New Jersey Moving Complaints
Who regulates intrastate movers in New Jersey, and where to file when a move stays inside the state.
Who regulates intrastate movers
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs — Public Movers and Warehousemen
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs — Public Movers and Warehousemen →
Where to file a complaint
File with New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (Office of the Attorney General) →
If your move began and ended inside New Jersey, it is an intrastate move. The federal FMCSA household-goods rules do not apply to it. New Jersey regulates these moves through its own licensing program.
The regulator is the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, part of the Office of the Attorney General. Companies that move household goods within the state must hold a Public Movers and Warehousemen license, and the program’s rules (N.J.A.C. 13:44D) set requirements for written estimates, tariffs, insurance, and consumer disclosures.
To report a problem, you file a consumer complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs. The Division also lets you verify a mover’s license and review its complaint history before — or after — a move.
Because the same Division both licenses movers and handles consumer complaints, a single complaint reaches the office responsible for oversight. 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 New Jersey, the regulator-side complaint goes to the office that oversees movers in the state.
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs — Public Movers and Warehousemen →
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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 New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (Office of the Attorney General) →
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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 New Jersey 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.