What federal regulations and recordkeeping rules apply to interstate moving companies?
An interstate household goods carrier answers to a stack of FMCSA rules — registration, insurance, consumer protection, and a record preservation rule — before it ever quotes your move. Here is exactly which federal regulations apply, which records the carrier must keep, and where state rules take over for an in-state job.
A household goods carrier moving your belongings across state lines must hold a USDOT number and active MC operating authority, enroll in the Unified Carrier Registration program, carry minimum liability and cargo insurance, follow the consumer protection rules in 49 CFR Part 375, and preserve records under 49 CFR Part 379. The FMCSA, state agencies, and state attorneys general share enforcement. If your move starts and ends inside one state, none of these federal rules apply — that move is governed by your state's public utility commission, department of transportation, or corporation commission.
Interstate household goods moves are not an unregulated market. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets the floor, and the floor is wide: federal registration, financial responsibility, consumer protection, and a separate record preservation rule sit on top of each other. If your move crosses a state line, every layer of this stack applies to the carrier. If your move starts and ends in the same state, none of it does — your state takes over. Knowing which regime covers your job is the first step to vetting the right provider and keeping the right paperwork.
The federal registration stack a carrier must clear before quoting you
A legitimate interstate household goods carrier has to pass through several federal gates before it can legally accept your shipment. Each gate leaves a paper trail you can verify.
What every interstate household goods carrier must hold
✓
USDOT number
A unique identifier the FMCSA uses to track safety records, inspections, and compliance reviews. Required for any interstate motor carrier.
✓
MC (Motor Carrier) operating authority
The actual legal permission to haul household goods for hire across state lines, granted after the OP-1 application is filed and vetted. The application carries a $300 non-refundable filing fee.
✓
BOC-3 process agent designations
The carrier must name a process agent in every state where it operates or travels through, so legal papers can be served if it is sued or faces an enforcement action.
✓
Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)
An annual federally-mandated enrollment that funds state motor carrier safety programs. For 2026, fees range from $46 for the smallest operators to $44,836 for fleets of 1,001 or more vehicles.
✓
Biennial MCS-150 update
Carriers must update their registration data every 24 months. Missing the filing window can deactivate the USDOT number and trigger civil penalties.
✓
Proof of insurance on file with FMCSA
The carrier's insurer files the certificates directly with the agency using BMC-91 or BMC-91X forms.
What Part 375 actually requires during your move
49 CFR Part 375 is the consumer protection rule for household goods motor carriers in interstate commerce. It governs what the carrier must do, in writing, from the first estimate through delivery. These are the rules that produce the documents you keep in your own files.
Consumer protection requirements under Part 375
A written estimate based on a visual survey of the goods, with a clear statement of whether it is binding or non-binding.
An inventory of the goods shipped, item by item, before loading and again at delivery.
A bill of lading (or receipt) that establishes the carrier's liability for the property it receives for transportation.
A written waiver if the customer elects Released Value Protection at 60 cents per pound per item — the default if nothing is signed.
An offer of Full Value Protection, where the carrier agrees to repair, replace, or pay current market value for any lost or damaged item.
An offer of arbitration as a way to settle loss-and-damage disputes, required as a condition of registration under 49 USC 14708.
Tariff-based pricing, since under 49 USC 13702 a household goods carrier may only charge a rate that is contained in a tariff in effect.
Insurance floors and the two valuation choices
Federal financial responsibility rules fall into two groups: insurance that protects the public from the truck, and coverage that protects your belongings. The carrier is legally required to carry the first; the second is split between a default and an upgrade you must choose.
Federal insurance and valuation layers at a glance
Coverage
Who it protects
Federal minimum
How it is documented
Bodily injury & property damage (BI&PD)
The public (third parties)
$750,000 for vehicles over 10,001 lb GVWR
BMC-91 or BMC-91X filed with FMCSA by the insurer
Cargo liability — household goods
Shipper's belongings in transit
$5,000 per vehicle; $10,000 aggregate per incident
Filed with FMCSA by the carrier's insurer
Released Value Protection
Shipper's belongings (default)
$0.60 per pound, per item
Written waiver signed by the shipper
Full Value Protection
Shipper's belongings (optional upgrade)
Repair, replace, or current market value; deductible allowed
Written election before the move; carrier may charge a premium
The recordkeeping rule under 49 CFR Part 379
49 CFR Part 379 is the federal preservation-of-records rule for household goods motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and water carriers. It is the reason the documents you sign do not simply disappear after delivery. The same rule is what lets the FMCSA, a state regulator, or a state attorney general reconstruct what happened months later when a claim or complaint is filed.
Records the carrier is required to preserve
✓
Estimates and orders for service
The written estimate, any revisions, and the order that authorized the move.
✓
Bill of lading and inventory
The transportation receipt and the item-by-item inventory taken at origin and at delivery.
✓
Weight tickets
The certified weight documentation used to support any weight-based charge.
✓
Tariff in effect at the time of the move
Required under 49 USC 13702; the published rate document that authorized the charge.
✓
Loss, damage, injury, and delay claims
Handled under the framework in 49 CFR Part 370, with records preserved to support the disposition.
✓
Valuation election and any written waiver
Documentation of whether the shipper chose Released Value or Full Value Protection.
✓
Arbitration and dispute settlement records
Any arbitration offered under 49 USC 14708 and the outcome of the process.
When federal rules stop applying: the in-state move
The state rules vary widely. Some states still require a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, meaning the carrier has to demonstrate a public need before it can operate. Other states have deregulated and rely on basic safety registration, insurance filings, and Secretary of State business registration. Many states still require movers to file a tariff — a public rate document — with the state agency, and they cannot legally charge rates that differ from the filed tariff.
Even when a move is interstate, state agencies and state attorneys general can piggyback on the federal framework. Under 49 USC 14710, a state authority may enforce the FMCSA consumer protection provisions that apply to individual shippers. Under 49 USC 14711, a state attorney general may bring a civil action in federal court on behalf of state residents. The federal floor stays in place; states add their own enforcement on top.
Practical records to keep on your side
A simple file you can build before the truck arrives
The carrier's USDOT number and MC number, copied from the FMCSA registration system.
The full written estimate, marked binding or non-binding, and any revisions.
A copy of the BOC-3 or process agent designation if you want to confirm the carrier can be served in your state.
Your own inventory, with photos or video timestamps, taken the day of pickup.
The bill of lading and the delivery receipt, signed or noted with exceptions at delivery.
The valuation election page — which tier you chose and what the premium was, if any.
All weight tickets and any receipts for packing, storage, or accessorial charges.
The carrier's tariff in effect, or the URL where it is published.
SUMMARY
The bottom line
For an interstate move, expect the carrier to operate under at least four federal rule sets at once: 49 CFR Part 375 (consumer protection), Part 370 (claims), Part 387 (insurance minimums), and Part 379 (record preservation), all sitting on top of USDOT/MC registration and UCR enrollment. The paperwork you sign is the paperwork the carrier is required to keep, so keep your own copies. The moment your move stays inside one state, the federal framework drops away and your state's utility regulator, DOT, or corporation commission becomes the authority — confirm which one governs intrastate moves in your state before you sign a contract.
Common questions
Before you move on
How do I verify a mover has federal interstate authority?+
Ask for the carrier's USDOT number and MC number, then look them up in the FMCSA's public registration system. Confirm the MC authority is active, the UCR enrollment is current, and the insurance certificates (BMC-91 or BMC-91X) are on file with FMCSA. A legitimate carrier will not hesitate to provide the numbers.
What is the difference between Released Value and Full Value Protection?+
Released Value is the default federal tier and limits the carrier's liability to 60 cents per pound per item — effectively a token payment. Full Value Protection requires the carrier to repair, replace, or pay current market value for any lost or damaged item, usually for an added premium and sometimes with a deductible. The carrier must get a written waiver before applying Released Value.
Do federal rules apply if my move stays inside one state?+
No. Intrastate moves are governed by state law, not by 49 CFR Parts 375, 379, 387, or the federal USDOT/MC framework. State rules vary — some require a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, some require a filed tariff, and some are largely deregulated. Check with your state's public utility commission, department of transportation, or corporation commission.
How long does a carrier have to keep records about my move?+
49 CFR Part 379 governs preservation of records for household goods carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and water carriers, and it covers the documents produced by the move — estimates, bills of lading, inventories, weight tickets, claims, valuation elections, and tariff filings. Specific retention periods are set out in the regulation itself; ask the carrier or your state regulator for the period that applies to the document you need.
