Of the 237 household-goods movers on record in Iowa, 72 have no federal interstate operating authority. That is 30.4%. These companies may be allowed to move you from one Iowa address to another. They are not authorized to carry your belongings into Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin or South Dakota. The figures come from MovePricer's compilation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) licensing, insurance, revocation and out-of-service data, as of October 24, 2026.
Iowa is a little below the national rate. Across the United States, 12,031 of 37,681 movers on record (31.9%) are in-state only. Iowa ranks 20th of the 51 jurisdictions MovePricer ranked on this measure. Separately, 67 movers with Iowa business addresses hold active federal interstate authority.
Two different rulebooks
Moves inside Iowa are regulated by the state. A company that moves household goods for hire within Iowa needs an Intrastate Motor Carrier Permit from the Iowa Department of Transportation under Iowa Code Chapter 325A. It also needs a USDOT number, proof of liability insurance filed by its insurer, and a tariff of rates on file with the Iowa DOT's Office of Motor Carrier Services. Under Iowa DOT marking rules, carriers that never leave the state must add the letters "IA" after the USDOT number on their trucks.
When a move crosses a state line, federal rules apply. Interstate moving companies must get operating authority from FMCSA and follow federal requirements on licensing, estimates and the release of your goods. A mover without that authority isn't covered by the federal system meant to protect you on an interstate move.
Short metro moves count
Many Iowans live a bridge away from another state: Council Bluffs and Omaha, the Quad Cities, Dubuque, Sioux City. A move of a few miles across the river is still a move between states. Before you book, ask the mover whether it holds interstate authority. Don't assume a local company can do the job because the distance is short.
There is one wrinkle. FMCSA's consumer rules do not apply to moves inside a federal "commercial zone." FMCSA's own example is a move from Brooklyn, New York, to Hackensack, New Jersey, which it treats as inside the New York City commercial zone. Commercial zones are defined in 49 CFR Part 372. If your cross-river move might fall inside one, you may have fewer federal protections. Ask FMCSA or the Iowa DOT how your move is classified, and get the mover's answer in writing.
What federal rules give interstate customers
- Required booklets. Before an interstate move, movers and brokers must give you FMCSA's Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move and its Ready to Move brochure.
- Written estimates. FMCSA requires interstate movers to give written estimates.
- A choice of coverage. Movers must offer Full Value Protection or Released Value. Released Value costs nothing but caps liability at 60 cents per pound per article. Under that cap, a 10-pound item worth $1,000 is covered for $6.
- Dispute settlement. Interstate movers must offer a neutral dispute settlement program.
- Penalties for holding goods hostage. Federal law sets penalties for movers that hold belongings hostage. It also lets state attorneys general sue in federal court to enforce the consumer rules for interstate moves.
What can go wrong
In 2022, Omaha station WOWT reported on an 80-year-old woman from Logan, Iowa, who was moving to Kansas. She paid a moving broker, which hired a moving company, and the move cost her nearly $7,000 in total. Her belongings reached her new apartment a month after pickup, and some furniture was damaged. A Better Business Bureau official told the station that some consumers face unexpected upcharges of $2,500 to $5,000, and that goods can be held in storage if they don't pay.
The Iowa Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division handled more than 4,000 complaints in 2025, the second straight yearly increase. We did not find a recent Iowa attorney-general enforcement action aimed specifically at a moving company.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Get the USDOT number and look it up. MovePricer's free lookup at movepricer.com/check shows a mover's federal record. FMCSA's Protect Your Move site also has mover information. For any move that leaves Iowa, confirm the company has active interstate household-goods authority.
- Look at the truck. An "IA" after the USDOT number means the carrier says it operates only in Iowa.
- For in-state moves, confirm the Iowa permit with the Iowa DOT Office of Motor Carrier Services at 515-237-3268 or omcs@iowadot.us.
- Ask whether you're dealing with a broker or a mover. FMCSA says a legitimate company will tell you which it is.
- Get the estimate in writing and read the federal booklet before moving day.
- If something goes wrong, file interstate complaints with FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database at (888) 368-7238. Contact the Iowa Attorney General's consumer hotline at 1-888-777-4590. This article is not legal advice. FMCSA and the Attorney General's office can explain your options.