Red flags when hiring movers, and how to verify one
By the Champion Moving team · Last updated October 16, 2026
The biggest red flag is a mover that won't put the maximum price in writing before loading. Texas requires it. The others: no TxDMV number you can look up, a quote given sight-unseen, a broker posing as a mover, and a crew that holds your things for more money.
Moving soon?
Champion Moving, 550 S Watters Rd Ste 229, Allen. Free estimates. Our own crew, no subcontractors.
Licensed & Bonded, TxDMV No. [pending]. TxDMV consumer help line 1-888-368-4689.
Champion Moving is an Allen moving company with our own crew, and the questions below are the ones we would ask any mover before handing over a house full of furniture. Each red flag is tied to the Texas or federal rule it breaks, so you can check the claim yourself.
Red flag 1: no written maximum price before loading
A Texas mover must give you a written proposal before loading that states the maximum amount you could be required to pay, and says whether it is binding or not-to-exceed (43 TAC §218.56; Transportation Code §643.153). A verbal number on the phone, or "we'll know the total at the end," does not meet that rule. The proposal also has to come with the TxDMV brochure "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move in Texas" (§218.55).
Red flag 2: no TxDMV number you can look up
Every carrier that moves household goods for pay in Texas must register with TxDMV, whatever the truck size (§643.051(b)). A registered mover's home page must show its name, "TxDMV No." with the number, and TxDMV's consumer help line, 1-888-368-4689 (43 TAC §218.52(d)). Its trucks show the name and "TxDMV No." on both sides (§218.52(e)).
Watch the label too. "TX DOT No." names the wrong agency; the Texas label is "TxDMV No." Unmarked trucks are a warning sign on their own.
How to check a number in two minutes
Search the number on TxDMV's Truck Stop. For a move across state lines, search the USDOT number on FMCSA's mover search or SAFER. If the name on the record doesn't match the name on the quote, ask why before you book.
Red flag 3: a sight-unseen quote
For moves across state lines, federal rules require a physical survey of your goods unless you waive it in writing (49 CFR §375.401(a)). Within Texas the price turns on the same things: how much is going, stairs and elevators, the distance from the door to the truck, the crew size, and anything added before loading. A firm-sounding number given without asking about any of that is a guess, and guesses tend to grow on move day.
Red flag 4: a broker that sounds like a mover
A broker arranges a move and hands it to a carrier. Federal rules let a broker give an estimate only under a written agreement with the carrier that will do the work (§375.409), and Texas requires household goods brokers to hold a $10,000 bond (43 TAC §218.41). The problem is not brokers as such. It is not knowing who will show up. Ask, "Will your own crew do my move, and whose name is on the contract?" At Champion Moving the answer is our own crew, no subcontractors.
Red flag 5: "we won't unload until you pay more"
TxDMV warns about unregistered movers who hold goods on the truck until the customer pays more (txdmv.gov). In Texas, if you pay the maximum price listed on your moving services contract, the carrier must release your household goods (43 TAC §218.57(b)). Across state lines, on a non-binding estimate, the mover can collect at most 110% at delivery and must release your goods on that payment (§375.407).
Red flag 6: claims that don't match the rules
Some phrases sound reassuring and mean little. Check them against what the rules actually say.
| What the mover says | What to check |
|---|---|
| "Licensed and bonded, required by Texas" | Texas requires registration with TxDMV. The bond rule applies to brokers, not movers (§218.41). A mover may still carry a bond; ask who issued it. |
| "Your coverage is the standard 60 cents a pound" | Texas has no default; liability is what you agree to, even $0, and it must be stated in the proposal (§218.56(a)(5)). |
| "Fully covered by our insurance" | Required cargo insurance is the carrier's policy ($5,000 per shipper per vehicle, §218.16(b)). Ask what the mover itself will pay for a damaged item. |
| "Your price is locked no matter what" | Items and services added beyond the proposal can cost more, and the proposal must say so (§218.56(a)(3)). |
| "Just pay cash up front" | The proposal must say when payment is due and which forms are accepted (§218.56(a)(4)). A large cash payment before any work is a warning sign. |
Questions to ask a mover before you hire
| Ask | A good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| What is your TxDMV number? | A number in the "TxDMV No." format that you can find on Truck Stop. |
| Is the proposal binding or not-to-exceed, and what is the maximum? | One of the two, with a dollar maximum, in writing before loading. |
| Who will do my move? | The mover's own crew, or the name of the carrier if it is brokered. |
| What will you pay if something is damaged? | A stated liability amount in the proposal. If it is $0, the proposal says so. |
| What could be added to the bill? | Charges such as travel time, stairs or packing materials listed up front, within the tariff (§218.64). |
| When and how do I pay? | A payment time and accepted forms of payment, written in the proposal. |
| Will I get the TxDMV rights brochure? | Yes, with the proposal (§218.55). |
Where to report a mover
Texas moves: TxDMV complaints or 1-888-368-4689. Across state lines: FMCSA's complaint database. Deceptive business practices: the Texas Attorney General.
Every rule above is explained in more depth, with links to the source text, in our Texas moving rules guide.
Sources (checked Oct 15, 2026)
- Texas Transportation Code ch. 643 (§643.051, §643.153, §643.251, §643.253)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.13 (registration)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.16 (cargo insurance)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.41 (broker bond)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.52 (advertising and truck markings)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.55 (rights brochure)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.56 (proposals)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.57 (contract and release)
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code §218.64 (tariff)
- TxDMV: Don't make a move without checking
- 49 CFR Part 375, incl. Appendix A (eCFR)
About Champion Moving
A moving company based at 550 S Watters Rd Ste 229 in Allen, TX, owned by Daniel. Our own crew handles local and long-distance moves, packing and move-in setup. More about Champion Moving
Red flag questions
How do I verify a moving company in Texas?
Ask for its TxDMV number and search it on TxDMV's Truck Stop. A registered mover shows "TxDMV No." on its website home page and on both sides of its trucks (43 TAC §218.52). For a move across state lines, also check the USDOT number on FMCSA's mover search or SAFER.
What does sight-unseen mean in a moving quote?
A price given without anyone seeing or asking about your goods. For moves across state lines, a physical survey is required unless you waive it in writing (49 CFR §375.401(a)). In Texas, a quote that skips your stairs, elevator, carry distance and item list is a guess.
Can a mover refuse to unload until I pay more in Texas?
Not if you pay the maximum price on your moving services contract. The carrier must then release your goods (43 TAC §218.57(b)). Report a refusal to TxDMV or call 1-888-368-4689.
Do Texas movers have to be bonded?
No. Texas requires a $10,000 bond from household goods brokers (43 TAC §218.41). Movers must register with TxDMV and carry cargo insurance (§218.16(b)).
Ask us the hard questions
Call Champion Moving and ask anything on this list. Free estimates, a written proposal with the maximum price before loading, and our own crew. Licensed & Bonded, TxDMV No. [pending].