Of the 380 household-goods movers on record in Kentucky, 155 have no federal interstate operating authority. That means they may only move you between two points inside Kentucky. It works out to 40.8%, compared with 31.9% nationwide (12,031 of 37,681 movers). Kentucky has the 12th-highest in-state-only share of the 51 ranked. MovePricer compiled the figures on October 24, 2026, from FMCSA licensing and insurance, revocation and out-of-service datasets.
The pool of Kentucky-based movers that can legally cross a state line is small. Only 78 household-goods carriers with a Kentucky business address hold active federal interstate authority. Counting household-goods brokers with active authority brings the total to 81.
Why the state line matters
Two different regulators split Kentucky moves. If you are moving household goods from your home to another location within Kentucky, your mover must be licensed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Department of Vehicle Regulation, Division of Motor Carriers (KYTC). But if you intend to move your household goods from one state to another, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has jurisdiction over the mover, not KYTC.
So a mover with only a state certificate isn't authorized for a move from Lexington to Nashville. The same goes for many short metro moves, like Louisville to Jeffersonville, Ind., or Covington to Cincinnati. One wrinkle: FMCSA notes that its consumer rules do not apply when your move takes place within a commercial zone. If your move is a short cross-river hop, ask FMCSA which rules cover it before you book.
What federal rules give you on an interstate move
Interstate moving companies must seek authority from the FMCSA to conduct household goods moves and must comply with Federal requirements. Those requirements include:
- Written estimates. FMCSA requires your mover to provide written estimates on every shipment transported for you.
- Your rights booklet. Before moving your household goods interstate, movers and brokers are required to give you the booklet entitled Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.
- Liability options. Federal regulations require interstate household goods movers to provide consumers with the options of Full Value Protection or Release Value for liability for loss or damage on their shipments.
- Arbitration. Any mover who engages in interstate moves must offer an Arbitration Program, which lets you settle a loss or damage dispute without hiring a lawyer.
If your mover has no federal authority, these protections become much harder to use. You're also hiring a company working outside its license.
Kentucky's own rules for in-state moves
For moves inside Kentucky, the state has its own requirements. KYTC requires applicants to complete all vehicle inspections by an automotive service technician and all nationwide criminal background checks before submitting the application. The cabinet advises consumers to be sure the mover has a KY "DMT (sometimes referred to as DVR) license number." To file a complaint about a household-goods carrier, complete the TC 95-622 Consumer Complaint Document and send it to kytc.mccomplaints@ky.gov.
A recent Kentucky case
Lacking the right license has led to state enforcement. In August 2025, Attorney General Russell Coleman sued Louisville-based Margaret's Movers in Franklin Circuit Court. Consumers have complained that the company failed to return items to the consumer after storage, failed to disclose where the items were being stored, damaged items during moving and storage and that items entrusted to Margaret's Movers for storage were stolen. According to the attorney general, Margaret's Movers has not obtained the required state certification. The company was last authorized to provide local moving services in 2015.
In May 2026, a Franklin County Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of the Attorney General, permanently barring Margaret's Movers and its owner, Margaret Weathers, from providing moving services in Kentucky. The Court also ordered the defendants to pay more than $234,000 in civil penalties and consumer restitution. The owners denied wrongdoing. Margaret Weathers told WAVE, "We respectfully disagree with the allegations."
That case was about missing state certification. The lesson applies to both kinds of license: check the one that matches your move.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Decide which license you need. Moving within Kentucky? Look for a KYTC household-goods certificate. Crossing any state line? The mover needs active FMCSA interstate authority for household goods.
- Get the USDOT number and look it up. You can search any mover's USDOT record for free at movepricer.com/check, or use FMCSA's tools at fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move. Make sure the name and address match your quote.
- Get a written estimate and read the bill of lading before you sign it.
- Know where to report problems. For interstate moves, consumers can report unsafe and unlawful moving companies by calling FMCSA's nationwide complaint hotline at 1-888-368-7238. For in-state moves, contact KYTC. Suspected fraud can also go to the Kentucky Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection.
This article isn't legal advice. For questions about a specific move, contact FMCSA or the Kentucky Attorney General.