Guide · updated Nov 10, 2026
How to check a mobile home mover before you hire
Ask the mover for its USDOT number and look it up on FMCSA SAFER: the status should be active and the cargo should include mobile homes. For moves across state lines, check that it has operating authority and insurance on file with FMCSA. If it will also set up the home, ask for its state installer license and check it on the state lookup. Every listing on this site links to these records.
1. The USDOT number
Commercial carriers register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and get a USDOT number. Search it on the SAFER Company Snapshot. Look at:
- USDOT status: should be active. Our listings come from active records in the FMCSA census, but status can change, so check before you sign.
- Cargo carried: should include "Mobile Homes".
- MCS-150 date: when the company last updated its record. A very old date can mean the company has slowed down or stopped; ask.
- Operation: "Interstate" carriers can cross state lines. "Intrastate only" carriers work inside one state.
2. Operating authority and insurance
A carrier hauling other people's property for pay across state lines generally needs operating authority (an MC number) and must keep insurance on file. Check both on FMCSA Licensing & Insurance. Also ask the mover for a certificate of insurance that covers the home in transit (cargo) and damage during setup.
3. The installer license
Setting a manufactured home on its new site (blocking, leveling, anchoring, joining sections) is regulated. Many states license installers themselves; in others HUD runs the installation program. Ask who will do the setup and for their license number. Texas (TDHCA) and Alabama (AMHC) installer licenses are shown on our listings with a link to the state lookup.
4. A written quote
Get it in writing, with what is included: permits, escort vehicles, teardown, transport, blocking and leveling, tie-downs, rejoining sections, utility hookups, skirting and steps. Compare two or three. See typical costs.
Warning signs
- No USDOT number, or a number that belongs to a different company name.
- A large cash deposit before any permit is pulled.
- A company that "arranges" the move but won't say which carrier will haul it. That is a broker; see mover vs broker.
Sources
- FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot (checked Nov 10, 2026)
- FMCSA Licensing & Insurance (operating authority and insurance on file) (checked Nov 10, 2026)
- FMCSA: Do I need a USDOT number? (checked Nov 10, 2026)
- HUD Manufactured Home Installation Program (checked Nov 10, 2026)
Ready to compare movers?
Enter the ZIP code where your home is now and we will show the nearest listed movers and installers, with their USDOT or license numbers. Nothing is sent to any mover.