349 of the 646 household-goods movers on record in Minnesota have no federal interstate operating authority. That's 54%, based on MovePricer's analysis of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) licensing, revocation and out-of-service data compiled October 17, 2026. These companies can legally move you only within Minnesota. Nationally the share is 31.9% (12,031 of 37,681 movers on record). Minnesota ranks No. 1 of the 51 jurisdictions MovePricer compared. Separately, MovePricer counts 122 household-goods carriers based in Minnesota that do have active federal interstate authority.
Being in-state-only is not wrongdoing. Many of these companies are legitimate local businesses holding the permit Minnesota requires. But if your move crosses a state line, more than half of the Minnesota movers in the federal records can't legally take the job.
Two regulators, split at the border
For moves inside Minnesota, all for-hire household goods movers operating within Minnesota must obtain a Household Goods Mover Permit from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). This permit is administered through MnDOT's Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations (OFCVO) and is mandatory for legal intrastate moving operations. MnDOT requires not less than $50,000 destruction of property (Form E) coverage and $50,000 in cargo insurance, and says a company may not legally operate as a motor carrier until you receive your household goods mover permit.
One detail trips people up. MnDOT's trucking regulations tell permit applicants, "You will need a US DOT number to apply." So in-state-only movers also have USDOT numbers. Seeing a USDOT number on a truck or website doesn't tell you the company can cross a state line.
Once a move crosses a border, federal rules apply. FMCSA's consumer booklet says its regulations apply when you move from one State to another or internationally. Minnesota shares metro areas with neighboring states: Moorhead–Fargo, Duluth–Superior, and the eastern Twin Cities suburbs next to western Wisconsin. A short move in any of them can cross a state line. There is one exception: the same booklet says the regulations do not apply when your move takes place within a commercial zone (defined at the end of this booklet). Whether a particular cross-border metro move falls inside a commercial zone is a technical question. Ask the mover in writing which rules cover your move, and check with FMCSA.
What interstate protections cover
- Registration: All interstate household goods movers and brokers must be registered with FMCSA.
- Disclosures: FMCSA treats it as a red flag if a mover or broker doesn't give you the Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move booklet and the Ready to Move brochure, which movers are required by federal regulations to supply to their customers.
- Estimates: For interstate moves, FMCSA requires estimates to be based on a physical survey unless you waive that requirement in writing.
- Weighing: On weight-based interstate moves, you have the right to observe the weighing and request a reweigh at no charge if you question the result.
- Delivery: Movers aren't allowed to hold your things hostage if you've paid 100% of the estimated costs outlined on your binding estimate or 110% of the estimated costs on your non-binding estimate. FMCSA may take enforcement action when a mover or broker knowingly and willfully violates a contract, and fails to deliver household goods at the agreed upon destination when a customer has paid.
If a mover without interstate authority takes a cross-border job, it is working outside this federal system. That can leave you with fewer options if something goes wrong.
What Minnesota officials say
The Minnesota Attorney General's Hiring a Mover guide sends consumers to MnDOT to obtain licensing and rate information or to file a complaint concerning a mover. The AG's office takes consumer complaints and can sometimes mediate. But it notes that we do not license businesses and cannot simply order a business to take a particular course of action in a given matter.
The AG's office has looked into a moving-related business recently. After a WCCO investigation, CBS Minnesota reported that the Minnesota Attorney General's Office wants answers from a hauling and moving company. The case involved a Shoreview franchise location: a family said they paid to have items donated, but the truck load full of furniture, toys and gently used clothing ended up at the dump. Now the State Attorney General's Office is looking into alleged deception and misrepresentation in its business practices. The case was about a junk pickup, not a household move. In its response to the AG, the business said it is a junk-hauling service and decides itself what happens to the items it removes. We did not find a recent public Minnesota enforcement action involving a household-goods move specifically.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Get the USDOT number and look it up. Use MovePricer's free lookup at movepricer.com/check or FMCSA's mover search at protectyourmove.gov. If your move crosses a state line, confirm the company has active interstate household-goods authority, not just a USDOT number.
- For in-state moves, confirm the MnDOT permit. Call MnDOT's Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations at (651) 215-6330.
- Watch for FMCSA's red flags, such as when the mover asks you to sign blank documents or the mover claims that you have more belongings than estimated.
- If something goes wrong: For interstate moves, contact FMCSA. For in-state moves, contact MnDOT. You can reach the Minnesota Attorney General's Office at (651) 296-3353 (Twin Cities Calling Area) or (800) 657-3787 (Outside the Twin Cities).
This article is consumer information, not legal advice. For questions about your situation, contact FMCSA or the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.