Household goods movers
Household goods mover permits and compliance.
Moving companies carry more regulatory obligations than most carriers, and two of them are easy to violate without noticing: how you advertise, and how you handle a customer complaint.
The Commission regulates household goods movers under Title 40, Article 10.1 of the Colorado Revised Statutes and its own rules at 4 CCR 723-6. It takes action against a mover for violating or exceeding the terms of its permit, or for refusing to obey an order or rule.
Two obligations catch carriers who are otherwise fully permitted. The first is advertising. The second is the arbitration requirement for refunds, which is not optional and is not satisfied by a settlement offer.
The permit
What the permit requires.
A mover must hold a permit before operating or advertising. The permit is annual, tied to the locations named in the application, non-assignable, and limited to the business name shown. A mover wanting to change its name or location outside a renewal must notify the Commission.
Financial responsibility is the substantive requirement. Insurance is filed with the Commission by the carrier's insurer through the Commission's portal, and it must stay current. A lapsed filing puts the permit at risk regardless of how well the moves themselves are run.
- Annual filing fee: $332.00 as of November 1, 2025
- Household goods movers are not subject to the annual vehicle stamp fee
- Insurance filed by the insurer, not by the carrier
- Annual vehicle inspection report required
The rule people miss
Every advertisement needs your permit number and address.
C.R.S. 40-10.1-504 is short and it is enforced. No mover may advertise a transportation service under a name other than the one the permit is held in. Each advertisement must include the phrase "CO PUC permit no. ---" and the physical address of the mover.
That applies to a truck door, a Craigslist post, a Google Business Profile, a Facebook page, and a website. In practice this is the most common avoidable violation for a small mover, because the ads were written before the permit existed and nobody went back to fix them.
When a customer complains
Complaints and binding arbitration.
Any person may file a complaint against a motor carrier for violating the statute or a Commission rule, and may ask for a cease and desist order, suspension or revocation of the permit, or civil penalties. The Commission may act after notice and a hearing, on proof of violation.
For household goods movers there is an additional path. Refunds for movers go through binding arbitration under C.R.S. 40-10.1-507. Failure or refusal to abide by an arbitrator's award is itself a ground for the Commission to act against the permit. Treating an arbitration award as a negotiating position is how a refund dispute becomes a permit dispute.
Renewal
Renewal reviews more than paperwork.
The Commission may deny an application or refuse to renew a permit where the mover, or any of its directors, officers, owners or general partners, has not satisfied a civil penalty from an enforcement action. An unpaid penalty from three years ago is a renewal problem today.
Renewal is also when changes of name and location are cleanest to make. Handling it at renewal avoids a separate notification and keeps the permit consistent with what the business actually does.
Common questions
Questions this office hears
Does my website need the permit number?Yes. C.R.S. 40-10.1-504 requires each advertisement to include "CO PUC permit no. ---" and the physical address. A website is an advertisement.
What if a customer wants a refund?For household goods movers, refunds go through binding arbitration under C.R.S. 40-10.1-507. Refusing to abide by the award is a ground for action against the permit.
Do I need a vehicle stamp?No. The Commission states that household goods movers are not subject to the annual vehicle stamp fee that applies to other transportation carriers. Movers do need an annual vehicle inspection report.
Sources
Where this page's facts come from
Every regulatory statement above is drawn from the following, so you can check it yourself.
- C.R.S. 40-10.1-502, permit requirements
- C.R.S. 40-10.1-504, advertising
- C.R.S. 40-10.1-507, arbitration of refunds
- C.R.S. 40-10.1-112, Commission action against a permit
- Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Household Goods Movers industry information
Talk to the attorney
handling your matter.
Law Offices of
Richard J. Bara.
Arvada, CO 80003
By appointment only. No walk-ins.
Consultations in person or by phone.