Florida Moving Complaints
Who regulates intrastate movers in Florida, and where to file when a move stays inside the state.
Who regulates intrastate movers
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) →
Where to file a complaint
If your move started and ended inside Florida, it is an intrastate move. The federal FMCSA household-goods rules — including the 100%/110% release rule — do not apply. Florida regulates these moves instead.
The main regulator is the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Under Chapter 507, Florida Statutes (the Household Moving Services Act), moving companies and moving brokers that operate within Florida must register with FDACS before doing business. FDACS publishes consumer guidance on moving within Florida and maintains a searchable list of registered movers.
Chapter 507 carries some pointed consumer protections worth knowing. A mover must accept at least two of the three standard forms of payment — so a “cash only at delivery” demand is not allowed — and even where a mover may lawfully hold goods over an unpaid bill, it may not refuse to relinquish prescription medicines or goods for use by children (children’s furniture, clothing, or toys) under any circumstances.
To report a problem with an in-state move, you can file a complaint with FDACS. You can also file a separate consumer complaint with the Florida Office of the Attorney General, whose Consumer Protection Division handles unfair or deceptive business-practice complaints.
Filing with both offices is common. FDACS focuses on the mover’s registration and conduct under Chapter 507; the Attorney General’s office looks at broader consumer-protection concerns. This page is general information, and neither it nor either agency can tell you how your specific dispute will come out.
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 Florida, the regulator-side complaint goes to the office that oversees movers in the state.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) →
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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.
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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 Florida 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.