Hiring a Mover in Pennsylvania: Check the PUC Certificate First
James Brazil lives in Mérida, Mexico. He founded Swift Agent Sites and studied Classics at the University of Mississippi.
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If you're moving within Pennsylvania, hire a mover with a certificate of public convenience from the Public Utility Commission. Certificated movers must keep insurance on file and charge their filed rates. Their PUC number starts with "A," runs six to eight digits, and must appear in their ads. No number is a red flag.
Which moves does the PUC cover?
The PUC regulates household goods movers that carry goods between points within the state. Harrisburg to Erie, or Allentown to Lancaster, is a PUC move.
If you're crossing state lines, the federal rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration apply instead. For that, see moving out of Pennsylvania.
How do you spot a certificated mover?
Start with the ad. The PUC says certificated movers must put their certificate number in every form of advertising, including online listings and sites like Craigslist. The number begins with "A" and is six to eight digits long. If an ad doesn't show one, the PUC warns, you may be dealing with an uncertificated and uninsured carrier.
Then look at the truck. Under 52 Pa. Code 31.33, every vehicle a mover operates has to show, on each side in letters at least 2 inches tall, the company's name and address and "PA. P.U.C. NO. A" followed by its number. If the truck is leased, it should say who's operating it.
Last, check the PUC's own list. The Commission keeps a list of licensed household movers on its website at puc.pa.gov. Search by the company's name, and make sure the A-number in the ad matches.
Takes five minutes. Worth it.
What does a PUC certificate actually get you?
A set of rules the mover has to follow, and a regulator you can complain to. A few that matter on moving day:
- Filed rates. The mover must charge according to its tariff on file with the PUC. It can't make up a price on the spot.
- Insurance on file. Certificated movers must keep the required insurance with the PUC.
- A written estimate and the "Information for Shippers" form, at least 48 hours before the move unless you agree in writing to a shorter time. More on that in Pennsylvania moving estimates.
- Background checks. Under 52 Pa. Code 31.134, a mover can't let anyone provide moving services inside your home until it has a criminal history record from the Pennsylvania State Police, and from every other state the person lived in during the past 12 months. It has to recheck employees every 2 years. People convicted of crimes that bear on whether they can safely and legally do the work can't be sent into your home.
- An inventory and a bill of lading. The mover must list your items and their condition, and give you an itemized bill. See inventory, damage and the delivery receipt.
An unlicensed outfit owes you none of that, and if something breaks or disappears, you may have nobody to go after.
What questions should you ask before you book?
Ask these on the phone or at the walk-through:
- What's your PUC A-number?
- Will you do an in-home or video look before the estimate?
- Is your price hourly or by weight and mileage, and what's included?
- What does your basic protection cover, and what would extra coverage cost?
- Who will actually be in my home on moving day, and are they your employees?
Get more than one estimate. The PUC points out that charges vary between companies, since each one files its own rates.
Where do you complain?
Try the mover first, in writing. If that goes nowhere, contact the PUC. Include the company's name and its A-number, which the PUC asks for with every complaint. The PUC's consumer line is 1-800-692-7380.
Keep everything: the estimate, the Information for Shippers form, the inventory, the bill of lading and your photos.
What are the warning signs?
Some red flags show up before you ever sign anything:
- no PUC A-number in the ad, or a number that doesn't match the PUC's list;
- a price quoted over the phone with no written estimate;
- no "Information for Shippers" form before you're asked to sign;
- a truck with no company name or PUC number on the side;
- a request to sign papers that are blank or incomplete.
If two or more of these show up, walk away. A cheap quote from an uncertificated mover can get very expensive when there's no insurance and no regulator behind it.
FAQ
Do movers need a license in Pennsylvania?
Yes, for moves between points within the state. They need a certificate of public convenience from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
What does a PUC number look like?
It starts with "A" and is six to eight digits long. It must appear in the mover's ads and on its trucks.
Does the PUC regulate interstate moves?
No. Moves that cross state lines fall under the FMCSA.
Do Pennsylvania movers have to run background checks?
Yes. Movers must get criminal history records before anyone provides moving services in your home, and recheck every 2 years.
How do I file a complaint against a mover?
Contact the PUC at 1-800-692-7380 and include the company name and its A-number.
Next step
If you're buying or selling and need a mover, ask your licensed local agent who past clients have used, then check each name and A-number against the PUC's list before you book.
Sources: Pennsylvania PUC, consumer tips on household movers (2019); PUC moving company brochure; 52 Pa. Code Chapter 31, household goods transportation.
General notes for moves in and to Pennsylvania. Not a quote or a recommendation of any specific company. Confirm details with the mover you hire.
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