Florida consistently ranks near the top for moving-related complaints, and the reason is structural: it is a huge inbound and outbound market, it has a lot of retirees moving under time pressure, and the barrier to advertising as a mover is close to zero.
The good news is that almost every bad outcome traces back to one of four things you can check in about twenty minutes. Here they are, in the order that matters.
Check the operating authority first
Before you look at a single review, look up the company on the FMCSA SAFER register. You need three things from it:
- A USDOT number that exists and is active. Not "pending". Not a number that belongs to a different company name.
- The company name on the register matching the name on the website. A mismatch is not always fraud — companies do trade under a DBA — but it is a question you want answered before money changes hands.
- Their operating status. "Out of Service" means exactly what it sounds like.
For moves that stay inside Florida, you also want a state intrastate mover registration (an IM number) issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Florida Statute 507 requires it, and it must appear in advertising. A company moving you from Miami to Orlando with no IM number is operating illegally.
Work out whether you are talking to a carrier or a broker
This is the single most useful distinction in the industry, and most people have never heard of it.
A carrier owns trucks and employs crews. A broker owns neither — they take your booking and sell the job to whichever carrier bids lowest, often days before the move, sometimes the morning of.
Brokers are legal and some are fine. But the broker model is where the worst stories come from, because:
- The company that quoted you is not the company that shows up, so the quote is not binding on anyone.
- Nobody has walked your inventory, so the price is a guess that gets "corrected" after loading.
- When something goes wrong, the broker points at the carrier and the carrier points at the broker.
Ask directly: "Are you the carrier, and will your own employees and truck be doing my move?" Get the answer in writing. On the FMCSA register, look at whether the entity is authorised for "Property" as a carrier or listed as a broker.
Get the estimate type in writing
There are three kinds, and they are not equivalent:
| Estimate type | What it means |
|---|---|
| Binding | The price is fixed for the inventory quoted. If the inventory does not change, neither does the price. |
| Binding not-to-exceed | The price can go down if the shipment weighs less than estimated, but never up. Best of the three for you. |
| Non-binding | An estimate only. The final price is based on actual weight and services, and can legally be higher. |
Most suspiciously cheap online quotes are non-binding. That is not illegal, but it means the number you were sold on has no force. Ask which type you are being given, and get it on the paperwork.
A related red flag: a quote given without anyone looking at your stuff. A walkthrough — in person or by video — is how a mover produces a number they can stand behind. A company that will quote a three-bedroom house over the phone in ninety seconds is either guessing or planning to re-price you later.
Understand what "insurance" actually covers
Movers do not sell insurance. They provide valuation, and there are two levels:
Released value is free and automatic. It covers 60 cents per pound, per article. A 40-pound television is covered for $24. This is the federal minimum and it is functionally nothing.
Full-value protection costs extra. The mover must repair the item, replace it, or pay you its current market value. If you are shipping anything you would actually be upset to lose, this is what you want.
Separately: ask about their general liability and cargo coverage, and if you are moving into a condo or office building, whether they can produce a certificate of insurance naming the association. Many buildings will not let a crew past the loading dock without one.
The deposit rule
Reputable movers in this market generally do not require a large deposit for a local move. Long-distance jobs often do take one, and that is normal — but:
- It should be a modest percentage, not half the job.
- It should be credited against the final invoice, not an extra fee.
- It should be payable by credit card. A company that insists on cash, wire, Zelle, or a cashier's check is removing your ability to dispute the charge. That is the point.
Never pay the full amount up front. On an interstate move, payment is due on delivery.
Red flags, condensed
If you want a single checklist to run down the phone:
- No USDOT number, or one that does not match the company name
- No Florida IM number for an in-state move
- Refuses to say whether they are a carrier or a broker
- Quotes without any walkthrough
- Cannot or will not say whether the estimate is binding
- Wants a large deposit, or wants it by wire or cash
- Will not provide a certificate of insurance
- Does not give you Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move on an interstate booking — federal law requires it
- The paperwork arrives blank and they ask you to sign it anyway
That last one deserves its own line. Never sign a blank or incomplete bill of lading. It is the contract. Once it is signed, whatever gets written into it afterwards is what you agreed to.
What good looks like
A mover you can trust will do the boring things: walk your home including the garage and the attic, give you a written binding estimate that lists the inventory, tell you plainly which valuation option they recommend and why, hand you the federal booklet without being asked, and take a credit card.
None of that is exciting. All of it is the difference between a move and a story you tell for years.