New Jersey long distance
Long-distance moving companies in New Jersey
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section requires Public Mover and Warehouseman licence for household goods work inside New Jersey. The state publishes the New Jersey licence verification. 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section regulates household goods movers operating inside New Jersey, and sits within the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Office of the Attorney General. Movers are licensed under N.J.A.C. 13:44D, with the liability rule at N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.6. Moves crossing the New Jersey state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
Source: New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section
What authorisation must a New Jersey mover hold?
A mover doing work inside New Jersey must hold the Public Mover and Warehouseman licence, issued by New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. The requirement sits in N.J.A.C. 13:44D, with the liability rule at N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.6. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for New Jersey intrastate work by that number alone.
Source: Agency licensing page
How can I verify a New Jersey mover before booking?
Search the company by name or licence number in the New Jersey licence verification, and confirm the record shows an active status. For a move leaving New Jersey, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
New Jersey licence lookupNew Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section: Regulated Business Section, P.O. Box 45028, Newark, New Jersey 07101Verify by phone: 973-504-6442 or 973-504-6512Verify by email: pmw_info@dca.njoag.govFMCSA SAFER
Does New Jersey regulate what movers can charge?
New Jersey requires each mover to file its own rates rather than setting a ceiling. The mechanism is Tariff, a formal schedule of rates and charges kept at the mover's main office and on file with the Division of Consumer Affairs, so the rates are public and enforceable against the mover that filed them, but New Jersey does not cap them. Rates on a move that leaves New Jersey are not set by the state.
Source: New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section
How do I file a complaint against a New Jersey mover?
Complaints about a move inside New Jersey go to New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section through pmw_info@dca.njoag.gov, 973-504-6442. A complaint about a move that crossed the New Jersey state line goes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration through the National Consumer Complaint Database instead.
What must a New Jersey mover hand you before the truck is booked?
Three things. A New Jersey licensed public mover must perform an on-site or virtual survey of the goods being moved, give you a completed written estimate, and provide the State-approved brochure "Important Notice to Consumers Using Public Movers and Warehousemen", in print or as a digital link. The estimate is calculated off the mover's tariff, which is filed with the Division of Consumer Affairs, so the number quoted is meant to trace back to a schedule the State holds.
How much is a New Jersey mover liable for if something breaks?
One dollar per pound per article, unless you buy more. Under N.J.A.C. 13:44D-4.6 a New Jersey mover's mandated minimum liability on an intrastate move is $1.00 per pound per article, so a damaged six-pound vase is a six-dollar claim. New Jersey also requires the mover to give you the Order for Service at least 24 hours before the scheduled move date so you can read it before signing, and a Bill of Lading on completion.
What does New Jersey require of a permitted mover?
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in New Jersey. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
- New Jersey issues three licence types for this trade: PM to move, PW to warehouse, and PC to do both.
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section moving companies pageNew Jersey consumer information for movers
What is different about an interstate move from New Jersey?
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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey licensing
- https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/pmw
- https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/pmw/Pages/FAQ.aspx
- https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/pmw/Pages/applications.aspx
Last verified against agency pages: 2026-08-11
What does the federal count say about New Jersey?
Of the 1,941 household goods registrants filed at a New Jerseyaddress, 1,030 carry the federal census classification for interstate operations. That is 53% of the state-address total. The other 911 do not carry that classification in this snapshot. Neither group is a list of movers serving every address inNew Jersey: 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 inNew Jersey without interstate classification does not substitute for that check.
How many licensed moving companies are registered in New Jersey?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 1,941 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in New Jersey, and 1,030 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a New Jersey address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in New Jersey. An interstate move into or out of New Jersey 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 New Jersey move?
The dividing line is the shipment, not the mover's office. A move that begins and ends inside New Jerseyfollows the state authorisation described above. A move from New Jersey 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.