A long-distance move is a different animal from a local one. Your belongings travel hundreds or thousands of miles, the pricing works differently, and the rules around licensing are stricter. Choosing the wrong company for an interstate move can mean delayed deliveries, surprise charges, or — in the worst cases — your belongings held hostage.
If you're moving out of Georgia or across state lines, here's what you need to know.
How Long-Distance Moves Differ from Local Ones
Local moves are usually billed by the hour. Long-distance and interstate moves are typically priced by the weight of your shipment and the distance traveled, since hourly billing doesn't make sense once a truck is on the highway for days. This means accurate estimates matter even more — the weight of your belongings directly drives the cost.
Delivery timing also works differently. On a long haul, your shipment may travel alongside others, and delivery often happens within a window rather than on a single guaranteed day. A good mover explains this window clearly upfront.
The Licensing You Should Verify
For any move that crosses state lines, the company must have a USDOT number issued by the federal government. This is non-negotiable — interstate moving is federally regulated, and a legitimate long-distance mover will have this number and provide it without hesitation. In Georgia, movers should also carry a GA HHG license for the in-state portion of their work. You can verify any USDOT number for free at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.
Verifying these numbers is the single best way to avoid the rogue operators that target long-distance customers, since the distance makes it harder to hold a bad actor accountable.
Red Flags Specific to Long-Distance Moves
A large deposit demanded upfront before any work is done · Quotes given without assessing the actual weight or volume of your shipment · No USDOT number, or reluctance to provide one · Vague or evasive answers about delivery timing · Pricing dramatically lower than every other estimate · The company's name or DBA changes depending on where you find it online
Any of these is reason to keep looking.
Questions to Ask a Long-Distance Mover
What is your USDOT number? · Is my estimate based on weight, and is it binding? · What's the delivery window, and how will I be updated? · What insurance or valuation coverage is included, and what does full-value protection cost? · How do you handle claims for damage or loss in transit?
The Bottom Line
A long-distance move rewards careful vetting more than almost any other kind. Verify federal licensing, insist on a weight-based written estimate, and choose a company that's transparent about delivery timing and coverage. The extra diligence protects belongings that will be out of your sight for days.
Call us: (404) 514-4814 · Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm · Licensed GA HHG #9320 · BBB A+
A USDOT number is issued by the federal government and required for any mover crossing state lines. A GA HHG license is issued by the Georgia Department of Public Safety and required for intrastate moves within Georgia. Legitimate long-distance movers based in Georgia carry both — Bears Moving Co. holds USDOT #3657392 and GA HHG #9320.
Once a truck is on the highway for days, hourly billing doesn't make sense — the carrier is paying for fuel, driver hours, lodging, and capacity by the mile. Weight + distance is the federally standardized way to price interstate moves, which also means the heavier your shipment, the more you save by decluttering before the move.
Interstate moves rarely arrive on a single guaranteed day. Carriers consolidate shipments and route trucks across multiple stops, so delivery is quoted as a window — typically 2–10 business days for moves within 1,000 miles, longer for cross-country. A reputable mover explains the window upfront and updates you in transit.