Does California license moving companies?

Yes, for moves inside the state. The Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS), Department of Consumer Affairs issues the credential. Ask for the BHGS household mover permit number (older paper shows a CAL-T number) and check it on the official site.

Does the state rule apply to an interstate move?

No. A move that crosses the state line is under FMCSA rules: written estimate, binding or non-binding, the 110% rule, and a USDOT you can check on SAFER.

Where do I complain about a mover in California?

In-state: the BHGS complaint form. Interstate: the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database, and the hotline for a hostage load.

Moving in California: at the open rear of a plain white moving truck, he extends a brown hardboard inventory clipboard with his right hand.

State desk

Moving in California: Movers, Rules and Costs

A move that stays inside California is regulated by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS), Department of Consumer Affairs. Ask for the BHGS household mover permit number (older paper shows a CAL-T number). A move that crosses the state line is FMCSA, with a USDOT you can check.

Haulest data team · Desk opened official pages 17 September 2026. Editorial.

Who regulates a California move. Checked September 2026.

Move	Regulator	Ask the mover for	Complaint
Inside California	Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS), Department of Consumer Affairs	BHGS household mover permit number (older paper shows a CAL-T number)	BHGS complaint form
Crossing a state line	FMCSA (federal)	USDOT and MC numbers with household-goods authority	NCCDB and the FMCSA hotline

Top-rated movers in California

Each has 5+ reviews and 4.0+ stars. Movers reviewed in the last 3 years come first, then by rating weighted by how many reviews back it. No mover pays to be on this list.

Get free quotes from California movers See all 440 movers in California

Who moved to and from California from other states, 2024. In: 406,873. Out: 661,205. Net: −254,332 people.

Came from	People	Left for	People
Texas	45,447	Texas	77,161
Arizona	28,174	Nevada	53,289
Washington	26,956	Arizona	52,383
New York	24,927	Washington	43,938
Nevada	21,133	Florida	36,194
Illinois	19,953	Oregon	31,500

Source: US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, read 2024.

What living in California costs, against the US. Price parity: US = 100.

Measure	California
Price level, all items	110.7 (1 of 51)
Housing (rents) price level	153.4
State income tax on wages	About $2,788 on a $75,000 salary (single filer, 2026 brackets)

Sources: US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, read 2024; Tax Foundation, 2026 state income tax brackets (estimate, no local tax).

What reviewers paid for moves touching California, reviews posted since 1 Jan 2024. A median needs 20 priced reviews; a lane needs 10.

Move	Median paid	Priced reviews
Leaving from California	$4,230	580
Arriving from another state	$4,611	290
Within California	$2,360	141
California to Florida	$5,122	66
Florida to California	$4,365	61
California to Texas	$5,300	35
California to Colorado	$4,680	23
California to Georgia	$5,000	22
New York to California	$5,400	21
California to Illinois	$5,844	20
California to Arizona	$6,254	19
California to New York	$4,000	18

Source: Haulest review file (reviewer-reported whole-move prices).

Route pages for California

Moving to a California city

Cities in California

All of United States

116 more cities

Search all 440 California movers by name or USDOT

Housing pulse

California housing, 2026

Median sale price: $887,400; +3.4% on a year earlier
Homes sold in the month: 24,400; -2% on a year earlier
Median days on market: 33
Months of supply: 3.2

Homes sold in the month is the closest public count of households changing address in the state. Mover demand follows the same calendar.

Source: Data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage, May 2026, read 1 Oct 2026.

What to know before the deposit

California moved mover oversight from the Public Utilities Commission to BHGS in 2018. A licensed mover gives a written estimate with a maximum price, and a not-to-exceed figure on paper is what the state expects at delivery.

Registered is not the same as good. A state credential means the office can find the company and that it filed what the state requires. Read the dated reviews, then call.

Cities we hold rows for

911 dated review rows across Los Angeles, San Diego, as of 3 Nov 2026. Each has a moving-to page with costs; cities with three or more mover profiles also have a movers page, listed above with every other California city we hold movers for.

Sources

Links go to the publisher. Haulest does not add findings. Checked September 2026; if the live page moved, believe the agency.

Ask out loud

Questions people ask

Does California license moving companies?: Yes, for moves inside the state. The Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS), Department of Consumer Affairs issues the credential. Ask for the BHGS household mover permit number (older paper shows a CAL-T number) and check it on the official site.
Does the state rule apply to an interstate move?: No. A move that crosses the state line is under FMCSA rules: written estimate, binding or non-binding, the 110% rule, and a USDOT you can check on SAFER.
Where do I complain about a mover in California?: In-state: the BHGS complaint form. Interstate: the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database, and the hotline for a hostage load.

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From, then To. Date and home size after that. A person on the phone is faster if you already know the dates.

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