Long Distance
How to Choose a Long-Distance Moving Company
A move across hundreds of miles puts everything you own in someone else's truck for days. Here is how to pick a carrier that is licensed, insured, and actually shows up.
Long Distance · April 8, 2025 · 4 min read
The short version: hire a properly licensed company with full insurance, real experience handling the kind of things you own, and a solid reputation where it operates. A bonded mover adds one more layer of protection.
Choosing a long-distance mover is not the same as picking a crew for a quick hop across town. The company may need authority in both the state you leave and the state you land in, and it helps when the team knows both ends of the trip, from building rules in Manhattan to parking and access at your new address.
Find the Best Long-Distance Movers
Every year people hand a big deposit to a so-called moving company and then wait for a truck that never arrives. Another common trap is the bargain quote that balloons once your furniture is loaded: the carrier parks your things in a warehouse and refuses to release them until you pay a new, higher number.
You can avoid both outcomes with a little homework up front. The six checks below are the same ones we would use if we were hiring a mover ourselves.
Six Checks Before You Sign
- Step 1
Work with a company that has a real local presence
A mover you can visit in person is far harder to fake than a website and a phone line. Online-only brokers can misstate their licensing, experience, and track record with little consequence. If you can, stop by the office or warehouse and see the trucks and equipment with your own eyes.
- Step 2
Get a proper estimate for the move
Ask for an in-home or video walkthrough rather than a number pulled from a quick phone call. A quote that comes in far below everyone else's, or a company that refuses to look at your belongings at all, is a signal to slow down. At MPs New York every estimate is based on a real inventory, and we put it in writing.
- Step 3
Verify licensing and credentials
Any carrier hauling household goods across state lines must hold a USDOT number and operating authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Those numbers should appear on the company's website and paperwork. Look them up on the FMCSA site to confirm the registration is active and matches the business name you were given.
- Step 4
Read the good reviews and the bad ones
Look at what past customers say across several platforms, including the Better Business Bureau and Google. The federal government also offers a search tool that shows a registered mover's complaint history. Pay attention to how a company responds when something goes wrong, not just to the five-star posts.
- Step 5
Avoid large deposits with an unknown mover
Most reputable carriers ask for a modest deposit, and many collect most of the payment only at delivery. Some charge upfront for fuel or labor tied to packing and loading. If you do pay in advance, use a credit card so you can dispute the charge if the company does not deliver on its promises.
- Step 6
Report bad service when it happens
Scammers keep operating when nobody complains. Start with your state or local consumer protection office. If the mover belongs to a trade association, file there too. For interstate moves, the FMCSA accepts complaints about household goods carriers and uses them to track problem companies.
What to Do for In-State Moves
Not every long move crosses a state line. A trip from Manhattan to Buffalo or from Brooklyn to the far end of Long Island can still be a long-haul job, and many states, New York included, require movers to hold state-level authority before they can carry household goods within the state.
If you are moving within a state that does not regulate movers, lean even harder on the basics: read past customers' experiences, confirm insurance and any credentials the company claims, and follow every check above to protect your belongings and your money.
The good news is that most long-distance movers do honest work at fair prices. Keep this checklist handy while you plan, ask direct questions, and you will be able to tell the professionals from the pretenders quickly.
How MPs New York Handles Long-Distance Moves
We are a licensed and insured New York mover, and we run our own trucks and background-checked crews. Every long-haul customer gets a written, inventory-based quote, clear valuation coverage options, and a single point of contact from pickup to delivery.
Need help with the heavy lifting before the truck rolls? Add packing services or short-term storage if your new place is not ready yet. Heading south? See our guide to moving from New York to Florida.
Planning a long-distance move?
Tell us where you are headed and what you are bringing, and we will send a written quote with no surprises.