Indiana moving company license, rules and marketing

Do you need a license to move households in Indiana?

Yes. Under Indiana Code 8-2.1-22, any carrier that moves household goods for pay within Indiana needs a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Indiana Department of Revenue. Applications take 30 to 60 days, and you may not haul while you wait. Once approved, you renew your authority every year by November 30.

Movers in Indiana are regulated by the Indiana Department of Revenue, Motor Carrier Services (DOR). The permit is called the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (Indiana Operating Authority).

1. If you are an LLC, LLP or corporation, register with the Indiana Secretary of State and get your federal EIN. Get a USDOT number if your trucks are 10,001 lbs. or more.
2. Send DOR State Form IOA-1, State Form IOA-2 and State Form IOAP-SUP, a business bank statement no more than 60 days old showing a positive balance, and the $100 non-refundable application fee.
3. Wait for review, which takes 30 to 60 days. If you need to start sooner, you can also request Temporary Authority (180 days) or Emergency Temporary Authority (30 days) on Form IOA-2 and submit a tariff with your application.
4. After DOR issues your Permanent Order, you have 60 days to have your insurer file a Form E and to submit your tariff with State Form IOA-T. If both are not received in time, the authority is dismissed.
5. Once DOR has both, it grants your certificate and you can start moving. Renew your authority every year by November 30.

What insurance and paperwork does a Indiana mover need?

• Your insurance company files proof of coverage with DOR on a Form E.
• DOR's Commercial Motor Vehicle Guide lists $750,000 for for-hire property carriers with a GVWR of 10,001 lbs. or more, and $300,000 for vehicles of 10,000 lbs. or less.
• The household goods insurance amounts, including any cargo coverage, are listed on State Form IOA-1. Check the exact amounts with DOR Motor Carrier Services.

When you work with customers in Indiana, plan for these rules:

• Charge only the rates and charges in your filed tariff.
• DOR keeps your tariff on file and makes it available to the public on request. Keep your tariff on file at each terminal and your general office for public inspection.
• Spell out your claims policy in your tariff, as DOR's tariff guidance asks.
• Trucks that need a USDOT number must show your company name and USDOT number on both sides. Intrastate vehicles add an "IN" suffix.
• DOR's pages do not set estimate forms or claim deadlines for local moves. Put estimates, valuation choices and payment terms in writing so your paperwork matches your tariff.

Do Indiana movers need a USDOT number?

Yes for most moving trucks. Indiana requires a USDOT number for intrastate commercial vehicles with a GVWR or combined rating of 10,001 lbs. or more, and intrastate vehicles show it with an "IN" suffix.

If you take jobs that cross the Indiana state line, federal rules apply on top of the state rules:

• USDOT number: every mover that carries household goods across state lines needs one from the FMCSA.
• Operating authority (MC number): for-hire household goods movers need FMCSA authority before taking interstate jobs.
• Insurance on file: your insurer files proof of liability and cargo coverage with the FMCSA.
• Process agent (BOC-3): someone in each state who can accept legal papers on your behalf.
• Unified Carrier Registration: a yearly registration, priced by fleet size.
• Customer paperwork: a written estimate, a bill of lading, the FMCSA booklet “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” and access to an arbitration program for loss and damage claims.

The licenses and insurance guide explains each one.

What is the moving market like in Indiana?

• Indianapolis and its northern suburbs, like Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Westfield, bring a steady flow of family home moves, many timed around the school calendar.
• College towns drive spring and late-summer demand. Bloomington, West Lafayette, Muncie and the South Bend area all turn over student and staff housing.
• Northwest Indiana sits next to Chicago and Evansville sits on the Kentucky line, so many nearby jobs cross a state line and fall under federal rules, not your Indiana authority.
• Northern Indiana gets lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan, so winter moves around South Bend and Elkhart need extra time, floor protection and good tires.
• Many Indiana homes have basements, attics and detached garages. Ask about them at the estimate so you send the right crew size.

Most moves in Indiana happen around Indianapolis, Carmel and Fishers, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Northwest Indiana (Gary and Hammond), Bloomington and Lafayette-West Lafayette.

How do you market a moving company in Indiana?

• Indiana customers can ask DOR for your tariff, so keep the prices and promises on your website in line with what is on file. A clear moving company website with your service area and process builds trust.
• Create pages for each Indianapolis suburb and county you serve. People search for movers in Fishers or Carmel, not just Indianapolis, and local SEO helps you show up for those searches.
• Reach college towns early. Promote student and faculty moves in Bloomington and West Lafayette before the end of the spring semester and before August move-in.
• In Northwest Indiana and Evansville, tell customers clearly whether you handle moves into Illinois or Kentucky. If you do not have federal authority, say you move within Indiana only.
• Ask for a Google review after every job and reply to each one, naming the town, so your profile shows the places you actually work.