HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/HB 367 Household Moving Services
SPONSOR(S): Commerce Committee, Tant
TIED BILLS: IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 304
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY
CHIEF
1) Regulatory Reform & Economic Development 14 Y, 0 N Larkin Anstead
Subcommittee
2) Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations 14 Y, 0 N Byrd Pigott
Subcommittee
3) Commerce Committee 16 Y, 0 N, As CS Larkin Hamon
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
In order for an intrastate mover to operate in Florida, the mover must register with the Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) and comply with the provisions of ch. 507, F.S., which applies to
the operations of any mover or moving broker engaged in the intrastate transportation or shipment of
household goods originating in this state and terminating in this state. Movers and brokers engaged in the
interstate transportation of household goods are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
within the United States Department of Transportation.
The bill:
 Revises requirements related to estimates and contracts for moving services prepared by a registered
mover.
 Provides certain requirements for moving broker advertisements.
 Requires each moving broker to provide the DACS a list of registered movers that the broker is
associated with in some capacity.
 Requires DACS to publish and maintain on its website a list of all moving brokers and registered
movers each moving broker is contracted with.
 Revises alternative coverages for movers and moving brokers.
 Provides that DACS must immediately suspend the registration of a moving broker or regis tered mover
that does not maintain a performance bond, certificate of deposit, or liability insurance.
 Requires the shipper, mover, and moving broker, if applicable, to sign or electronically acknowledge,
and date an estimate or contract, and provide other detailed information.
 Provides that a broker may only arrange a move with a registered mover and cannot give estimates or
provide a consumer with a contract for services; only a registered mover may provide those documents.
 Amends s. 507.11(1), F.S., relating to criminal penalties, for movers who refuse to relinquish a
shipper’s household goods under certain circumstances.
The bill has no fiscal impact on local governments but may have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the state.
The bill provides an effective date of July 1, 2024.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
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 FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Current Situation
Moving Scams
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has seen a marked increase in complaints and negative reviews
about movers in recent years.1 Moving scams were projected to have increased 35% year over year in
2023, according to analysis by Hire-A-Helper, which researches and analyzes Better Business Bureau
complaints filed about movers. Scams are being blamed for bilking consumers out of an expected
$1.59 million in 2023, a 42% jump over 2022. The average victim says they’ve lost $836 in a moving
scam this year, the survey shows.
The most common scams are:
 No-shows: Incidents of movers not showing up for a scheduled move accounted for 26% of the
scams reported. This is when a moving company asks the customer to make a deposit or to pay
an upfront fee but then fails to show up for the job. Often, the so-called moving company is later
unreachable, too.
 Mover fraud: This is when fake moving companies pose as real businesses and perform the
work of moving people’s possessions—but then demand a ransom for consumers to get their
belongings back. This is also known as “hostage load,” as these movers extort customers for
additional charges. These comprised 24% of BBB complaints in 2023. The growth in these
reports has prompted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to launch a crackdown
this spring.
 Change-of-address scam: This is when scammers trick people who have recently moved into
paying a fee (usually around $100 or more) in order to have their address changed to their new
residence. Victims are directed to a website disguised to look like the U.S. Postal Service. (The
USPS offers a change-of-address service for free in person or at a modest fee of $1.05 online.)
Change of address scams accounted for 31% of complaints—the highest percentage—but that
is down from 37% last year, the report notes.2
The report warns of other scams, like movers who fail to adhere to the terms of the contract,
overcharge or bribe customers with discounts for positive reviews. The report notes that moving scams
this year are the most prevalent in Wyoming (among one in every 4,426 moves), followed by Vermont,
South Dakota and Oregon.
To avoid being duped by a moving scam, researchers offer the following tips:
 Compare multiple quotes from moving companies, and be skeptical of significantly lower or
higher quotes, lack of details, absence of written contracts and excessive down payments.
 Check the company’s online presence, and look up verified customer reviews on websites such
as the Better Business Bureau.
 Keep a detailed inventory, including photos, of your possessions in case anything goes missing.
Lock up your most expensive valuables.
 Consider buying moving insurance as added protection.
1 Melissa Dittmann Tracey, National Association of Realtors, Realtor Magazine, Real Estate News, Moving Costs, Scams
Create Relocation Challenges, Aug. 1, 2023, https://www.nar.realtor/magazine/ real -estate-news/moving-costs-scams-
create-relocation-challenges (last visited Jan. 18, 2024).
2 Id.
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 In 2022, nearly 15,198 complaints were filed with the BBB against moving companies ,3 which also
reported the following frequent scams:
 An initial low-ball estimate (usually provided without an in-person visit to review the belongings
that need to be moved) that turns into a demand for a much higher price once all of the
household belongings are on the moving truck and awaiting delivery. The truck driver can
simply drive away if the consumer refuses to pay the higher price.4 , 5
 Requiring the shipper to sign a blank or incomplete estimate or contract, which results in a
higher than expected price demanded at the time of delivery. 6
In March of 2021, the Florida Consumer Protection Division within the Office of the Attorney General
secured four judgments against moving companies that used deceptive advertising, failed to provide
proper estimates, failed to relinquish household goods, and failed to provide timely pick-up or delivery
of goods in accordance with service contracts.
In December, 2022, Attorney General Moody filed legal action against three individuals, two holding
companies, and multiple fraudulent moving brokerage businesses.7 According to the consumer
protection investigation, the businesses acted as a common enterprise to deceive more than 400
Floridians into believing the company professionally handled moving services, and promised to provide
refunds if anything went wrong. Instead, the companies hired third parties to complete the moving
services at subpar quality and refused to provide refunds. 8
Mover Regulations
In order for an intrastate mover to operate in Florida, the mover must register with the Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) and comply with the provisions of ch. 507, which applies to
the operations of any mover or moving broker engaged in the intrastate transportation or shipment of
household goods originating in this state and terminating in this state. Movers and brokers engaged in
the interstate transportation of household goods are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration within the United States Department of Transportation.
Movers and moving brokers who do business in Florida must register annually with DACS. 9 As of
December 4, 2023, there were 1,348 movers and 39 moving brokers with active Florida registrations. 10
In order to obtain a registration certificate, the mover or moving broker must file an application, pay a
3 Better Business Bureau, BBB Scam Alert: Avoid Moving Scams this National Moving Month (May 17, 2023)
https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/24198-bbb-scam-alert-avoid-moving-scams-this-national-moving-month (last visited
Jan. 18, 2024).
4 Better Business Bureau, Know Your Mover: BBB Study Reveals Scammers Price Gouge, Tak e Belongings Hostage,
and Destroy Goods (Jun. 30, 2020), https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22659-know-your-mover-bbb-study-
reveals-scammers-price-gouge-tak e-belongings-hostage-and-destroy-goods (last visited Jan. 18, 2024).
5 See, e.g., Jackie Callaway, Record Number of People File Complaints About Florida Movers in 2021; BBB rates 1,300
Companies ‘F’, (Dec. 2, 2021), available at https://www.abcactionnews.com/money/consumer/taking-action-for-
you/record-number-of-people-file-complaints-about-florida-movers-in-2021-bbb-rates-1-300-companies-f (last visited Jan.
18, 2024).
6 Florida Attorney General’s Office, Scams at a Glance: On the Move, http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/TDGT-
BYLQQL/$file/Movers_Scams+at+a+Glance_English.pdf (last visited Jan. 18, 2024).
7 See Office of Attorney General Ashley Moody, Attorney General Moody Tak es Action to Shut Down Massive Moving
Scam (Dec. 8, 2022), News Release - Attorney General Moody Tak es Action to Shut Down Massive Moving Scam
(myfloridalegal.com) (last visited Jan. 18, 2024).
8 Id.
9 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Moving Companies: Who has to Register?,
https://www.fdacs.gov/Business-Servic es/Moving-Companies (last visited Jan. 18, 2024).
10 FDACS, License/Complaint Look up, available at
https://csapp.fdacs.gov/cspublicapp/businesssearch/businesssearch. aspx (last visited Jan. 18, 2024). Search by
“program.”
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 $300 annual registration fee, and meet certain statutory qualifications, including proof of insurance
coverage.11
Chapter 507, F.S., governs the loading, transportation, shipment, unloading, and affiliated storage of
household goods as part of intrastate household moves. The chapter applies to any mover or moving
broker engaged in intrastate transportation or shipment of household goods that originates and
terminates in Florida.12 These regulations co-exist with federal law, which governs interstate moving of
household goods.13
A “mover” is a person who, for compensation, contracts for or engages in the loading, transportation,
shipment, or unloading of household goods as part of a household move. 14 A “moving broker” arranges
for another person to load, transport, ship, or unload household goods as part of a household move or
who refers a shipper to a mover by telephone, postal, or electronic mail, website, or other means. 15
‘Household move’ means the loading of household goods into a mode of transportation or shipment;
the transportation or shipment of those household goods; and the unloading of those household goods,
when the transportation or shipment originates and terminates at one of the following ultimate locations:
 From one dwelling to another;
 From a dwelling to a storehouse or warehouse that is owned or rented by the shipper or the
shipper’s agent; or
 From a storehouse or warehouse that is owned or rented by the shipper or the shipper’s agent
to a dwelling.
Application for Registration
An applicant for a mover registration must provide:
 its legal business and trade name, mailing address, and business locations;
 the full names, addresses, and telephone numbers of its owners or corporate officers and
directors and the Florida agent of the corporation;
 a statement whether it is a domestic or foreign corporation, its state and date of incorporation,
its charter number, and, if a foreign corporation, the date it registered with the Department of
State;
 the date on which the mover or broker registered its fictitious name if the mover or broker is
operating under a fictitious or trade name;
 the name of all other corporations, business entities, and trade names through which each
owner of the mover or broker operated, was known, or did business as a mover or moving
broker within the preceding 5 years;
 proof of the required insurance or alternative coverages;
 statements attesting to the current and pending history of any mover owners, officers, directors,
managing members, or general partners regarding:
o crimes involving fraud, dishonest dealings, or any act of moral turpitude; and
o civil fines or penalties arising out of any administrative or enforcement action brought by
any government agency or private person based upon conduct involving fraud,
dishonest dealing, or any violation of ch. 507, F.S.
DACS may deny, refuse to renew, or revoke the registration of any mover or broker when it determines
that the mover or broker, or any of the mover’s or broker’s directors, officers, owners, or general
partners has:
 failed to meet the requirements for registration as provided in ch. 507, F.S.;
11 Section 507.03, F.S.
12 Section 507.02, F.S.
13 Interstate movers in the U.S. must be licensed by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA).
14 Section 507.01(9), F.S.
15 Section 507.01(10), F.S.
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  been convicted of a crime involving fraud, dishonest dealing, or any other act of moral
turpitude16;
 not satisfied a civil fine or penalty arising out of any administrative or enforcement action
brought by any governmental agency or private person based upon conduct involving fraud,
dishonest dealing, or any violation of this chapter;
 pending against him or her any criminal, administrative, or enforcement proceedings in any
jurisdiction, based upon conduct involving fraud, dishonest dealing, or any other act of moral
turpitude; or
 had a judgment entered against him or her in any action brought by DACS or the Department of
Legal Affairs under this chapter or the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Contracts and Estimate Requirements
Section 507.05, F.S., requires an intrastate mover to provide an estimate and contract to the
perspective shipper in writing and must be signed and dated by the shipper and mover before
commencing the move. The contract and estimate must include:
 The name, telephone number, and physical address where the mover's employees are
available during normal business hours.
 The date prepared and any proposed date of the move.
 The name and address of the shipper, the addresses where the articles are to be picked up and
delivered, and a telephone number where the shipper may be reached.
 The name, telephone number, and physical address of any location where the goods will be
held pending further transportation, including situations where the mover retains possession of
goods pending resolution of a fee dispute with the shipper.
 An itemized breakdown and description and total of all costs and services for loading,
transportation or shipment, unloading, and accessorial services to be provided during a
household move or storage of household goods;
 acceptable forms of payment, and
 a phrase signifying that the mover is state-registered and identifying the mover’s registration
number.
A mover must clearly and conspicuously disclose to the shipper in the estimate and contract for
services the forms of payments the mover will accept. A mover shall accept a minimum of two of the
three following forms of payment:
 Cash, cashier's check, money order, or traveler's check;
 Valid personal check; or
 Valid credit card.
Should a dispute arise over payment or costs, s. 507.06, F.S., provides that the mover may place the
shipper’s goods in a storage unit until payment is tendered. Because of ambiguity regarding what