Every state regulates moving companies differently — Florida included. This guide covers what a legal Florida mover must hold, what the law says about estimates and deposits, where residents are actually moving, and one phone line that reaches professional moving companies serving the state.
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The rulebook
Any company that moves household goods from one point in Florida to another must be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) under Florida Statutes Chapter 507. A legal mover has a Florida registration number (the "IM" number), which must appear on every estimate, contract, and advertisement and on a sign on the driver's side door of each moving truck. Since a 2024 change in the law, moving brokers who arrange moves must also register with FDACS. You can check a company's registration through the FDACS Business Search.
| Question | Florida answer |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) |
| Credential a legal mover holds | FDACS mover registration under Florida Statutes Chapter 507 (Household Moving Services); registered movers receive a Florida Intrastate Mover registration number, shown in advertising as "Fla. Mover Reg. No." or "Fla. IM No." Moving brokers must hold a separate FDACS moving broker registration. |
| Estimate rules | Under Florida Statutes section 507.05, before doing any work a registered mover must give you a written estimate and a written contract, and you, the mover, and any broker must sign (or electronically acknowledge) and date them. The documents must include an itemized breakdown and total of all costs (loading, transportation, unloading, accessorial services, and any broker fee), the proposed moving dates, the address where your goods would be held if stored, and the accepted forms of payment (the mover must accept at least two of: cash/cashier's check/money order, personal check, or credit card). Under section 507.06, once you pay the amount specified in the signed written estimate or contract, the mover must deliver your goods and place them inside your dwelling - so the signed paperwork effectively controls what you can be required to pay at delivery. Only a registered mover (not a broker) may prepare the estimate. |
| Deposit rules | Florida Statutes Chapter 507 does not set a statutory cap on deposits or require a specific deposit amount. The consumer protection instead comes from section 507.06: once you tender payment of the amount in the signed written estimate or contract, the mover must relinquish and deliver your goods, and may never withhold prescription medicines or children's items under any circumstances. Get every payment term, including any deposit, in the signed written estimate and contract. |
| Liability / valuation | Under Florida Statutes section 507.04(5), a mover may not limit its liability for lost or damaged goods to less than 60 cents per pound per article, and any contract clause setting a lower rate is void. If a mover limits liability to a valuation rate, it must disclose that in writing when the estimate and contract are signed and tell you about any optional valuation coverage it offers (section 507.04(6)). In addition, since July 1, 2024, every Florida mover must carry liability insurance of at least $10,000 per shipment for loss or damage caused by its negligence (movers with two or fewer vehicles may instead post a $50,000 performance bond or certificate of deposit), plus commercial vehicle insurance of $50,000 to $300,000 per occurrence depending on truck weight. |
| Where to complain | File complaints with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS): online through the "File a Complaint" page at fdacs.gov, or by phone at 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-435-7352); Spanish speakers can call 1-800-FL-AYUDA (1-800-352-9832). Violations of Chapter 507 are also deceptive and unfair trade practices under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (section 507.08), which the Department of Legal Affairs (Attorney General) can enforce. |
Verify a Florida mover in the official lookup →
Chapter 2024-47, Laws of Florida (effective July 1, 2024) significantly rewrote Chapter 507: it required moving brokers to register with FDACS for the first time (new section 507.056), added the minimum $10,000-per-shipment liability insurance and truck-weight-based motor vehicle insurance requirements in section 507.04, strengthened estimate/contract and payment-disclosure rules, and required disclosure when a worker entering your home has certain felony convictions. FDACS also launched a new online registration portal (ConsumerCompliance.FDACS.gov). Section 507.07 was further amended in 2025 (Chapter 2025-156, Laws of Florida).
The moment your move leaves Florida, federal FMCSA rules take over: the mover needs an active USDOT number, estimates must be in writing, non-binding estimates carry the federal 110% cap on what's due at delivery, and you're entitled to the 'Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move' booklet plus access to arbitration. Our field guide walks each protection in plain English.
Florida took in 636,933 people from other states and sent 510,925 out in the most recent Census migration year — net +126,008, ranking #10 of 51 on arrivals per 1,000 residents. 13.6% of residents changed homes within the year (ACS). Here is where the traffic actually goes:
| Destination | Movers/yr |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 55,250 |
| Texas | 50,513 |
| North Carolina | 39,931 |
| New York | 24,749 |
| Virginia | 24,733 |
| Origin | Movers/yr |
|---|---|
| New York | 71,138 |
| Georgia | 44,469 |
| California | 39,052 |
| Texas | 37,781 |
| New Jersey | 33,226 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration flows. Full 51-state rankings on the study page.
Season & timing
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and Florida is among the most hurricane-exposed states - a named storm can delay a move, close roads, or damage goods in transit, so build flexibility into summer and fall moving dates and ask how the mover handles storm delays. Summer moves also mean intense heat, humidity, and near-daily afternoon thunderstorms.
The national demand math still applies on top of the weather: May through September is peak, month-ends spike with leases, and mid-month mid-week dates are the reliable capacity valley. Flexible dates are worth more than any coupon.
Services
How it works in Florida, what drives the estimate, and the questions that catch problems early.
How it works →How it works in Florida, what drives the estimate, and the questions that catch problems early.
How it works →How it works in Florida, what drives the estimate, and the questions that catch problems early.
How it works →How it works in Florida, what drives the estimate, and the questions that catch problems early.
How it works →Q & A
Storage-in-transit is a standard, regulated service: your shipment waits in the mover's warehouse under your contract's liability terms, billed daily or monthly. It's usually smoother than renting a self-storage unit and moving twice. Mention the gap dates on your call.
On interstate moves with a non-binding estimate, federal FMCSA rules cap what the mover can require at delivery at 110% of the estimate — remaining charges bill later. It exists to prevent hostage-load pressure, and it only works if your estimate is in writing.
Interstate: an active USDOT number in FMCSA's free lookup, plus complaint history. In-state: Florida movers should hold a FDACS mover registration under Florida Statutes Chapter 507 (Household Moving Services); registered movers receive a Florida Intrastate Mover registration number, shown in advertising as "Fla. Mover Reg. No." or "Fla. IM No." Moving brokers must hold a separate FDACS moving broker registration. from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Then: written estimate, real address, and a contract you've actually read. Ten minutes, total.
Pets never — they ride with you. Plants rarely cross state lines legally (agricultural rules), and perishable food doesn't survive a van line. Local moves are more forgiving on plants and pantry boxes; ask on the call and get the answer for your route.
A carrier owns trucks and moves you; a broker sells your job to a carrier, and federal law requires brokers to say so. Our line is neither — it connects your call directly to a professional moving company serving Jacksonville, and we never take custody of your move or your money.
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Local or long-distance, one call gets your dates, access questions, and estimate process sorted — no forms, no number-selling.