Minnesota long distance
Long-distance moving companies in Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations requires Household Goods Mover Permit for household goods work inside Minnesota. Minnesota does not publish a household goods permit lookup we have confirmed. Confirm a Minnesota Household Goods Mover Permit with the Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations on 651-215-6330. 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations regulates household goods movers operating inside Minnesota. Movers are licensed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 221. Moves crossing the Minnesota state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
Source: Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations
What authorisation must a Minnesota mover hold?
A mover doing work inside Minnesota must hold the Household Goods Mover Permit, issued by Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. The requirement sits in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 221. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Minnesota intrastate work by that number alone.
Source: Agency licensing page
How can I verify a Minnesota mover before booking?
Minnesota does not publish a household goods permit lookup we have confirmed. Confirm a Minnesota Household Goods Mover Permit with the Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations on 651-215-6330. For a move leaving Minnesota, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations: 395 John Ireland Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155-1899Verify by phone: 651-215-6330FMCSA SAFER
Why would a Minnesota mover's permit be suspended?
For lapses, not only for misconduct. A Minnesota motor carrier's authority is suspended if the carrier does not maintain and file the required insurance, or does not pay the annual vehicle registration fees and purchase vehicle credentials. A Minnesota mover can therefore lose its permit through an administrative failure alone, which is why the permit is worth confirming close to the move date.
Where are a Minnesota mover's records kept?
Inside Minnesota, and open to inspection. The Household Goods Mover Permit application requires the applicant to name a location in Minnesota where the company's records are available for inspection and copying, alongside its Minnesota business identification number and any USDOT number. A Minnesota permit holder cannot place its records beyond reach of the state.
What does Minnesota require of a permitted mover?
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Minnesota. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
- The Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations is at 395 John Ireland Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155-1899, and takes permit enquiries on 651-215-6330.
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations moving companies pageMinnesota consumer information for movers
What is different about an interstate move from Minnesota?
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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota licensing
- https://www.dot.state.mn.us/cvo/household-goods.html
- https://www.dot.state.mn.us/cvo/applications/hhgapplication.pdf
- https://dot.state.mn.us/cvo/mntruckbook/2022/section-06.pdf
- https://mn.gov/elicense/a-z/?id=1083-230879
Last verified against agency pages: 2026-08-11
What does the federal count say about Minnesota?
Of the 2,382 household goods registrants filed at a Minnesotaaddress, 456 carry the federal census classification for interstate operations. That is 19% of the state-address total. The other 1,926 do not carry that classification in this snapshot. Neither group is a list of movers serving every address inMinnesota: 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 inMinnesota without interstate classification does not substitute for that check.
How many licensed moving companies are registered in Minnesota?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 2,382 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Minnesota, and 456 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Minnesota address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Minnesota. An interstate move into or out of Minnesota 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 Minnesota move?
The dividing line is the shipment, not the mover's office. A move that begins and ends inside Minnesotafollows the state authorisation described above. A move from Minnesota 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.