Most movers are honest, but moving scams are real, and a long-distance move from Hawaii has more handoffs than most. A few checks before you sign protect your belongings and your money.
Verify before you sign
- Look up the company by name, USDOT number or MC number on FMCSA’s Protect Your Move site.
- Know who you’re hiring. A mover moves your goods. A broker arranges the move and hires a mover. Brokers must be registered with FMCSA and use only registered movers.
- Get the booklets. You should receive “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” and “Ready to Move.”
- Get it in writing: the estimate, what’s included, and the valuation you chose.
Red flags
- A quote given over the phone without any inventory
- A price far below every other estimate
- A large cash deposit demanded up front
- No USDOT number, or a company name that doesn’t match its registration
- Pressure to sign blank or incomplete documents
Your key rights at a glance
- With a non-binding estimate, you pay at most 110% of the estimate at delivery.
- You must receive the bill of lading at least three days before pickup.
- You have nine months from delivery to file a claim.
- Movers must agree to arbitration for claims of $10,000 or less.
The details are in our guide to shipping household goods from Hawaii.
