How to Check a Mover's TxDMV and USDOT Registration
Updated 2026-10 · Killeen, TX
Which registration applies to your move
A move that stays in Texas
TxDMV says a carrier must register with its Motor Carrier Division to transport household goods for compensation, regardless of vehicle weight. So even a pickup-and-trailer outfit doing a cross-town Killeen move for pay should hold a TxDMV certificate. Household goods carriers also have to file cargo insurance with TxDMV, at minimum $5,000 per vehicle load and $10,000 aggregate, and file a tariff of their rates.
A move that leaves Texas
An interstate household goods mover falls under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It needs a USDOT number and FMCSA operating authority to carry household goods across state lines. A broker, which arranges the move but does not perform it, needs its own FMCSA registration and must say it is a broker.
How to look a mover up
For TxDMV, ask the company for its TxDMV certificate number and enter it in the state's Truck Stop database, linked from TxDMV's "Don't Make a Move Without Us" consumer page. TxDMV's checklist says to confirm the number shows as active.
For FMCSA, search the company's USDOT number or name on the Protect Your Move site run by FMCSA. Check that the authority is active for household goods and that the name and address match the company you are talking to. FMCSA lists registered companies; it does not endorse them.
What a registered Texas mover must give you
- A written proposal or estimate showing the maximum price you could be required to pay, before loading
- TxDMV's "Rights and Responsibilities" information sheet
- A clear disclosure of its liability for loss or damage, stating it even if it is $0.00
- A copy of its tariff, the maximum rates it may charge, if you ask
- A Moving Services Contract to sign before loading, and a completed copy with an itemized bill at delivery
Those come from TxDMV's moving checklist. Liability coverage from the mover is not the same as insurance, and TxDMV notes you can insure your goods separately with an independent insurer.
Red flags
A company that will not give its number, a quote given without seeing anything, a demand for a large cash deposit, a contract with blank spaces, or a different company name on the truck than on the paperwork. Any one of these is worth a pause; two together is a reason to book someone else.
Before you book anyone, ask for the number on the first call and look it up while you are still on the phone.
Where to go next
Common questions
Does a small local mover need a TxDMV number?
Yes, if it moves household goods for pay within Texas. TxDMV requires it regardless of vehicle weight.
Is a USDOT number enough for a move inside Texas?
No. A USDOT number alone is not permission to operate as an intrastate household goods mover in Texas; the company also needs a TxDMV certificate.
Where do I report a mover?
For a move inside Texas, TxDMV handles household goods mover complaints. For an interstate move, file with FMCSA through its National Consumer Complaint Database.