District of Columbia Moving Complaints
Who regulates intrastate movers in District of Columbia, and where to file when a move stays inside the state.
Who regulates intrastate movers
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) — Moving and Storage
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) — Moving and Storage →
Where to file a complaint
File with Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia →
If your move started and ended inside the District of Columbia, it is an intrastate move. The federal FMCSA household-goods rules — including the 100%/110% release rule — do not apply. The District regulates these moves instead.
A moving and storage business operating in the District must be licensed through the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), which lists “Moving and Storage” as a specific licensed business activity with its own requirements (certificate of occupancy, corporate registration where applicable, and tax registration). Checking that a mover holds a current DLCP license is a useful first step before you book.
To report a problem with an in-district move, you can file a consumer complaint with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, whose office handles unfair and deceptive business-practice complaints.
Filing with both is reasonable: DLCP is the licensing side, and the Attorney General’s office covers broader consumer protection. This page is general information and does not predict how any particular dispute will be resolved.
An in-state dispute, step by step
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Get all your paperwork in hand
The written estimate(s), the contract, receipts, and any texts or emails. Every step below needs these. Photograph everything.
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Put the dispute to the mover in writing
State what the paperwork says, what happened, and what you are asking for. Many disputes end here, and the written record strengthens every later step.
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File with the state moving regulator
For a move inside District of Columbia, the regulator-side complaint goes to the office that oversees movers in the state.
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) — Moving and Storage →
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File a consumer complaint with the state
The consumer-protection office handles unfair and deceptive business-practice complaints, and a moving dispute is squarely that.
File with Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia →
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If you paid by credit card: a dispute may be available
The Fair Credit Billing Act lets a cardholder dispute a billing error in writing — including a charge for services not delivered as agreed — generally within 60 days of the statement. Whether a particular charge qualifies depends on the facts; the guide covers what counts.
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Small claims court or a local attorney
Intrastate moves run on state law, so the money path is the state's own courts — and a licensed attorney in District of Columbia can read the contract.
Did your move actually cross a state line? Then the federal rules apply instead — start with the Coverage Checker or, if goods are being held right now, the emergency page.
Sources
Every legal claim above links to one of these official sources. Rules change — check the source if you're acting on this.