What a Moving Company Website Needs

The facts quoted here come from primary sources: the federal rules for interstate household goods movers in 49 CFR part 375, as published by Cornell's Legal Information Institute (§ 375.207 on advertisements, § 375.213 on information for shippers and § 375.401 on estimates), Google's Guidelines for representing your business on Google, its Maps policy on prohibited and restricted content and the schema.org MovingCompany type, all checked on 13 November 2026. The rest is our view from building websites for service businesses. None of it is legal advice.

The short answer

Separate local, long-distance and office moves into their own pages, put a quote form with the details that drive the price on every page, explain how you estimate, and show your USDOT number if you move household goods across state lines. Add the towns you cover and real reviews.

Who is booking

• Local movers are going across town. They care about the date, how many movers and trucks, and how you charge for the day.
• Long-distance movers are crossing state lines or a long way. They want to know how the estimate works, the delivery window, and that you are registered for interstate moves.
• Offices and businesses want a weekend or after-hours move, one contact, and a plan for IT equipment and furniture.

Our view: let the visitor pick their move type in the first screen, with two or three clear buttons, and send each to its own page.

Service pages

Beyond the move types, give each service you actually offer its own page: full or partial packing, packing materials, piano or safe moving, furniture assembly, and storage. Only list storage if you run or partner with a facility, and say which. Each page should say what is included, what the customer does themselves, and how it changes the quote.

The quote form

A moving quote depends on a handful of facts, and the form should ask for exactly those. Our view of the fields that matter:

• Moving from and to: ZIP codes are enough at first.
• Home size: number of bedrooms or rooms, or office size.
• Move date, and whether it is flexible.
• Access at both ends: stairs, elevator, long walk from the truck, parking.
• Special items: piano, safe, artwork, gym equipment.
• Packing help needed, yes or no.
• Name, phone, email and the best time to call.

Access matters for the rules too. For interstate moves, § 375.401 says "You must determine charges for any accessorial services such as elevators, long carries, etc., before preparing the bill of lading". Asking about stairs and elevators in the form gives you that information early. Our website forms guide covers keeping a form like this short and easy on a phone.

In-home and video surveys

For interstate household moves, § 375.401 says "You must conduct a physical survey of the household goods to be transported and provide the prospective individual shipper with a written estimate, based on the physical survey". It adds that "An individual shipper may elect to waive a physical survey", in writing and signed before loading.

Our view: let visitors book a survey slot from the site, and say clearly what it involves and how long it takes. If you also offer video walk-throughs, check with FMCSA or your adviser how they fit the physical survey rule before you promise one for an interstate move. Local moves fall under state rules, which differ.

Binding and non-binding estimates

Moving customers often do not know the difference, and the site is a good place to explain it. Under § 375.401, "A binding estimate is an agreement made in advance with your individual shipper. It guarantees the total cost of the move based upon the quantities and services shown on your estimate". A non-binding estimate "is what you believe the total cost will be for the move", with final charges based "upon the actual weight of the individual shipper's shipment and the tariff provisions in effect". The rule also says "You may not impose a charge for providing a non-binding estimate."

Our view: a short "How our estimates work" page that says which kinds you offer, what changes the final price, and which payment forms you accept at delivery heads off many angry calls. If you show any prices, say what they include; our pricing pages guide covers how.

USDOT number and required links

Interstate household goods movers have specific website duties. § 375.207 says advertisements must include "Your name or trade name, as it appears on our document assigning you a U.S. DOT number" and "Your U.S. DOT number", displayed "only in the following form in every advertisement: U.S. DOT No. (assigned number)." It also says "You and your agents must publish and use only truthful, straightforward, and honest advertisements."

§ 375.213 adds: "If you have a website, you are required to display prominently either a link to the DOT publication titled “Ready to Move?—Tips for a Successful Interstate Move”" on the FMCSA website or a true copy of it. When you give a written estimate, you must also provide "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move", either as a copy or as a hyperlink on your website, and get a signed receipt if the customer chooses the link.

Our view: put the USDOT number, exactly as held, in the site footer so it appears on every page, and add both publication links on your estimates page and near the quote form. If you only do local moves, follow your state's rules instead and say which licence you hold.

Service-area pages

Movers go to the customer, so Google treats most of them as service-area businesses. Google says such businesses "should have one profile for the central office or location with a designated service area", that "If you’re a service-area business, you should hide your business address from customers" unless customers visit it, and that the service area "shouldn’t extend farther than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based."

List the towns you serve for local moves on one page, and the routes or regions you cover for long-distance moves on another. Only make a separate town page when you have something specific to say about it; our service area pages guide explains where the line is.

Reviews and Google Business Profile

Ask for a review a day or two after delivery, once boxes are unpacked and any damage would have shown up, with a direct link by text or email. Google's Maps policy says businesses must not "selectively solicit positive reviews from customers" or "Offer incentives – such as payment, discounts, free goods and/or services - in exchange for posting any review". Our view: answer complaints in public calmly and take the details to a private channel.

Our guides on Google Business Profile, getting and answering reviews and showing reviews on your site go into detail.

Local schema

Schema.org has a type for this: MovingCompany, defined simply as "A moving company." It sits under HomeAndConstructionBusiness and LocalBusiness. Use it with your name, phone, the area you serve in areaServed, and your opening hours, and test it in the Rich Results Test. Our local business schema guide shows the full markup.

Other home service businesses follow a similar pattern: see the contractor website and cleaning business website guides. When you want a moving company site built along these lines, see our website development service.

Frequently asked questions

Does a moving company website need to show its USDOT number?

For interstate household goods movers, yes. 49 CFR 375.207 requires the name and the USDOT number in every advertisement, in the form "U.S. DOT No." followed by the number. A footer on every page is the simplest way to meet that.

What should a moving quote form ask?

From and to ZIP codes, home size or number of rooms, the move date, access at both ends (stairs, elevator, parking), special items such as a piano, whether packing is needed, and contact details.