Virginia

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

License Required

Yes

Yes. Must obtain a Certificate of Fitness (household goods carrier authority) for moves of 31+ miles; for moves under 31 miles, Property Carrier authority is acceptable.

Insurance Required

Yes.

Valuation Options

Released Value at $0.60/lb per article is the default; higher coverage must be offered.

Written Estimate Required

Yes. Must be provided prior to loading and reflected on the Bill of Lading.

Claims Handling Requirements

• Acknowledge claims within 30 days
• Pay, decline, or settle within 120 days
• If unresolved, provide updates every 30 days thereafter

Joint Tariff Flexibility

Allowed via Notice of Concurrence or Power of Attorney, with 60 days’ notice for revocation.

Solicitation Restrictions

Only certificated carriers may solicit or contract for household goods moves.

Consumer Complaint Process

Consumer recourse is available through DMV oversight and formal regulations.

5 entries on this page were reconstructed from a malformed source table and are pending confirmation by IAM.

OverviewOverview & Scope

Virginia strictly regulates intrastate household goods transport. Movers must be authorized and insured. Pricing and valuation must be transparent and controlled through state-approved tariffs. The DMV enforces compliance through authority issuance, oversight, and enforcement actions.

Because only certificated carriers may solicit or contract for household goods moves, the certificate applies to a mover that sells intrastate moves in its own name. Where a mover subcontracts the transport, the carrier’s own registrations cover the transport it performs.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Company licensing

• DMV household goods Certificate of Fitness for intrastate moves of 31 miles or more (Property Carrier authority acceptable for moves under 31 miles)Where applicable (mover solicits, contracts for or performs intrastate household goods moves within Virginia)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Public liability insurance of at least $750,000 (vehicles over 10,000 lbs) and cargo insurance of at least $50,000Where applicable (mover holds Virginia household goods authority)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Tariff filed with the DMV, covering rates, rules and valuation optionsWhere applicable (mover holds Virginia household goods authority)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Tariff changes made only with written DMV approval 30 days in advanceWhere applicable (mover holds Virginia household goods authority)Verified by AffirmationRequired

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Customer practices

• Released value at $0.60 per pound per article as the default, with higher coverage offered and documentedWhere applicable (mover holds Virginia household goods authority)Verified by AffirmationRequired
• Written estimate provided before loading and reflected on the bill of ladingWhere applicable (mover holds Virginia household goods authority)Verified by AffirmationRequired
• Claims acknowledged within 30 days, paid, declined or settled within 120 days, with updates every 30 days while unresolvedWhere applicable (mover holds Virginia household goods authority)Verified by AffirmationRequired