Interstate or in-state: which rules apply
A long move inside Colorado, say from the Front Range to the Western Slope, is still an in-state move. Colorado's Public Utilities Commission oversees companies that move household goods within the state. The moment a move starts in one state and ends in another, federal rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) take over.
| Type of move | Who oversees it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Starts and ends in Colorado | Colorado Public Utilities Commission | The mover's registration in the PUC's records |
| Crosses a state line | FMCSA | The mover's USDOT number and interstate authority in FMCSA's records |
| Booked through a broker | FMCSA, for both broker and carrier | The broker's registration, and the name and USDOT number of the carrier that will actually haul your goods |
A broker sells and arranges moves but doesn't own the trucks. That isn't automatically a problem, but you should know before you pay who will show up and who is responsible for your things.
The paperwork on an interstate move
Interstate moves come with a paper trail, and each document does a different job. Read each one before you sign it, and keep copies.
- A written estimate, based on an inventory of what's moving
- The order for service, which confirms the services and dates
- The bill of lading, which is the contract and the receipt for your goods
- The inventory, which lists each item and notes its condition at pickup
- FMCSA's booklet, Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, which interstate movers are required to give you
FMCSA's booklet explains the types of estimates interstate movers use and how each one affects the final charge. Read it before you compare quotes, because two estimates for the same house can follow very different rules.
Never sign a blank or incomplete document. If a line is empty, ask what belongs there and have it filled in first.
What shapes a long-distance quote
Interstate moves are commonly priced on the weight or volume of the shipment and the distance, with extra services added: packing, stairs, long carries, a shuttle truck where a large truck can't reach, and storage. That's why the inventory matters so much. Every item left off it is an item the estimate didn't account for.
Timing works differently too. A dedicated truck carries only your household, so pickup and delivery are easier to pin down. A shared load carries several households on one truck, and delivery comes within a window, not on a single fixed day. Get the delivery dates or window in writing.
If this, then that
- If you can't be without your furniture for long, then ask about a dedicated truck and a firm delivery date.
- If your dates are flexible, then ask how a shared load and a delivery window would work for your route.
- If you're packing yourself, then finish the packing before the inventory is taken, so the box count is accurate.
Our packing services can take on the whole house or only the fragile rooms before a long haul.
Valuation: what the mover is liable for
Valuation is not insurance. It's the level of liability the mover accepts for loss or damage while your goods are in its care. On interstate moves, federal rules require movers to offer two levels: full value protection, and a released value option that pays a set amount by weight. The released option costs less and pays far less on a lightweight, expensive item. You choose the level on the bill of lading.
For an in-state move, ask the mover to explain in writing what liability its terms include. Your homeowners or renters policy may also cover belongings in transit, so call your insurer before move day.
Mountain routes, passes and winter timing
Many long moves to or from Colorado cross the mountains, and that changes the plan. I-70 over the Continental Divide climbs steep grades and can close for crashes, avalanche control or storms, and closures in Glenwood Canyon can force long detours. Loaded trucks climb slowly and need careful braking on the way down. In winter, Colorado can put chain and traction laws into effect for commercial vehicles on mountain highways, and a storm can hold a truck for a day.
Build slack into the schedule. A mountain delivery planned for the day before a closing or a lease start leaves no room for a pass closure.
Altitude matters for some of your belongings too. Tape lids on liquids and bag them, since pressure changes on the passes can push lotions and cleaners out of loose caps.
Spot a moving scam before you sign
FMCSA's Protect Your Move site lists the warning signs of a rogue mover. The common ones are easy to check for:
- A quote given over the phone or online without any inventory of your home
- A demand for a large cash deposit before the move
- No USDOT number, or a company name on the paperwork that doesn't match the one you booked
- Pressure to sign documents that are blank or incomplete
- No copy of the federal Rights and Responsibilities booklet
Look up any interstate mover's USDOT number in FMCSA's records, and any in-state mover's registration with the Colorado PUC. That applies to every company you're considering, including us.
The bottom line
A long-distance move goes right when the inventory is complete, the paperwork is read before it's signed, and the schedule has room for a mountain storm.
Request a moving quote with your pickup and delivery towns, your dates and how flexible they are.
