Washington long distance
Long-distance moving companies in Washington
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission requires Household Goods Carrier permit (permit numbers carry an HG prefix) for household goods work inside Washington. The state publishes the UTC regulated companies list. 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 Washington?
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission regulates household goods movers operating inside Washington. Moves crossing the Washington state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
What authorisation must a Washington mover hold?
A mover doing work inside Washington must hold the Household Goods Carrier permit (permit numbers carry an HG prefix), issued by Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Washington intrastate work by that number alone.
Source: Agency licensing page
How can I verify a Washington mover before booking?
Search the company by name or licence number in the UTC regulated companies list, and confirm the record shows an active status. For a move leaving Washington, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Washington licence lookupVerify by phone: 1-888-333-9882FMCSA SAFER
Does Washington regulate what movers can charge?
Washington requires a permitted mover to charge reasonable rates without publishing a tariff that sets them. UTC requires permitted movers to charge reasonable rates. There is no state rate table to price a Washington move against, so compare written estimates on identical inventory.
What does Washington require of a permitted mover?
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Washington. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
- Operating a moving company inside Washington without a valid UTC permit violates state law.
- Movers holding a UTC permit must perform services at reasonable rates and within a reasonable time.
- Movers holding a UTC permit are required to background check and drug test their employees.
- The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission does not regulate interstate moves; for a move leaving Washington, permit status is checked with FMCSA instead.
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission moving companies pageHiring a mover in WashingtonWashington consumer information for movers
What is different about an interstate move from Washington?
FMCSA. The UTC does not regulate moves between states. A Washington 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 Washington licensing
- https://www.utc.wa.gov/MovingCompanies
- https://www.utc.wa.gov/consumers/movers
- https://www.utc.wa.gov/hiring-mover
Last verified against agency pages: 2026-08-09
What does the federal count say about Washington?
Of the 2,045 household goods registrants filed at a Washingtonaddress, 478 carry the federal census classification for interstate operations. That is 23% of the state-address total. The other 1,567 do not carry that classification in this snapshot. Neither group is a list of movers serving every address inWashington: 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 inWashington without interstate classification does not substitute for that check.
How many licensed moving companies are registered in Washington?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 2,045 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Washington, and 478 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Washington address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Washington. An interstate move into or out of Washington 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 Washington move?
The dividing line is the shipment, not the mover's office. A move that begins and ends inside Washingtonfollows the state authorisation described above. A move from Washington 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.