Do movers need a license in Virginia?

Yes, in most cases, but the licence comes from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, not a contractor board. Virginia law makes it unlawful to operate, offer, advertise, provide or arrange to transport property for compensation within Virginia as a motor carrier without first getting a permit or certificate of fitness from the Department of Motor Vehicles.^[1] Which one a mover needs depends on how far it carries your things, and a few kinds of moves are exempt.

Two kinds of DMV authority

Certificate of fitness, for longer moves inside Virginia. The Code puts it plainly: "No household goods carrier, unless otherwise exempted, shall engage in intrastate operations on any highway within the Commonwealth without first having obtained from the Department a certificate of fitness authorizing such operation."^[2] A household goods carrier certificate authorizes operations only in Virginia,^[5] and for deliveries over 30 miles, the carrier must charge the rates in the tariff it filed with DMV.^[5] For insurance, DMV lists $750,000 in bodily injury and property damage coverage and $50,000 in cargo coverage,^[5] plus a $50,000 surety bond or letter of credit kept on file with DMV.^[5]

Property carrier permit, for most local moves. The Code says household goods carriers moving goods less than thirty-one road miles are exempt from the household goods article of the Code, except its section on claims.^[3] Those shorter moves are handled under a permit instead: a company with a DMV property carrier permit can carry household goods only when they are delivered less than 31 road miles from where they were picked up.^[6] For a truck over 10,000 pounds, DMV requires a commercial policy with at least $750,000 in liability coverage, at least $50,000 in cargo insurance for household goods, and evidence of both filed with DMV.^[6]

So for a typical move across a county or between neighbouring towns, the question to ask is whether the company holds a DMV permit, or a certificate if it also does longer in-state moves.

Moves that are exempt

Two exemptions cover a lot of small local moves. DMV does not require operating authority for vehicles that deliver property within the boundaries of the same Virginia city or town where it was picked up,^[7] or for carriers that use only passenger cars and vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less.^[7] That second group is the pickup-and-cargo-van end of the market.

Exempt does not mean uninsured. DMV still sets insurance minimums for light vehicles; for example, a vehicle of 7,501 to 10,000 pounds needs a commercial policy with at least $300,000 of liability coverage at all times.^[6] Ask any small operator what insurance it carries and whether it covers your belongings, not only the truck.

A crew you hire only to load or unload a truck you rented is a different arrangement again. The household goods definitions cover a carrier that undertakes to transport household goods by motor vehicle for compensation,^[4] so with labour-only help, ask about insurance for damage to your furniture and your home rather than about DMV authority.

Moves that cross a state line

Many Northern Virginia moves are local in miles but interstate in law. Interstate commerce includes transportation between a place in one state and a place outside it,^[10] so Arlington to the District or Alexandria to Maryland is an interstate move, handled under federal rules. A USDOT number is required for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating, or gross weight, of 10,001 pounds or more.^[10] Ask an interstate mover for its USDOT number and check it with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

How to check a mover before you book

Ask on the phone, in plain words: "Do you hold a Virginia DMV permit or certificate of fitness, or are you exempt, and why?" A legitimate company answers without fuss. On moving day you can also ask to see the truck's registration card, because DMV shows the operating authority on the registration of vehicles that have Virginia registration.^[8]

Beyond the licence, ask:

• What the price includes, how travel time is charged, and what costs extra.
• What insurance covers your belongings, and what the company pays per item if something breaks.
• Who the crew are: employees, or another company the mover hands the job to.
• When payment is due, and whether a deposit is refundable.

For what drives a local mover's price, see how much local movers cost in Virginia, and for planning the day itself, how to plan a local move.

If you hired a mover without authority

If a company was required to hold a permit and did not, it was operating unlawfully, and you can tell DMV. DMV has a consumer complaint form for complaints against passenger and property carriers.^[8] The Virginia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section also takes complaints against businesses operating in Virginia.^[9] If something was damaged, start with a written claim to the company; see what to do if movers damage your furniture.

Stop and call a pro if

• The move includes a piano, a gun safe, a hot tub or anything that needs rigging. Hire a mover that does specialty items and ask about its equipment and insurance.
• The company will not say whether it holds DMV authority, will not put a price in writing, or wants full payment before loading. Keep looking.
• Your move crosses a state line. Use a mover with a USDOT number and interstate authority rather than a local-only crew.
• Something valuable was lost or broken and the company will not respond. A lawyer can tell you your options for a large claim.

Finding a mover on Loclis

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