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How to Check a Mobile Home Mover or Installer Before You Hire

Updated 2026-10-28. Last verified against the sources below: October 28, 2026. General information, not legal advice; rules and fees change, so it may be out of date. The issuing office's current rules control.

A mobile home move usually involves two kinds of work, and they're checked in different places: hauling (a motor carrier) and setup (an installer or set-up contractor). One company may do both.

Haulers: check the USDOT number

• Companies operating commercial vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more that haul cargo across state lines must register with the FMCSA and have a USDOT number^FMCSA.
• Many states, including North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, also require USDOT numbers for intrastate commercial vehicles^FMCSA.
• Look the number up in FMCSA's free SAFER Company Snapshot and confirm the name matches the quote^SAFER.

Installers: check the license in your state

• HUD runs the installation program in states that don't have their own qualifying program; states with qualifying programs run their own^{24 CFR 3286.5}.
• In HUD-administered states, anyone in the business of installing new homes must hold, or employ someone with, a HUD installation license and display it at the site^{24 CFR 3286.203}.
• Those federal rules cover a new home's first installation. For a used home being moved, state installation programs may regulate the re-installation^{24 CFR 3286.2}, so check your state's licensing agency. HUD's Office of Manufactured Housing Programs, 1-800-927-2891 ext. 57, can tell you who administers your state^{24 CFR 3286.5}.
• North Carolina example: set-up contractors are licensed by the NC Manufactured Housing Board and can be checked in a free state search. How to check an NC license.

Questions to ask before you sign

1. Are you licensed, bonded and insured? What does your liability insurance cover in transit^HomeGuide?
2. What does the fee include, and what other costs might come up, such as escorts or permits^HomeGuide?
3. Will you obtain all the permits, and do you set up the home at the new site^HomeGuide?
4. Can you move my home across state lines^HomeGuide?
5. How long will teardown, transport and setup take, and who handles utilities^HomeGuide?

Get the whole job in a written contract that lists services, timeline and insurance^HomeGuide.

Red flags

• The name on the quote doesn't match the USDOT record or the license.
• No permits pulled, or "you don't need one."
• No written contract.

We have not hired, rated, or vetted any contractor.

Sources

1. FMCSA, Do I Need a USDOT Number? (last updated Sept. 3, 2025). https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/do-i-need-usdot-number
2. FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot (look up a carrier by USDOT number or name). https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx
3. 24 CFR Part 3286, Manufactured Home Installation Program (incl. 3286.2 applicability, 3286.5 HUD vs. state programs, 3286.7 consumer information). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-B/chapter-XX/part-3286
4. HomeGuide, How much does it cost to move a mobile home? (2026). https://homeguide.com/costs/cost-to-move-a-mobile-home

Sources checked October 28, 2026. Rules change; confirm with the office named before you move.