Verify a California Moving Company License

Why This Page Exists

Verify Us. Verify Anyone.

The best protection against moving fraud costs nothing and takes ninety seconds: look the company up before you book. This page shows exactly how — using our own license numbers as the worked example, because a mover who won’t hand you its numbers has answered your question already.

Our numbers, for the exercise: CAL-T #201759 (California household mover permit, issued by the BHGS) · US DOT #4372335 (federal). Check them against everything below.

Step by Step

The 90-Second License Check

Step 1 — California license (BHGS)

Go to the BHGS website: bhgs.dca.ca.gov and open its household mover license search.
Search the company name or license number and confirm the status is active and the name matches the company quoting you — exactly, not approximately.
No result, lapsed status, or a mismatched name = stop.

Step 2 — Federal record (FMCSA SAFER)

Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and search by US DOT number (ours: 4372335).
Read three fields: Entity Type (Carrier is what you want; Broker means middleman), Operating Status (must be authorized), and whether the company’s name and address match its marketing.
For interstate moves, also glance at the safety record on the same snapshot.

Step 3 — The paperwork test

A legitimate California mover will do a visual inspection, put a Not to Exceed price in writing, and hand you the state consumer booklet without being asked. Those aren’t courtesies; they’re requirements.

The Pattern

How the Scam Version Reads

Fraudulent movers follow a script so consistent it’s almost a checklist: a too-good quote from a web form with no inspection; a deposit to “lock your date”; a different company’s name on moving day, arriving in a rented truck; a revised, doubled price once your goods are loaded — the setup for a hostage load. Every step of it collapses against the ninety-second check above.

More on your legal protections: California moving laws · coverage math: valuation guide.

FAQ

License & Verification Questions

What license should a California mover have?+

For moves within California: a household mover permit from the Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS) — long-standing companies also carry their legacy CAL-T number. For interstate moves: FMCSA registration with a US DOT number and motor carrier authority. A company doing both, like us, carries both.

How do I tell a broker from a carrier?+

Ask one question: “Will the truck and crew that show up be your employees and equipment?” A carrier says yes. A broker sells your move to an unknown carrier — and on the FMCSA snapshot, the “Entity Type” field says Broker in black and white.

What are the biggest red flags?+

A large deposit demanded up front; no visual inspection before quoting; no written Not to Exceed price; a rented, unmarked truck on moving day; a company name that doesn’t match its paperwork; and pressure to sign blank forms. Any one of these is a reason to stop.

Where do I complain about a mover?+

Intrastate (within California): BHGS at bhgs.dca.ca.gov. Interstate: the FMCSA’s National Consumer Complaint Database. Document everything first — contracts, texts, photos, payments.

Let Us Handle the Move

Licensed California carrier since 1997. Flat-rate long distance, $109/hr local, free in-home estimates — and every rule on this page honored in writing.

Call (858) 490-0155

Mon-Sun 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM · CAL-T #201759 · Free in-home estimates

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