How to Start a Moving Company in Georgia: DPS Household Goods Carrier Certificate and Rate Tariff

If you want to start a moving company in Georgia, the license that matters most is not a city business license. It is the household goods carrier certificate issued by the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS). Under DPS Rule 570-38-3-.03, you cannot operate as a household goods mover, or even advertise as one, until DPS has issued that certificate. Georgia's rules are stricter than those in many states, so the DPS certificate belongs at the top of your launch plan.

This guide follows that order: the DPS certificate, the application, insurance, the rate tariff and customer protections, and then the local, tax and employer requirements that sit on top. It is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Moving businesses touch licensing, insurance, consumer protection and employment law, so talk with a Georgia attorney and a CPA before you sign customer contracts or hire staff.

The Central Fact: No Certificate, No Moving Business

A household goods carrier moves household belongings for pay. The DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement unit, formerly the Motor Carrier Compliance Division, issues the household goods carrier certificate. You must hold it before you operate and before you advertise. That means no advertising of moving services, including websites and online listings, until the certificate is in hand.

Violations can bring penalties under O.C.G.A. 40-1-56 and 40-1-129. Some older guides cite Public Service Commission rules. Those rules were replaced by the DPS rules effective May 11, 2020, so build your plan around the current DPS rules.

Materials and Information You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you start the paperwork. Most delays in this process come from details that do not match across filings.

• Your entity filing confirmation: Articles of Organization for an LLC or Articles of Incorporation for a corporation
• The carrier's business name, street address, phone number and email address
• Names and addresses of every owner and officer
• A vehicle list showing the type, description and number of each vehicle you will operate
• A financial statement with supporting documents for each figure, and proof you have at least $50,000 in assets that you can keep
• Insurance policies issued in the carrier's own name
• Workers' compensation coverage, if you will have three or more workers, including part-time workers
• A signed consent to a background check
• A certificate showing completion of the DPS training class on Georgia law and rules
• The DPS application fee: check with DPS for the current amount and accepted payment methods

Step 1: Form Your Business Entity

Start with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. An LLC files Articles of Organization and a corporation files Articles of Incorporation. Either filing costs $110 total, which is the $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge. You can file online through eCorp at ecorp.sos.ga.gov or on paper. Online filings take about 7 to 10 business days, and paper filings take about 15 business days. Expedited review costs $120 for 2 business days, $275 for same-day review if received by noon, or $1,200 for one-hour review on business days.

Your name must include a limited liability company designator such as LLC and must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records. Check the Secretary of State's name rules before you file. If you need time to settle on the name, you can reserve it for 30 days for $35.

Every Georgia entity must keep a registered agent at a registered office with a Georgia street address. A P.O. box or mail drop does not qualify. An LLC's agent must be a Georgia resident individual or a corporation authorized to do business in Georgia, and the registered office must be the agent's business office. An entity cannot serve as its own registered agent. Changing the agent costs $5 per entity (minimum $20) plus the $10 service charge.

Entities must also file an annual registration. The fee is $60 ($50 plus a $10 service charge), due between January 1 and April 1. An LLC files its first annual registration in the year after it forms. A late filing carries a $25 penalty. Confirm the current filing window with the Secretary of State.

Step 2: Register a Trade Name if You Need One

If you will operate under a name other than your entity's legal name, you need a trade name registration, also called a DBA. Trade names are not filed with the Secretary of State. File with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the business is chiefly carried on. Clerk fees in the counties checked run about $165 to $166. Notice must also be published in the county legal organ once a week for two weeks, which carries a separate newspaper charge. Confirm both costs with your county clerk. The Secretary of State's business division FAQ explains the process.

Step 3: Secure Insurance in the Carrier's Name

Insurance is where many applications stall. Required insurance must be written in the carrier's own name only. It cannot be in another person's name, and a joint policy does not satisfy the requirement. The certificate becomes void as soon as required insurance lapses, so set renewal reminders and tell your agent about the DPS filing before you buy a policy.

The insurance dollar minimums for household goods carriers are set by statute and DPS. Check with DPS for the current minimums before you bind any policy, and ask your insurer to confirm in writing that the policy meets them. Commercial auto coverage for your trucks is a separate requirement, so ask your agent to scope it alongside the DPS policy.

Step 4: Complete the DPS Application and Training Class

The DPS application is a written form. It asks for:

1. The business name, address, phone number and email address
2. Owners and officers
3. A list of vehicles with type, description and number
4. Your acknowledgment of the vehicle display requirements
5. Your acknowledgment of federal and state motor carrier rules, and of the insurance and workers' compensation requirements
6. A financial statement with supporting documents
7. Your consent to a background check

DPS approves an applicant who is fit, willing and able to operate. The applicant must have no felony tied to operating a motor vehicle, must complete the DPS training class on Georgia law and rules, and must show it has, and can keep, at least $50,000 in assets. DPS first grants an interim certificate valid for one year. This guide does not state the application fee, so check with DPS for the fee and the current application form before you submit.

Step 5: Follow the DPS Rate Tariff and Customer Protections

DPS publishes a maximum rate tariff, and household goods carriers may not exceed it. DPS changes the tariff only after a 30-day notice and comment period. Build your price list from the current published tariff, and recheck it before launch and whenever you hear that a change is pending.

DPS also sets the paperwork your customers see:

• Estimates: Use the DPS uniform estimate form. The table below summarizes the two estimate types.
• Bill of lading: Use the DPS uniform bill of lading and addendum.
• Consumer guide: Give every customer the DPS Moving Guide.
• Valuation: Offer released value protection at $0.60 per pound per article at no extra charge, or full value protection, which may cost extra within the tariff.
• Waivers: Do not require customers to sign waiver or release forms.

Estimate type	What you may collect at delivery	Key rule
Non-binding estimate	Up to 110 percent of the estimate	The balance is due 30 days later
Binding estimate	No more than the estimate	The binding estimate cannot be exceeded

Step 6: Get the Local Occupation Tax Certificate

Georgia has no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and Department of Revenue sales tax registration is not a business license. The local license is an occupation tax certificate, often called a business license, issued under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. A city issues it for businesses inside city limits, and the county issues it for unincorporated areas. A business inside a city pays the city, not the county.

Georgia has 159 counties and about 537 cities and towns, and each sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so for many moving companies the county is the issuing authority. Ask the city or county for the application and fee schedule that applies to your business address.

Private employers with more than 10 employees must file an E-Verify affidavit to get the local certificate (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6). Plan for that step early if you expect to grow past 10 workers.

Step 7: Register With the Department of Revenue and Meet Employer Rules

Register with the Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov if you sell taxable goods or have employees. Sales tax registration is free, and Georgia issues no separate resale permit. The resale instrument is Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption. If you sell packing boxes or supplies, confirm with the Department of Revenue which sales are taxable before you set prices. General information is at dor.georgia.gov. For tax rates and how they apply to your entity, see our Georgia business taxes guide.

Workers' compensation coverage is required once you have three or more workers, including part-time workers. Georgia has no state paid sick leave or family leave mandate. Confirm your other employment obligations with your attorney or CPA before you make offers.

Step 8: Add Federal Authority for Interstate Moves

Interstate moves require a USDOT number and compliance with federal motor carrier rules, in addition to the DPS certificate. Our trucking and freight business guide covers the federal steps in more detail.

Step 9: Plan Parking, Storage and Zoning

Local zoning can restrict where commercial trucks may park or be stored overnight, including at your home. Check with your city or county planning office before you park a box truck at a residence or lease a yard. Storage in transit is allowed only at the customer's request under DPS Rule 570-38-3-.14. Do not hold a customer's goods in transit for your own convenience.

Tips and Common Mistakes

• Advertising early. Do not run ads or list in directories before DPS issues the certificate.
• Insuring the wrong party. A policy in an owner's personal name or a joint policy will not satisfy the requirement.
• Letting coverage lapse. The certificate becomes void as soon as required insurance lapses.
• Mismatched names. Use the exact name from your Secretary of State filing on the DPS application, insurance policies, tax registration and bank accounts.
• Outdated rates. Quotes must follow the current DPS tariff, not a rate sheet from another state or an earlier version.
• Customer waivers. Do not ask customers to sign waivers or release forms.
• Looking for a state license. Georgia has no general state business license, so the local certificate comes from your city or county.
• Missing the annual registration. Annual registration is due January 1 to April 1, and a late filing carries a $25 penalty.
• Using a P.O. box as the registered office. The registered office needs a Georgia street address.

Expected Results

Following these steps may put you in a position to receive a household goods carrier certificate from DPS. Once you hold the interim certificate, you may be able to operate and advertise in line with DPS rules. Results depend on your application, your insurance, your financial records and DPS's review, so none of these outcomes is guaranteed. Build processing time into your launch date. Online Secretary of State filings typically take about 7 to 10 business days, and you should confirm current processing times with each agency.

Next Steps and Disclaimer

Start with the Secretary of State filing, then assemble the DPS packet so that names, vehicles and financial figures match across every document. The Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia offers business advising that can help you prepare.

This page is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Fees, deadlines and rules change, so confirm current figures with the named agency. Consult a qualified Georgia attorney and a CPA about your specific situation before you form the business, sign contracts or hire employees.