Questions to Ask Movers Before You Book

The gap between a good move and a bad one usually comes down to what you asked before you signed. The right questions surface the licensing, the real price, and the fine print while you can still walk away. The wrong assumption shows up as a surprise charge on move day, when you have no leverage left.

This is the list worth working through with any moving company, whether you are moving across town or across the country. Ask these before you book, and the answers will tell you most of what you need to know.

Quick answer: what should you ask a mover before booking?

Ask five things first. Are you licensed and insured, and what is your USDOT number? Will your own crews handle the move, or is it subcontracted? Is this a binding, non-binding, or not-to-exceed estimate? What deposit do you require, and is it refundable? And what extra fees could show up on move day? A trustworthy company answers all five clearly and puts the important ones in writing. Evasive answers are their own answer.

The rest of this guide groups the full set of questions by what they reveal.

The questions that filter out the bad movers

Start here, because these two questions rule out most of the risk.

Are you licensed and insured?

Any legitimate mover can give you its credentials on request. Interstate movers carry a USDOT number, and you can verify it for free in the FMCSA Mover Database. For local moves, ask for the state credential too: a CAL-T number in California, TxDMV registration in Texas, or a WUTC permit in Washington. A company that hesitates or cannot produce a number is telling you something.

Will your own crews handle my move, or is it subcontracted?

This matters more than most people realize. A moving company owns trucks and employs crews. A broker only books your job and hands it to a carrier you never chose. Ask directly whether the company performs the move itself. Knowing who actually shows up, and who is responsible if something goes wrong, is worth asking before anything else.

Questions about the price

Price is where the surprises live, so get specific.

Is this a binding, non-binding, or not-to-exceed estimate?

These three words describe very different promises, so ask which one you are getting. A binding estimate is a fixed price. You pay that amount at delivery, and it only changes if you add items or services. A non-binding estimate is a good-faith guess based on weight and services, and the final bill can be higher. Federal rules cap that: on an interstate move, a mover cannot require more than 110 percent of a non-binding estimate at delivery, with any balance billed later. A not-to-exceed estimate sets a ceiling, so you pay the quote or less if your shipment weighs less. California requires a not-to-exceed style for in-state moves. The FMCSA explains the difference in its guide to binding and non-binding estimates.

How do you calculate the cost?

Ask what the price is based on: the weight of your shipment, the space it takes up, the distance, or an hourly rate for a local move. Each method changes the math, and knowing it lets you compare quotes on the same terms. Never accept a firm price given over the phone without a survey of your belongings.

What deposit do you require, and is it refundable?

A modest deposit can be normal, often somewhere between $100 and $500 depending on the size of the move. A demand for a large cash deposit is a warning sign. Either way, ask whether the deposit is refundable if your plans change, and get the answer in writing.

What additional fees could apply?

This is the question that prevents move-day sticker shock. Ask about charges for stairs, long carries from the truck to the door, bulky or heavy items, a shuttle when a large truck cannot reach the home, fuel, and packing materials. A trustworthy company will give you a full list up front. At Royal Moving & Storage, pricing is transparent, with every charge explained and confirmed in writing before you book.

Questions about your belongings

What services do you offer?

Confirm the company covers the full arc of your move: packing, loading, transport, unloading, and unpacking, plus storage if your dates do not line up. Ask about furniture disassembly and reassembly too, since that is one of the more tedious parts of any move. You can see the full range on our services page as a reference for what to ask about.

Are there items you cannot move?

Every mover has a list of things it will not transport, usually hazardous materials such as flammables, corrosives, and pressurized tanks, along with perishables and sometimes plants. Ask early, so you can plan to move those items yourself or dispose of them safely rather than discovering the problem on move day.

How do you prevent damage, and how do you handle fragile items?

Ask what the crew actually does to protect your home and your things. Good answers include moving pads and shrink wrap on furniture, floor runners and doorjamb protectors in the home, and custom crating for art, mirrors, and oversized pieces. For anything genuinely valuable, ask about their experience with similar items, and remember that high-value pieces need to be declared. Our guide to moving insurance explains why that declaration matters.

Questions about coverage and claims

What valuation and insurance options do you offer?

Every interstate mover must offer two valuation levels: Released Value Protection, which is free but pays only $0.60 per pound per item, and Full Value Protection, which covers repair or replacement value. Neither is technically insurance, and true third-party moving insurance is a separate product. Ask which options are available and what each costs.

How do you handle a damage claim?

A clear claims process is a sign of a company that stands behind its work. Ask how you file a claim, how long it takes, and who handles it. For interstate moves, federal rules give you nine months to file a written claim, and the carrier has 30 days to acknowledge it and 120 days to resolve it.

Questions about timing and logistics

Can you guarantee a delivery date, or is it a window?

For a local move, a specific day is usually realistic. For a long-distance move, many carriers give a delivery window rather than a single date, because the truck may carry more than one shipment. Ask which you are getting, and get the window in writing. If you are planning a long-distance move, this question matters more, since the spread can be several days.

Do you offer shipment tracking?

For a longer move, ask whether you can track your shipment and how you will get updates. Knowing where your belongings are removes a lot of the uncertainty of a cross-country move.

How do you handle delays or problems on the day?

Moving day rarely goes exactly to plan. Ask how the company handles traffic, weather, or a building access issue, and how it will communicate with you if the schedule slips. The answer tells you how they operate when things get hard.

What is your cancellation or reschedule policy?

Life changes, and sometimes a move has to move. Ask what it costs to cancel or reschedule, and what notice you need to give. Policies vary widely, so learn the terms before you book rather than after.

Extra questions for an office or business move

A commercial move adds one priority the others do not have: keeping downtime low. If you are moving a business, ask about the company’s experience with office relocations of your size, how it plans the timeline around your low-activity hours, and how it coordinates with your IT team to get equipment back online quickly. Ask for references from past commercial clients, since business moves are a different discipline than household ones.

Questions that reveal the quality of the crew

Are your movers employees or subcontractors?

Direct employees are usually trained to the company’s standard and vetted through background checks, which tends to mean more consistent service. Ask how the crew is trained, especially for handling fragile items, and how the company screens its people. You are trusting these movers with everything you own, so it is a fair question.

Can you provide references?

Ask for references or recent reviews from customers with a move like yours. Past clients will tell you about punctuality, care with belongings, and whether the final price matched the quote. It is one of the most reliable ways to judge a company before you commit.

How Royal Moving & Storage answers these questions

We built our process around the answers this guide is looking for. We give you our licensing on request, perform moves with our own trained crews rather than handing them off, and explain your estimate type and every potential charge in writing before you book. That is what transparent pricing means to us. We walk you through your valuation options, flag high-value items that need to be declared, and give you one point of contact from the first call to the last box.

We serve Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin, along with our other California, Oregon, and Texas markets, and we operate as Royalty Moving & Storage in the Seattle area. Long-distance moves run under Royal Moving Services Inc., USDOT 3617767, MC 1640466. When you are ready, contact us for a written estimate that answers every question above.

For the bigger picture, our guide on how to choose a moving company walks through the full selection process from research to final shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

What questions should I ask a moving company before booking?

Start with five: whether they are licensed and insured and their USDOT number, whether their own crews handle the move or it is subcontracted, whether the estimate is binding or non-binding, what deposit is required and whether it is refundable, and what additional fees could apply. Then ask about services, coverage, delivery timing, and references.

What is the difference between a binding and non-binding estimate?

A binding estimate is a fixed price you pay at delivery, and it only changes if you add items or services. A non-binding estimate is an approximation based on weight and services, and the final cost can be higher, though on an interstate move a mover cannot require more than 110 percent of it at delivery. A not-to-exceed estimate sets a ceiling and can come in lower.

Should I pay a deposit before moving?

A small deposit is common and reasonable. A demand for a large cash deposit upfront is a warning sign of a moving scam. Always ask whether the deposit is refundable and get the terms in writing before you pay.

How do I know if a mover will subcontract my move?

Ask directly whether the company performs the move with its own crews and trucks, or books it and hands it to another carrier. A broker is not a mover and does not take responsibility for your goods. Knowing who shows up, and who is accountable, protects you if anything goes wrong.

Are moving companies required to have insurance?

Interstate movers are required to offer valuation coverage, which sets their liability for your goods, but valuation is not the same as insurance. For fuller protection, ask about Full Value Protection or a separate third-party moving insurance policy, especially for a shipment with valuable items.