Kentucky long distance
Long-distance moving companies in Kentucky
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch requires Kentucky Intrastate Household Goods Certificate for household goods work inside Kentucky. Kentucky runs applications and renewals through the Motor Carrier Portal rather than a public register we have verified, so a Kentucky certificate is confirmed by asking the Division of Motor Carriers directly on 502-564-1257 or at kytc.passhg@ky.gov. A move crossing the state line requires a separate federal check.
Researched and written by Grant Holloway · Reviewed by Amanda Brooks · Last reviewed August 2026
Who regulates moving companies in Kentucky?
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch regulates household goods movers operating inside Kentucky, and sits within the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Department of Vehicle Regulation. Movers are licensed under KRS 281, with liability coverage set by KRS 281.655. Moves crossing the Kentucky state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
Source: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch
What authorisation must a Kentucky mover hold?
A mover doing work inside Kentucky must hold the Kentucky Intrastate Household Goods Certificate, issued by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. The requirement sits in KRS 281, with liability coverage set by KRS 281.655. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Kentucky intrastate work by that number alone.
Source: Agency licensing page
How can I verify a Kentucky mover before booking?
Kentucky runs applications and renewals through the Motor Carrier Portal rather than a public register we have verified, so a Kentucky certificate is confirmed by asking the Division of Motor Carriers directly on 502-564-1257 or at kytc.passhg@ky.gov. For a move leaving Kentucky, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Verify by phone: 502-564-1257Verify by email: kytc.passhg@ky.govFMCSA SAFER
Does Kentucky regulate what movers can charge?
Kentucky requires each mover to file its own rates rather than setting a ceiling. The mechanism is Tariff for household goods, uploaded to the carrier's Motor Carrier Portal account during the application, so the rates are public and enforceable against the mover that filed them, but Kentucky does not cap them. Rates on a move that leaves Kentucky are not set by the state.
Source: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch
How do I file a complaint against a Kentucky mover?
Complaints about a move inside Kentucky go to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch through kytc.passhg@ky.gov, 502-564-1257. A complaint about a move that crossed the Kentucky state line goes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration through the National Consumer Complaint Database instead.
What insurance does Kentucky make a household goods mover file?
Two separate certificates, filed by the insurer rather than the mover. An insurance company authorised to transact business in Kentucky must file a Form E, the uniform bodily injury and property damage liability certificate, and a Form H, the uniform cargo certificate specific to household goods, with the Division of Motor Carriers. Liability coverage must comply with KRS 281.655. Faxed copies are not accepted, so a Kentucky certificate is not granted until the insurer itself has filed.
Does a Kentucky household goods certificate cover an office move?
No. The Transportation Cabinet states that a company intending to move office furniture needs Kentucky Intrastate For-Hire Authority to transport freight other than household goods, which is a separate credential from the household goods certificate. A Kentucky mover qualified only for household goods is therefore outside its authority on a commercial job, and a carrier holding both files its current-year XRS-3 with the household goods application.
What does Kentucky require of a permitted mover?
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Kentucky. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
- Kentucky qualifies household goods movers vehicle by vehicle at $10.00 per vehicle, and a carrier that already holds Kentucky Intrastate For-Hire Authority or a current Unified Carrier Registration receipt may submit that in place of the per-vehicle fee.
- A Kentucky household goods certificate holder files an annual report on form TC 95-44.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Qualification and Permits Branch moving companies pageHow to apply for Kentucky moving authorityKentucky consumer information for movers
What is different about an interstate move from Kentucky?
Moves crossing a state line are authorised by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under a USDOT number and interstate household goods operating authority. A Kentucky state licence does not cover that work, and the federal record is the one to check: confirm the USDOT number is active and authorised for household goods before paying a deposit.
Sources for Kentucky licensing
- https://drive.ky.gov/Motor-Carriers/Pages/Household-Goods.aspx
- https://transportation.ky.gov/Organizational-Resources/Forms/TC%2095-591.pdf
- https://transportation.ky.gov/Organizational-Resources/Forms/TC%2095-44.pdf
Last verified against agency pages: 2026-08-11
What does the federal count say about Kentucky?
Of the 1,077 household goods registrants filed at a Kentuckyaddress, 271 carry the federal census classification for interstate operations. That is 25% of the state-address total. The other 806 do not carry that classification in this snapshot. Neither group is a list of movers serving every address inKentucky: headquarters location and service area are different facts.
A consumer should use the count as context, not as a shortlist. Ask for the USDOT number of the company that will transport the shipment, match its legal or trade name to the written estimate, and confirm granted household goods authority close to pickup. A broker registration, a state-only filing, or a carrier based inKentucky without interstate classification does not substitute for that check.
How many licensed moving companies are registered in Kentucky?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 1,077 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Kentucky, and 271 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Kentucky address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Kentucky. An interstate move into or out of Kentucky can be performed by a carrier registered in any state.
FMCSA motor carrier census, Company Census FileData as of 2026-08-10
Which record applies to a Kentucky move?
The dividing line is the shipment, not the mover's office. A move that begins and ends inside Kentuckyfollows the state authorisation described above. A move from Kentucky to another state follows federal interstate rules. When one company offers both, check both records independently and make sure the name on the estimate matches the entity holding the authority for that trip.