Coverage Checker
Whether the federal moving rules apply to you comes down to one thing: did your shipment cross a state line? Interstate moves fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), including the 100%/110% release rule and the federal “hostage load” protections. Moves that stay inside one state are regulated by that state instead. Pick your origin and destination below to see which set of rules covers your move and where to file.
Which rules cover your move?
Pick where your move started and where it ended. We’ll point you to the rules and the right place to file.
Choose an origin and a destination state to see which rules apply.
What you can do, step by step
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Get all your paperwork in hand
The written estimate(s), the bill of lading, your contract, and any texts or emails. Every step below needs these. Photograph everything.
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Calmly point to the contract and the rule
Show the mover the estimate and the 100% / 110% release figure, and ask for an itemized bill in writing. Many disputes end here. It won’t force release if the mover refuses.
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File an FMCSA hostage complaint — interstate moves only
File with the National Consumer Complaint Database and upload your estimate and bill of lading. It puts the mover on the federal enforcement radar. It cannot recover your money or act instantly.
NCCDB: nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov · 1-888-368-7238 (1-888-DOT-SAFT).
How to file, step by step → -
File with your state attorney general’s consumer-protection division
This is the office that can actually investigate — and the only real path for an intrastate (in-state) move.
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File a BBB complaint
Public pressure and mediation. No legal force, but it creates a record and sometimes moves a mover to settle.
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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 charge qualifies depends on the facts.
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Local law enforcement or a civil attorney
For a true refusal to deliver, a police report and a consultation with a civil attorney are the paths to getting goods back or recovering money.