How to Check a Texas Mover's License Before You Book
When you are trusting a moving company with everything you own, it makes sense to know that the company is who it says it is, and in Texas there is a simple way to find out. Every company that moves household goods within the state is supposed to be licensed with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and checking that license takes only a couple of minutes from your phone or computer. At Veteran’s Best Movers we would much rather you check us than take our word for it, so here is how to look up any mover before you book, along with the warning signs that the state itself tells people to watch for.
In short
Ask the mover for its TxDMV certificate number, look it up on the state’s free Truck Stop search, and make sure the status reads Active. If your move crosses state lines, the mover also needs federal authority, which you can check through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. And if a company has no number to give you, that alone tells you most of what you need to know.
What a Texas mover’s license actually is
What most people call a moving license in Texas is officially a certificate from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, usually written as a TxDMV number. A mover gets it by registering with the state and keeping the required insurance on file, and the state keeps a public record of every certificate along with whether it is still active.
It helps to know that this is a different number from the USDOT number you may also see on a moving truck or website. The USDOT number is a federal identification number, while the TxDMV number is the one that shows a company is allowed to move household goods within Texas. Texas rules also require movers to show their TxDMV number on their website, so if you cannot find one anywhere on a company’s site, it is fair to ask why.
How to look up a mover on Truck Stop
The state’s lookup tool is called Truck Stop, and it is free and open to anyone at any time of day. You can search by the company’s name or by its TxDMV certificate number, and when the record comes up, the thing to look for is the status. According to TxDMV, an Active status means the mover is licensed, so anything other than Active is a good reason to slow down and ask questions before you sign.
Keep in mind that the record shows the company’s registered business name, which is not always the name on the trucks or the website. Ours, for example, is registered as VET’S BEST MOVERS LLC, and our certificate is TxDMV No. 009990507C, which you may see listed without the letter C at the end. If the name in the record doesn’t look like the company you are talking to, ask them to explain the difference before you go any further.
Warning signs the state tells people to watch for
TxDMV points out a handful of signs that a mover may not be licensed, and they are worth keeping in mind while you collect quotes. A price that seems unusually low compared with everyone else is the first one, especially when it comes with contact details that are only a cell phone number and a vague company name. Unmarked or rental trucks are another, as is a company that won’t put anything in writing before moving day.
A licensed Texas mover should give you a written proposal before anything is loaded, along with the state’s brochure explaining your rights and responsibilities as a customer. If a company is reluctant to do either, it is usually best to keep looking.
If your move leaves Texas
Moves that stay inside Texas fall under TxDMV, but once a move crosses a state line it falls under federal rules set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. For those moves the mover needs a USDOT number and federal authority to carry household goods, and the FMCSA is careful to point out that a company can be registered without being authorized for that kind of work. You can check an interstate mover through the FMCSA’s Protect Your Move pages, which walk you through the lookup step by step.
Where to go if something goes wrong
TxDMV runs a consumer help line at 1‑888‑368‑4689, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central time, and you can call it if you need to file a complaint about a mover. The state also offers free mediation if you have a dispute with a licensed mover that you haven’t been able to settle directly, which is one more reason it pays to choose a company that shows up in the state’s records in the first place.
Questions people ask us
Can I check your license before I call?
Please do. Search for TxDMV No. 009990507C on Truck Stop, or search our registered name, VET’S BEST MOVERS LLC. Our USDOT number is 4214964.
Is a USDOT number the same as a Texas license?
No. The USDOT number is a federal identification number, while the TxDMV certificate is what shows a mover is licensed to move household goods within Texas.
What should I do if a mover won’t give me a number?
We would suggest moving on to another company. A licensed mover has no reason to keep its number from you, and Texas rules require it to be on the company’s website anyway.
Ready to get a quote?
Once you have checked us out, we would be glad to talk through your move, whether it is across town or across Texas. You can call us at (210) 761‑6595 or request a free quote online, and you can read more about our local moving and long distance moving services, or our guide to choosing a veteran owned moving company.
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