Licensed and Insured Movers.
Here Is How You Check.
Every moving website in America says licensed and insured. The federal database says who actually is. Our USDOT number is #2551548. Run it through the FMCSA lookup and you will find an active asset-based carrier with a 0% out-of-service rate across 15 years of roadside inspections. Then ask the next company on your list for their number, and watch what happens.
Get a Quote from a Verified CarrierMoving + Storage under one roof, one company, one point of contact Plus complimentary moving blankets, wardrobe boxes, and floor protection with every move.
Quick Answer: How Do You Verify a Moving Company Is Licensed and Insured?
Three steps, about 90 seconds. One: ask for the USDOT number and look it up on the FMCSA SAFER database; check that the authority is active and read the out-of-service rate. Two: for a California in-state move, ask for the CAL-T or MTR number and confirm it with the state household goods program. Three: ask for a certificate of insurance naming you or your building. A legitimate mover produces all three without friction. Ontrack Moving® is USDOT #2551548 and CAL-T190721, with a 0% Federal Out-of-Service Rate.
Our $10,000,000 Combined Protection Tower covers building and property liability. Belongings are covered separately by standard $0.60/lb cargo liability per article, with additional valuation options available.
Our Credentials: Quick Facts
- Federal authority: USDOT #2551548, active since 2010, verifiable on FMCSA SAFER
- California authority: CAL-T190721 for in-state household goods moves
- Safety record: USDOT #2551548 | CA License: CAL-T190721 | 0% Out-of-Service Rate
- Building liability: $10,000,000 Combined Protection Tower (general liability, workers comp, commercial auto)
- Cargo liability: Standard $0.60/lb per article, additional valuation options available
- Rating: 4.9/5 average from 2,847+ verified customer reviews
The 90-second background check
How to Verify Any Moving Company, Including Us
The moving industry has a paperwork problem: the companies most eager to say licensed and insured are often the ones hoping you never ask for the numbers. So ask. These three checks separate real carriers from a rented truck and a Facebook page, and they work on any mover in the country.
Run the USDOT Number
Every legitimate interstate carrier has one. Plug it into the FMCSA SAFER snapshot and read three lines: is the authority active, does the legal name match the company quoting you, and what is the out-of-service rate. Ours is #2551548, and the rate reads 0%.
Check the State License
California regulates in-state household goods moves separately: ask for the CAL-T or MTR number and confirm it with the state household goods program. Ours is CAL-T190721. Arizona in-state moves run under our federal USDOT authority, so the same SAFER lookup covers both ends of a California to Arizona move.
Ask for the COI
A certificate of insurance is the document, not the claim. We issue COIs naming your building or property manager, backed by $10,000,000 in building liability, the same paperwork high-rise managers in San Francisco and Phoenix require before releasing the freight elevator for a commercial move.
Read this before you compare quotes
Two Separate Coverages. Never Confuse Them.
This is where the moving industry plays its favorite word game. A company flashes a big liability number and lets you assume it covers your sofa. It does not, at any mover, anywhere. Here is the honest breakdown.
$10,000,000 Combined Protection Tower
Covers buildings and property: the hardwood floors, the elevator cab, the lobby glass, the loading dock, the door frames of both homes, and our own crews and trucks.
- General liability for premises and structures
- Workers compensation for our crews
- Commercial auto for our trucks
- COIs issued to building managers on request
- Does NOT cover your belongings
Standard $0.60/lb Cargo Liability
Covers your belongings at $0.60 per pound per article, the federally mandated FMCSA minimum that applies to every licensed mover in the country.
- Included on every move at no charge
- Pays by weight: a 100 lb dresser = $60 maximum
- Additional valuation protection available for purchase before move day
- Ask us about valuation options when high-value items are on the inventory
Any mover who tells you their big liability policy protects your furniture is describing coverage that does not exist. The two numbers above are the real structure at every licensed carrier in America. We would rather you hear it from us, in writing, before move day.
Carrier, broker, or a guy with a truck
Who Is Actually Showing Up to Your Move?
| What to check | Asset-Based Carrier (Ontrack Moving®) | Moving Broker | Unlicensed Crew |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDOT lookup result | Active carrier authority, #2551548, 0% out-of-service rate, fleet listed | Broker authority only: owns no trucks, employs no movers | No number, or a borrowed one that does not match the company name |
| Who loads the truck | Our direct employees on company-owned trucks | Whoever bought your job after you signed | Whoever answered the ad that week |
| Cargo liability | Standard $0.60/lb per article, in writing, with valuation options | Depends entirely on the carrier they assign you | None required, none likely |
| Workers comp if someone is hurt in your home | Covered under our policy | Depends on the assigned carrier | The claim can land on your homeowner's policy |
| COI for your building | Issued directly, $10M building liability | You chase the assigned carrier for it | Cannot produce one |
| Recourse if something goes wrong | FMCSA and state complaint channels, arbitration program, a 15-year public record | Broker points at carrier, carrier points at broker | Small claims court, if you can find them |
The hourly rate difference between a licensed carrier and a cheap unlicensed crew usually amounts to a few hundred dollars. Our crews run $165 to $195 per hour following the 15-Point Protection Protocol, and final charges are based on actual labor time, materials used, access conditions, scope changes, waiting time, and any additional services requested or required to complete the move. What the unlicensed discount actually buys is the removal of every protection on this page.
4.9/5 Average Rating from 2,847+ Reviews
What customers say about the paperwork side: quotes, COIs, and transparent pricing.
Quote and COI handled fast for an office move
We had a great experience with On Track Moving. From the start, they were quick with providing us a quote and COI for our office move. A special thanks to Paul who answered the dozens of questions we had... When we ran into issues with our furniture layout, On Track was quick to solve them, worked beyond their hours, and even came the next day to help us. They've made this move so much easier for us.
Verified on Google
Transparent pricing, flagged existing damage
This was my first move with furniture and it was a big job with heavy items that James and Efrain handled like pros. They were so kind and willing to help and worked quickly. They were very transparent with pricing and moved everything without a scratch. James even pointed out pre-existing damage in my new apartment to ensure I wouldn't get dinged from my complex. Thank you!!
Verified on Google
Transparent pricing from inquiry to delivery
The pricing was transparent, with no hidden fees or surprises, and the customer service was exceptional from my initial inquiry to the final delivery. If you're looking for a reliable, trustworthy, and professional moving company, I highly recommend it. I wouldn't hesitate to use their services again!
Verified on Google
One license, two states
Licensed Movers in California and Arizona
San Francisco Bay Area
California regulates in-state household goods moving separately from the federal system, which is why our CAL-T190721 sits alongside the USDOT number. From our Hayward HQ off Highway 92 and I-880, that dual authority covers everything from a studio in the Mission to a Peninsula Eichler with radiant floors.
Phoenix Metro Area
Arizona in-state moves operate under our federal USDOT authority, so the same #2551548 you verify on SAFER covers a move across Phoenix and a move across the country. From our Peoria warehouse off Loop 101, that includes HOA-gated communities across the West Valley and East Valley alike.
Put the credentials to work:
Full Service Moving Residential Moving Commercial Moving Long-Distance Moving Furniture Movers Customer ReviewsCommon questions
Licensing and Insurance FAQs
Licensed means the company holds real operating authority: a USDOT number from the FMCSA for interstate moves, plus state authority for in-state moves where required (in California, a CAL-T or MTR household goods number). Insured means the company carries general liability, workers compensation, and commercial auto coverage, plus the federally required $0.60 per pound per article cargo liability. The phrase on a website means nothing by itself. The numbers are what count, and every legitimate mover will hand them over: ours are USDOT #2551548 and CAL-T190721.
Ask for the company's USDOT number, then look it up on the FMCSA SAFER database. The snapshot shows the legal company name, whether the operating authority is active, the fleet size, inspection history, and the out-of-service rate. For a California in-state move, also ask for the CAL-T or MTR number and check it with the state's household goods program. If a company hesitates to give you these numbers, that hesitation is your answer. Ontrack Moving® is USDOT #2551548 and CAL-T190721.
Two completely separate coverages. The $10,000,000 Combined Protection Tower stacks general liability, workers compensation, and commercial auto coverage, and it protects buildings and property: floors, elevators, door frames, loading docks, and our own crews and trucks. Your belongings are covered separately by standard $0.60 per pound per article cargo liability, the federal FMCSA minimum, with additional valuation options available for purchase. The Tower does not cover belongings, and we state that plainly because companies that blur the two are setting up a claim dispute.
When FMCSA inspectors stop a commercial truck at roadside, they can order the vehicle or driver out of service on the spot for safety violations: bad brakes, hours violations, missing credentials. The out-of-service rate is the percentage of a company's inspections that end that way. The national average for vehicles hovers around 20 percent. Ontrack Moving® holds a 0% Federal Out-of-Service Rate under USDOT #2551548, meaning no inspection has ever pulled one of our trucks or drivers off the road. You can confirm it yourself on the FMCSA SAFER snapshot.
Three big ones. First, an unlicensed crew has no cargo liability obligation, so if something breaks there is no federally required minimum behind the apology. Second, if a worker without workers compensation coverage is injured in your home, the claim can land on your homeowner's policy. Third, you lose every formal recourse: FMCSA complaints, state household goods programs, and arbitration requirements only apply to licensed carriers. The 90-second SAFER lookup before booking is the cheapest protection in the entire moving process.
Yes. We issue certificates of insurance naming your building or property manager as certificate holder, backed by $10,000,000 in general liability for building and property protection. High-rise and office buildings in San Francisco, Oakland, and Phoenix routinely require a COI before the freight elevator gets reserved, and our office handles the paperwork directly with building management as part of every commercial move. Standard $0.60/lb cargo liability applies to belongings, as on every move.
