Interstate mover verifier (with estimate and inventory)

01Problem

02Intake

03Playbook

1. 01

   Lookup before a deposit. HHG search (https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/hhg/search.asp) for authority type and four-year complaint table; SAFER snapshot; SMS. Motus L&I filing sunset May 14, 2026. Good = active HHG carrier, insurance and cargo on file, BOC-3, trucks in the census, complaints small vs fleet. Bad = broker-only advertising as a mover, new DOT number, zero trucks, high Estimates/Hostage counts. A motor carrier may not broker unless separately registered (49 U.S.C. 13902(a)(6)). SAFER fields: Entity Type Carrier, USDOT Active, Operating Authority Authorized for HHG.

2. 02

   Name the party on the estimate. FMCSA FAQ (October 8, 2026): a broker is not authorized to transport household goods. Brokers must be registered, give R&R + Ready to Move, list the movers they use, use only FMCSA-registered movers, have a written agreement, and base estimates on the mover’s tariff. If the truck’s legal name differs from the estimate, freeze and match USDOT/MC before loading.

3. 03

   Cargo on file is not the claim cap. 49 CFR 387.303T: HHG cargo filing $5,000 per vehicle / $10,000 per occurrence — the FMCSA minimum, separate from Carmack/FVP. Broker BMC-84/85 $75,000; 387.307 immediate-suspension procedures effective January 16, 2026. Public liability: $750,000 for vehicles ≥10,001 lb GVWR.

4. 04

   Written estimate after a physical survey. Physical survey includes virtual video (375.103, 2022 rule). Shipper may waive the survey in a writing signed before loading. Binding = guaranteed total for identified services. Non-binding = approximate; final charges on actual weight and tariff. “Not-to-exceed” is a Texas/CA state-tariff label, not a third federal type. Estimate may not be amended after loading. 49 CFR 375.501 is Reserved — the bill of lading is the interstate contract.

5. 05

   Build the inventory before the estimate. Photograph every room, garage, shed, and off-site storage. A forgotten garage of “300 cubic feet (~2,000 pounds)” is a day-of requote. List high-value articles >$100/lb in writing or FVP on those articles can be capped at $100/lb (375.201 / 375.203). Packed-by-owner cartons still must be listed (375.503). A video walkthrough feeds the inventory; it does not replace the carrier’s survey.

6. 06

   Honor the 110% rule at the truck. FMCSA FAQ, October 8, 2026: if you have paid 110% of the non-binding estimate or 100% of the binding estimate and the mover fails to deliver, they have violated federal HHG rules; file at complaint.fmcsa.dot.gov or 1-888-368-7238. You are not required to pay more than those caps at delivery; additional lawful charges are billed 30 days after delivery (49 CFR 375.407 / 49 U.S.C. 13707). Impracticable-operations extras ≤ 15% of other charges due at delivery. Failure to relinquish after the lawful tender is a 14915 hostage fact pattern.

7. 07

   Use the 3-day BOL cooling-off. 375.505(h): BOL signed and dated at least 3 days before scheduled loading; shipper may rescind without penalty for 3 days after signing. Day-of extras do not restart the 3 days. Do not sign a blank document (375.505(g)(3)).

8. 08

   Elect Full Value Protection unless a written waiver says otherwise. FVP is the default (49 U.S.C. 14706(f); 375.201). Released Value $0.60 per pound per article applies only after a written waiver on the STB valuation statement. Undeclared FVP minimum (STB RR 999 Amendment 5, January 12, 2012): the higher of $6.00/lb × weight or $6,000. FVP pays repair, like-kind replacement, or cash, at the carrier’s option, up to declared value. Do not apply 370.9(b) depreciation to an unwaived FVP claim.

9. 09

   Pay only in the form named on the estimate. FMCSA does not ban Zelle by name; the rule is that the form of payment on the estimate must be honored at delivery. A large prepaid deposit to a personal P2P account is a classic broker-scam pattern. Credit card or the carrier’s named escrow beats a cell-phone cash-app.

10. 10

    Hostage protocol (same day). Tender the lawful amount in the named form, photograph the tender, demand unloading, file at https://complaint.fmcsa.dot.gov/ or 1-888-368-7238 (Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. ET) with the BOL number. Civil penalties: STB Part 1022 $15,846/day (2025 and 2026 columns); FMCSA Part 386 Appendix B (g)(21) $20,537/day. Criminal: fine under title 18 or up to 2 years. Authority may be suspended 12–36 months. FMCSA will not pay the claim. A non-emergency police call is anecdotal; use it after the documented tender, not instead of it.

11. 11

    Claims calendar. Carmack 14706(e): at least 9 months from delivery to file a written claim with a specified dollar amount; at least 2 years from written disallowance to sue. Carrier ack in 30 days (370.5); pay, deny, or firm compromise in 120 days (370.9). Arbitration 14708 / 375.211: binding at $10,000 or less if the shipper requests; above $10,000 only if the carrier also agrees; decision in 60 days.

12. 12

    SIT conversion needs 375.609 notices at least 10 days before SIT expires (one day if SIT <10 days). Permanent storage in the shipper’s name.

13. 13

    Intrastate is a different code. California BHGS Maximum Rate Tariff 4 effective January 1, 2026. Florida ch. 507: written signed estimate before any service; liability floor 60 cents/lb; brokers may not estimate total move costs. Texas 43 TAC 218.56: written binding or not-to-exceed maximum before loading. New York still uses an order for service (17 NYCRR 814.3). Peak May–September is industry practice, not an FMCSA date. Commercial-zone short hauls can fall outside Part 375 (372.241).

04Checklists

05Questions to ask

1. Q01

   “What is your USDOT and MC, and are you the household-goods carrier who will transport, or a broker?”

2. Q02

   “Send the written binding or non-binding estimate after a physical (on-site or virtual) survey, signed by both of us, with the form of payment honored at delivery.”

3. Q03

   “Confirm Full Value Protection at no less than $6.00/lb or $6,000, and that Released Value $0.60/lb/article applies only if I waive FVP in writing.”

4. Q04

   “What is the 110% (non-binding) or 100% (binding) amount I can tender at delivery to require you to unload?”

5. Q05

   “Will the bill of lading be in my hands at least three days before loading, and may I rescind in that window?”

6. Q06

   “List accessorials (stairs, long carry, shuttle, SIT) now; post-BOL carrier-necessary extras are billed after 30 days except impracticable operations ≤15%.”

7. Q07

   “Is this estimate binding, non-binding, or a state not-to-exceed, and may it be changed after loading?” (Answer must be: not after loading.)

06Red flags

• Sight-unseen estimate; “we’ll price after we load”

• Cash, Zelle, Cash App, or a large deposit demanded before the survey

• Asked to sign blank documents

• Website with no USDOT/MC

• “All goods covered by our insurance” (the $5,000/$10,000 filing)

• Zero-truck entity with a pile of Estimates/Hostage complaints

• Broker estimate not adopted by a named carrier under 375.409/371.113

• Extra demand at the curb above 110%/the binding amount as a condition of unloading

07Scripts

08Tools

Callable over MCP once connected. Your agent passes the inputs and gets structured results back.

usdot_mc_mover_verifierUSDOT/MC verifier

Builds the FMCSA household-goods search and SAFER lookups for a mover and scores what you find: broker-only authority, zero power units, inactive status, or missing household-goods authority are red flags.

mover_110_percent_tender_calculator110% tender calculator

What you must pay at delivery: binding estimate → the estimate; non-binding → the lesser of actual charges or 110% of the estimate. Impracticable-operations charges at delivery are capped at 15% of that amount; the rest is billed after 30 days (49 CFR 375.407).

mover_valuation_claims_clockValuation + claims clock

Mover liability and deadlines: Released Value (signed waiver) = $0.60 per pound per article; Full Value Protection minimum valuation = greater of $6 × shipment weight or $6,000; claim due 9 months after delivery; suit at least 2 years from written disallowance.

09Formulas & rules

10State variation

11Community tactics

12Fact-check notes

13Tools to implement

14Sources

1. 01
   Questions About How to Protect Yourself From Fraudfmcsa.dot.gov

   FMCSA, updated October 8, 2026

2. 02
   Protect Your Move — consumer rightsfmcsa.dot.gov

   FMCSA

3. 03
   49 CFR 375.407law.cornell.edu

   110% relinquishment

4. 04
   49 U.S.C. 14915law.cornell.edu

   hostage-load penalties

5. 05
   49 U.S.C. 14706law.cornell.edu

   Carmack; 9-month claim / 2-year suit

6. 06
   STB RR 999 Amendment 5stb.gov

   FVP minimum $6.00/lb or $6,000, January 12, 2012

7. 07
   File a Moving Fraud Complaintfmcsa.dot.gov

   FMCSA, updated October 8, 2026

8. 08
   DOT OIG: New Jersey moving companies sentencedoig.dot.gov

   DOT OIG, October 6, 2025

Demand evidence r2 F4×P5×S5 = 100; r1 $50k-loss thread plus r2 viral scam videos; FMCSA FAQ “110% of non-binding / 100% of binding” (updated October 8, 2026)