New York long distance
Long-distance moving companies in New York
New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security requires state mover authorisation for household goods work inside New York. The public carrier search on the New York CarCert portal is marked as under development, so verification runs by phone on 518-457-6512 or by email to nymoving@dot.ny.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 New York?
New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security regulates household goods movers operating inside New York, and sits within the New York State Department of Transportation. Moves crossing the New York state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
Source: New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security
How can I verify a New York mover before booking?
The public carrier search on the New York CarCert portal is marked as under development, so verification runs by phone on 518-457-6512 or by email to nymoving@dot.ny.gov. For a move leaving New York, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Verify by phone: 518-457-6512Verify by email: nymoving@dot.ny.govFMCSA SAFER
Does New York regulate what movers can charge?
No. New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security registers movers operating in New York but does not set the rates they charge, so New York prices are set by each company. Compare written estimates on identical inventory and access conditions rather than assuming a regulated ceiling exists.
Source: New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security
How do I file a complaint against a New York mover?
Complaints about a move inside New York go to New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security through mci@dot.ny.gov, 518-485-1010. A complaint about a move that crossed the New York state line goes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration through the National Consumer Complaint Database instead.
What does New York require of a permitted mover?
New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in New York. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
- The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the licensing, safety and insurance of for-hire motor carriers operating within New York, and additionally oversees the rates and services of household goods movers providing residential moving services.
- New York publishes its carrier search on the CarCert portal, but that search is marked as under development, so a New York mover is confirmed by phone on 518-457-6512 or by email to nymoving@dot.ny.gov.
New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security moving companies pageNew York consumer information for movers
What is different about an interstate move from New York?
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 York 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 York licensing
Last verified against agency pages: 2026-08-09
What does the federal count say about New York?
Of the 6,004 household goods registrants filed at a New Yorkaddress, 995 carry the federal census classification for interstate operations. That is 17% of the state-address total. The other 5,009 do not carry that classification in this snapshot. Neither group is a list of movers serving every address inNew York: 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 York without interstate classification does not substitute for that check.
How many licensed moving companies are registered in New York?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 6,004 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in New York, and 995 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a New York address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in New York. An interstate move into or out of New York 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 York move?
The dividing line is the shipment, not the mover's office. A move that begins and ends inside New Yorkfollows the state authorisation described above. A move from New York 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.