Part of our Choosing & Vetting a Mover guide
International Moving Associations and Licensing
The official registries, trade associations and customs offices that let you check an overseas mover yourself — including FMC, FMCSA, FIDI, IAM, BAR, FEDEMAC, AFRA, NZOMA and destination customs pages.
Short answer
The single most important check for a U.S. international mover is an active Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) ocean transportation intermediary license, which you can search free in the FMC OTI list. Trade associations such as FIDI, IAM, BAR and FEDEMAC publish member directories; a membership claim only counts if the company appears there. FMCSA's SAFER system covers U.S. trucking, not ocean shipping. Official customs offices set the duty-relief rules for household goods at the destination.
U.S. licensing and government registries
FMC: Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) list
Federal Maritime Commission
The single most important check for a U.S. international mover. U.S. law requires any company that arranges ocean shipping for the public to hold an FMC OTI license (an NVOCC or freight-forwarder license) and a bond. Search the company name or license number and confirm the status is active and the trade name matches the company you are talking to.
FMC licensed NVOCC list
Federal Maritime Commission
A filtered view of licensed non-vessel-operating common carriers. Use it alongside the main OTI search if you were given an NVOCC number.
FMC licensing overview
Federal Maritime Commission
Explains what OTI licenses and bonds cover, and the difference between an NVOCC and an ocean freight forwarder.
FMCSA SAFER company snapshot
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Look up a USDOT or MC number for U.S. trucking. A USDOT number shows the company is registered for road transport inside the United States; it is not an ocean-shipping license. If the mover will truck your goods to the port, this is the place to check that registration.
FMCSA SAFER home
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Entry point for SAFER searches and related FMCSA safety data.
BBB business search
Better Business Bureau
Search complaints, company responses and accreditation. Match the legal name and address to the mover's website; do not use one brand's BBB file as a substitute for another.
International trade associations and networks
FIDI affiliate directory
FIDI Global Alliance
Global alliance of international moving companies. Search the official affiliate directory to confirm a claimed FIDI membership. A FIDI logo on a website is not proof.
FIDI-FAIM quality certification
FIDI Global Alliance
FAIM is FIDI's independently audited quality standard for international movers. If a company claims FAIM certification, confirm it on FIDI's site, not only on the mover's own pages.
International Association of Movers (IAM)
International Association of Movers
The largest global trade association for moving and forwarding companies. Membership is a trade affiliation, not a government license.
IAM member directory (Mobility Exchange)
International Association of Movers
Search this directory to confirm a claimed IAM membership. Use the company name as it appears on the mover's website and license.
WERC (formerly Worldwide ERC)
Worldwide Employee Relocation Council / WERC
Professional association for corporate relocation and global talent mobility (renamed from Worldwide ERC in 2024; worldwideerc.org redirects here). Relevant if your employer is paying for the move; members include relocation management companies and movers. Confirm any membership claim in WERC's own materials.
OMNI Moving Network
Overseas Moving Network International
Invitation-only network of independent international moving companies. Search the member list to confirm a claimed OMNI membership. The network home page is omnimoving.com.
Harmony Relocation Network
Harmony Relocation Network
Network of independently owned international movers and relocation companies. Use the global network directory to confirm a claimed Harmony partnership. A logo on a sales sheet is not enough.
EuRA (European Relocation Association)
European Relocation Association
Professional body for relocation service providers, including companies that manage corporate moves in Europe and worldwide. Use the member list if a destination agent or relocation company claims EuRA membership.
PAIMA
Pan American International Movers Association
Trade association of international movers, with a public company listing by country. Use it to confirm a claimed PAIMA membership, especially for moves involving the Americas.
Regional movers associations
LACMA
Latin American and Caribbean Moving Association
Association of international movers founded in 1969, with member companies in Latin America, the Caribbean and beyond. Members are often destination agents. Ask which LACMA member, if any, will handle a delivery in that region, and confirm it on LACMA's site.
BAR (British Association of Removers)
British Association of Removers
The UK trade association for removal companies, including international specialists. If your UK destination agent or a UK mover claims BAR membership, confirm it through BAR's member search (bar.co.uk). BAR also publishes guidance on moving overseas.
FEDEMAC (Federation of European Movers Associations)
FEDEMAC
Umbrella association of European national moving associations and affiliated companies, representing professional movers across Europe. Use the find-a-mover directory to confirm a claimed FEDEMAC connection. The organisation's home is fedemac.com.
AFRA (Australian Furniture Removers Association)
Australian Furniture Removers Association
Australia's peak body for the removals industry, with an accredited-member directory. Useful when a destination agent in Australia claims AFRA membership. AFRA's home page is afra.com.au.
NZOMA (New Zealand Overseas Movers Association)
New Zealand Overseas Movers Association
New Zealand's national trade association for international movers. Members are independently assessed against professional, financial and ethical standards. If a New Zealand destination agent claims NZOMA membership, confirm it on this site.
CAM (Canadian Association of Movers)
Canadian Association of Movers
Canada's trade association for moving and storage companies. Relevant if your move includes a Canadian origin, destination or partner agent. Confirm any membership claim on mover.net. (There is no widely used 'CMC' Canadian movers association of this kind; CAM is the national body.)
How to check a mover in three minutes
- Ask for the FMC license number and search it in the FMC OTI list.
- If the company claims FIDI, FAIM, IAM, OMNI, Harmony, LACMA, BAR, FEDEMAC, AFRA, NZOMA, CAM, EuRA, PAIMA or WERC membership, search that association's official directory (linked above). A logo on a website is not proof.
- If it trucks your goods inside the U.S., look up its USDOT number on SAFER.
- Search complaints on BBB and read recent reviews with our review-platform guide.
Licenses of the companies we rank
| Company | License shown | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset International Shipping | FMC #023860N | Printed on sunsetmoving.com (checked Nov 11, 2026) and active in the FMC OTI registry (checked Nov 10, 2026). |
| Shepherd International Movers | FMC No. 027587N | Printed on shepherdmovers.com (checked Nov 11, 2026) and active in the FMC OTI registry at the Glen Cove address (checked Nov 10, 2026). |
| Schmidt International Relocations | FMC License No. 027587N | Printed on schmidtmovers.com (checked Nov 11, 2026) and active in the FMC OTI registry (checked Nov 10, 2026). |
| My International Movers | OTI License No. 023860 | Ocean Transportation Intermediary license number as printed on myinternationalmovers.com (checked Nov 11, 2026). |
We have not confirmed FIDI, IAM, OMNI, LACMA, WERC, Harmony, EuRA, BAR, FEDEMAC, AFRA, NZOMA, CAM or PAIMA membership for these companies in those directories, so we do not claim any. We have not published USDOT numbers we have not verified in SAFER.
Destination customs offices
Each link is an official government customs (or tax-and-customs) page for household goods, transfer of residence or returning residents. Rules change; confirm with the office before you ship. Country guides on this site also quote the main rule in plain English where we have published one. See the customs guide for EU relief conditions and documents.
| Country | Official office | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| United States | CBP: customs duty information | General U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules on duty, useful if you are moving back to the United States or sending goods in. |
| United States | CBP: household items and personal effects (Know Before You Go) | Explains duty-free treatment of household effects used abroad (generally one year of use) versus personal effects such as electronics, and what returning residents should expect. |
| United States | CBP Form 3299 (unaccompanied articles) | The declaration used for unaccompanied household goods and personal effects shipped separately from the traveler. Your mover or customs broker often files this when effects arrive by container. |
| United Kingdom | HMRC Transfer of Residence relief (GOV.UK) | Official rules for importing household goods to Great Britain without duty or VAT when you move your main residence. Apply for ToR relief before the shipment lands. |
| United Kingdom | Apply for ToR relief (ToR1) | The online ToR1 application. You receive a ToR reference your mover uses at clearance. |
| United Kingdom | Moving personal belongings to the UK | GOV.UK overview of bringing belongings into the UK, with links to ToR and related rules. |
| European Union | EUR-Lex: EU customs duty relief summary | Plain-language summary of EU relief for household goods when you transfer your normal residence from outside the EU (Regulation 1186/2009). Each member state adds its own forms. |
| Germany | German customs (Zoll): staying in Germany / transferring residence | German customs (Zoll) guidance on removal goods (Übersiedlungsgut). Germany commonly uses Form 0350 and proof of registration (Anmeldung). |
| France | Service-Public.fr: moving to France from outside the EU (customs) | Official French government page on customs rules when you move your household to France from outside the EU, including transfer-of-residence relief. |
| France | Customs declaration for personal goods (Cerfa form) | The Cerfa form used to declare personal goods for a move to France. France often asks for two signed inventories. |
| Netherlands | Dutch Customs: moving to the Netherlands | Dutch Customs (Douane / Belastingdienst) rules for moving personal belongings from a non-EU country to the Netherlands. |
| Spain | Agencia Tributaria: transfer of residence exemptions | Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT) page on tax and duty exemptions when you transfer your residence to Spain. |
| Italy | ADM (Italian Customs): transfer of residence FAQ | Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) FAQ covering transfer-of-residence questions. |
| Italy | ADM customs reliefs (franchigie doganali) | ADM overview of customs reliefs, including household-goods concessions. |
| Ireland | Revenue: Transfer of Residence | Irish Revenue's official Transfer of Residence relief page for household goods. |
| Portugal | gov.pt: information on importing goods | Portuguese government service page on importing goods, a starting point for household shipments into Portugal. |
| Portugal | Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira: customs information portal | Official Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority portal for customs information, including duty reliefs that apply when you transfer residence from outside the EU. |
| Belgium | FPS Finance: moving to Belgium | Belgian Federal Public Service Finance page on moving to Belgium, including when a customs declaration is needed. |
| Belgium | FPS Finance: moving from a non-EU country to Belgium | Rules for duty- and tax-free import of household goods when you move from outside the EU to Belgium. |
| Austria | BMF: transferring residence from a non-EU country | Austrian Ministry of Finance (customs) rules for duty-free import of relocation goods, including the usual EU residence and use conditions and the ZBefr 2 declaration. |
| Poland | podatki.gov.pl: relocation-goods customs exemption | Official Polish tax-and-customs page on the duty exemption for relocation goods (mienie przesiedlenia) when you move from outside the EU. |
| Greece | AADE: customs and tax exemptions when transferring residence to Greece | Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) page on customs and tax exemptions for people transferring their habitual residence to Greece. |
| Sweden | Tullverket: duty and VAT relief when moving to Sweden from outside the EU | Swedish Customs (Tullverket) rules on duty and VAT relief for personal belongings when you migrate to Sweden from outside the EU. |
| Denmark | Toldstyrelsen: if you move to Denmark | Danish Customs Agency (Toldstyrelsen) English guide to customs and VAT when you move household goods to Denmark. |
| Finland | Finnish Customs: moving to Finland | Finnish Customs (Tulli) rules for removal goods, including declarations when you move from outside the EU. |
| Czech Republic | Czech Customs: transmigration / moving of natural persons | Customs Administration of the Czech Republic page on household goods when a private person moves to the country. |
| Hungary | NAV: reliefs for transfer of permanent residence | Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) page on duty and VAT relief when you transfer your permanent residence from a third country to Hungary. |
| Switzerland | BAZG: moving (household effects) | Swiss Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) rules for importing household effects when you move your domicile to Switzerland, including Form 18.44. |
| Switzerland | BAZG: relocation import procedure | Step-by-step Swiss procedure for importing relocation goods, including documents and time limits. |
| Norway | Tolletaten: household goods when moving to Norway | Norwegian Customs (Tolletaten) rules for duty-free import of household goods when you move to Norway, including the RD-0030 declaration. |
| Australia | Australian Border Force: unaccompanied personal effects | ABF page on the Unaccompanied Personal Effects statement required when household goods arrive separately from you. |
| Australia | Department of Agriculture: moving or immigrating (biosecurity) | Australian biosecurity rules for goods you bring when you move. Soil, plant material and used outdoor equipment are common inspection issues. |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Customs: household effects | NZ Customs conditions for importing used household effects, including concessions that depend on your residency status. |
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a mover's FMC license?
Open the FMC OTI list at www2.fmc.gov/oti, search the company name or license number, and confirm the status is active and the trade name matches.
Is a USDOT number enough for an international move?
No. A USDOT number covers trucking inside the U.S. Arranging ocean shipping for the public requires an FMC OTI license.
What is FIDI and FAIM?
FIDI is a global alliance of international moving companies. FAIM is FIDI's independently audited quality certification. Check the official FIDI affiliate directory and FAIM listing to confirm a claimed membership or certification.
Do the companies you rank belong to FIDI, IAM, OMNI, LACMA, BAR, FEDEMAC or the other associations listed here?
We have not confirmed membership for any of them in those directories, so we do not claim it. A logo on a website is not proof.
What are OMNI, Harmony, EuRA and WERC?
OMNI is an invitation-only network of independent international movers. Harmony Relocation Network is a network of independently owned movers and relocation companies. EuRA is the European Relocation Association. WERC, formerly Worldwide ERC, is the association for corporate relocation and talent mobility.
Is AMOA a movers association?
No. The AMOA name is used by the Amusement and Music Operators Association, which is not a moving-industry body, so it is not listed here as a way to vet a mover.
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