piano, the HOA's elevator window. Vague answers that sound the same for every house usually mean nobody looked closely.
For a local move, the quote should mention both addresses and their access. Our page on local moves within a Colorado metro walks through the details that most often change a local quote. For a move across state lines, the paperwork is heavier, and FMCSA requires interstate movers to give you its booklet, Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. Our page on interstate and long-distance moves explains each document you'll be asked to sign.
Ratings Are Not a Substitute for Records
Online reviews can tell you something about how a company treats people, but they can't tell you whether it's registered, and they can be gamed. Start with the public records and the written estimate. Use reviews afterward, as one input among several.
The bottom line
Look up the exact business name with the Colorado PUC for an in-state move or the USDOT number with FMCSA for an interstate one. Get a written estimate based on an inventory. Ask what could change the price, who does the work and how claims are handled. A mover worth booking answers all of it plainly and puts it in writing.
Request a moving quote and ask us any of these questions. We expect you to check our answers.
