Moving Company License Requirements (2026)

A moving company license is really two layers of registration. Any paid move that crosses a state line requires a USDOT number with household goods operating authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), while local moves inside one state follow that state’s rules, which range from a full mover’s permit to nothing beyond a standard business license.

Underneath both sit the basics every business needs: a registered entity, a city or county business license and insurance on file before the first job. The paperwork is the same for everyone who runs trucks, including the owners of College Hunks Hauling Junk® and College Hunks Moving® franchises. What differs is what surrounds it: a College HUNKS owner files those licenses with a national booking center, a known brand and two coaches already working for them.

Do you need a license to start a moving company?

Yes, in practice every moving company needs at least one license, and most need several, because “mover’s license” is really a stack of registrations from different agencies. Which layers apply depends on where your trucks go and how big they are.

What does FMCSA require from an interstate mover?

FMCSA requires an interstate household goods mover to register for a USDOT number with household goods authority, file proof of insurance and name a process agent before its authority goes active. The full sequence looks like this:

• Register online with FMCSA. Apply for a USDOT number and select household goods carrier authority through FMCSA’s operating authority registration. FMCSA is phasing out separate MC numbers in favor of a USDOT-number-only system, so follow what the current system issues.
• File a BOC-3. This names a process agent in each state where you operate, and authority will not activate without it.
• Have your insurer file proof of coverage. Household goods carriers need liability and cargo coverage on file with FMCSA, and authority can be revoked if that filing lapses.
• Wait out the protest period. FMCSA publishes the application in the FMCSA Register, which opens a 10-day protest period. Authority goes active once that period closes and the insurance and BOC-3 filings are on file.
• Pass the new entrant safety audit. FMCSA reviews new carriers within their first 12 months of operation.

Interstate movers also take on consumer protection duties: written estimates, the federal “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” booklet for every customer, and access to a dispute settlement program for damage claims.

How do state moving licenses work for local moves?

State licensing for local moves is set state by state, so the only reliable answer comes from your state’s regulator. A few examples show the range:

• California: household movers need a permit from the Bureau of Household Goods and Services.
• Florida: movers register with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
• Texas: household goods carriers register with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

Other states regulate local movers lightly or leave it to cities. Check the state agency and your county clerk, and get both answers in writing. Our step-by-step guide to starting a moving company shows where licensing fits among the other early decisions.

Do you need an LLC for a moving company?

No law requires a moving company to be an LLC, but most movers form one (or a corporation) before they license anything. The entity keeps business liability separate from your personal assets, and insurers and commercial accounts expect to deal with a business.

Form the entity and get the EIN first, then register the USDOT number, the state permit and the insurance in that entity’s name. Switching from your personal name to an LLC later usually means refiling registrations you already paid for.

What insurance does a moving company need to get licensed?

Licensing and insurance are tied together for movers: federal authority will not activate until your insurer files proof of liability and cargo coverage, and most states that permit movers ask for proof of insurance too. Beyond that, plan for commercial auto, general liability and workers’ compensation once you hire a crew. Commercial customers will ask for a certificate of insurance too, and our guide to insurance for a hauling business covers certificates and coverage gaps, and the same mechanics apply to a moving crew.

How long does it take to license a moving company?

Licensing a moving company usually takes several weeks to a few months. A local business license can take days, federal authority needs its filings plus the 10-day protest period that follows publication in the FMCSA Register, and state mover permits add their own review time.

Build the calendar backward from your first booked move, because advertising or accepting interstate jobs before your authority is active counts as operating without authority.

What do new movers get wrong about licensing?

New movers usually get licensing wrong by treating it as a one-time task instead of an ongoing obligation. Three versions come up most:

• Buying a truck rated over 26,000 pounds, then learning the driver needs a CDL (our box truck business guide covers the weight classes)
• Letting an insurance filing lapse and losing active authority
• Missing the annual Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) filing or the MCS-150 update every two years

The harder problem comes after the paperwork clears: keeping licensed trucks booked, which is the job the Sales & Loyalty Center takes on for a College HUNKS owner.

Does a moving franchise handle your licensing for you?

A moving franchise does not file your licenses for you. In the College HUNKS system, licenses, permits and insurance are held in the franchise owner’s name, and we are direct about that on the development side. What a College HUNKS franchise changes is everything around the paperwork, starting with who fills the calendar once you are licensed.

Ask the franchise development team what the Sales & Loyalty Center books in a market like yours.

The owner’s role changes too. A College HUNKS owner leads a team of 8 to 10 people per zone instead of driving every move, which is how the two-in-one model works, and the training and support owners get covers what happens after you sign. If you are still comparing brands, here is what to look for in a moving company franchise.

How much can a licensed moving company make?

Earnings for an independent mover depend on how many days the trucks run, your pricing and your crew costs. For documented figures, Item 19 of the College HUNKS Franchise Disclosure Document reports gross sales and EBITDA by how long locations have been open, and you can review the Item 19 revenue picture with the context the FDD requires.

On the cost side, a moving-only College HUNKS franchise has a total estimated initial investment of $191,600 to $315,500 (2026 FDD, Item 7). The full investment breakdown shows every line.

Is franchising worth it if your moving company is already licensed?

It can be, because a licensed, insured operator has already done the part most new owners find slowest. Converting an existing business comes with up to $15,000 off the initial fee per concept, or up to $30,000 when you convert both concepts, and converting an independent business to a franchise walks through how that works.

If you are weighing whether a College Hunks Moving® and College Hunks Hauling Junk® franchise fits your goals, talk to the franchise development team and see if your market is still open. We read every inquiry, and there is no pressure, just answers.

This article is general information about moving company licensing and is not legal advice. Requirements vary by state, county and city, and they change over time. Confirm current rules with FMCSA, your state regulator and your own attorney before you operate.

Disclosures

Financial information shared in this content is drawn from Item 19 of the 2026 CHHJ Franchising, L.L.C. Franchise Disclosure Document (Issuance Date: April 30, 2026, as amended August 26, 2026). See Item 19 for material assumptions, the underlying data set, and full required disclosures. Past performance does not guarantee future results. New franchisees may earn less.

This information is not an offer to sell or solicitation to buy a franchise. A franchise offering can only be made through the delivery of a Franchise Disclosure Document. Certain states regulate the offer and sale of franchises; if you are a resident of one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state.

College Hunks Hauling Junk®, College Hunks Moving®, and the H.U.N.K.S logo are registered trademarks of CHHJ Franchising, L.L.C. © 2026 CHHJ Franchising, L.L.C. All rights reserved.