In the 12 months before October 24, 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) ordered 7 Mississippi household-goods movers out of service. That is 11.3% of the 62 movers based in the state that hold active federal authority to move household goods across state lines. Nationally the figure is 6.6%, which puts Mississippi 3rd of the 48 states ranked, according to MovePricer's analysis of FMCSA licensing, revocation and out-of-service data.
Every one of the seven was a new company. All were taken off the road because they refused or ignored their mandatory federal safety audit. None failed it. The same pattern shows up across the country: 477 of the 560 out-of-service orders against movers nationwide were for refused audits, and 59 were for failed audits.
What the new-entrant safety audit is
Every new interstate motor carrier, movers included, goes through FMCSA's New Entrant Safety Assurance Program. During that probation-like period, auditors check whether the company has basic safety controls in place. FMCSA lists violations that mean automatic failure, including having no drug and alcohol testing program, using a driver who tested positive, running a vehicle that was declared out of service before it was repaired, and operating vehicles that have not had their annual inspection. Under the regulation, operating without the required liability insurance also counts.
A failed audit is not the end of the road straight away. FMCSA sends written notice and gives the company time to fix the problems. The out-of-service order only comes if it does not.
What happens when a mover refuses or ignores it
Refusing the audit is handled more bluntly. Under 49 CFR 385.337, FMCSA notifies the company that its registration will be revoked unless it agrees in writing within 10 days to be audited. If it does not agree, its interstate operations are placed out of service from the 11th day. State enforcement offices that run the program say carriers that cannot be contacted go down the same path as those that refuse. Once an order is in place, the company cannot legally carry interstate loads, and its in-state operations may be affected too.
Why skipping the audit is a red flag
The audit asks a mover to show basic paperwork: insurance, driver qualifications, drug testing and vehicle maintenance. A company that won't show those records, or doesn't answer the federal agency that licenses it, has given you a reason to hesitate before handing it everything you own. An out-of-service order is not a finding of fraud. It does mean the company is not allowed to do interstate moves until FMCSA lifts the order.
FMCSA's Protect Your Move campaign says the most common complaints about movers are shipments held hostage, lost or damaged goods, unauthorized movers, and overcharging. The red flags it lists include no in-home estimate, being asked to sign incomplete paperwork, and a company that has not registered with FMCSA. Its consumer brochure also explains the "110 percent rule": on a non-binding estimate, the mover must deliver your goods for no more than 10% above the estimated price.
Mississippi rules and where to complain
Federal authority covers moves that cross state lines. According to published guidance on Mississippi licensing, movers that work only inside the state need a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity from the Mississippi Department of Transportation. They generally do not need a USDOT number. So for a move from Jackson to Gulfport, a federal lookup may not tell the whole story. Ask the mover for its state certificate and confirm it with MDOT.
For this report, MovePricer did not find a recent public enforcement action by the Mississippi attorney general against a moving company. FMCSA says state attorneys general and consumer agencies are the ones who pursue suspected moving fraud. The Mississippi Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division takes complaints at 601-359-4230 or 1-800-281-4418. The office says it can sometimes help mediate a dispute, but it cannot act as a lawyer for one person. For interstate moves, complaints go to FMCSA at 1-888-368-7238 or protectyourmove.gov. For advice about your own situation, talk to the attorney general's office or a lawyer.
How to check a mover before you sign
- Get the USDOT number in writing and look it up on the day you book and again before moving day. Make sure the authority is active and not out of service. You can use FMCSA's protectyourmove.gov or MovePricer's free lookup at https://movepricer.com/check.
- For in-state moves, ask for the mover's Mississippi certificate and confirm it with MDOT.
- Insist on a written estimate based on an in-home or video survey, and never sign blank or incomplete documents.
- Be wary of large upfront deposits and of quotes far below everyone else's.
- If something goes wrong, file with FMCSA for interstate moves and with the Mississippi attorney general's office.