How to Start a Moving Company in Indiana: DOR Operating Authority

Before you can move anyone's furniture for pay in Indiana, you need your business entity in place and the right operating authority from the state. Indiana's Business Owner's Guide says the state has no single, comprehensive business license. For movers, the permit that matters is household goods operating authority, issued by the Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) through its Motor Carrier Services division.

This guide covers the full process for an intrastate household goods mover: what to gather, how to file, what the state expects after approval, and which fees and timelines you still need to confirm with the agency. Everything here is informational content, not legal or tax advice.

Who Regulates Indiana Movers

Indiana regulates intrastate household goods movers through DOR's Motor Carrier Services, under Indiana Code 8-2.1-22. Movers are not overseen by a labor board. Motor Carrier Services is the office to call about applications, tariffs, insurance filings, and renewals. The phone number is 317-615-7200.

If you plan to cross state lines, the state process is only part of the job. Interstate movers also need a Form E insurance filing on record and FMCSA registration with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Build both into your plan from the start so they do not catch you off guard after your Indiana paperwork is filed.

What to Gather Before You File

Collect these items before you open the application. One missing document can hold up the whole package.

• A registered business entity, such as an LLC or corporation, filed with the Indiana Secretary of State (covered in Step 1).
• An EIN verification document from the IRS, the confirmation letter issued when your Employer Identification Number was assigned.
• A recent bank statement for your business account showing a positive balance.
• A USDOT number, if your operation requires one.
• A plan for insurance. Review the household goods insurance minimums on State Form IOA-1 before you talk to a broker. This guide does not state those amounts because we did not review that form.
• A draft tariff listing your rates, charges, and rules. You will file it on State Form IOA-T (57867).
• State Form IOA-2, Application for Permanent Authority to Transport Passengers or Household Goods, plus the support statement IOAP-SUP.
• The $100 non-refundable application fee. Confirm the payment method with Motor Carrier Services before you file.

Step 1: Form Your Business Entity

Most owners set up an LLC first. For a domestic LLC, the formation document is Articles of Organization, Domestic Limited Liability Company (State Form 49459). The filing fee is $95, and you complete and pay for the filing in a single online session through INBiz at https://inbiz.in.gov/.

Watch the name rules closely. The name must include the words Limited Liability Company or an abbreviation of them, and it must be distinguishable from names already in the Secretary of State's records. INBiz states that adding Inc., LLC, or LLP, changing capitalization, or adding punctuation does not make a name distinguishable. If you need time to gather documents, a name reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 120 days.

Every Indiana entity must keep a registered agent and a registered office in the state. The agent receives legal and tax documents on the business's behalf. The registered office must be a street address, since a P.O. Box is not sufficient unless it comes with a rural route reference. The business cannot act as its own registered agent.

If you form a corporation instead, the formation document is Articles of Incorporation, Domestic Corporation (State Form 4159), with the same $95 filing fee. Corporations and LLCs that register with the state must also file a Business Entity Report. The fee is $32, and it is due every other year, with the first report due two years after formation. Filing on paper costs $50.

The Secretary of State does not publish a processing time for formations, and no expedited option is offered for a domestic LLC. Plan for that uncertainty rather than promising a launch date to customers.

Step 2: Get Your EIN and Open a Business Bank Account

Your EIN verification is a required attachment, so get your Employer Identification Number before you start the state application. Keep the IRS confirmation letter with your formation records.

Open a business bank account in your entity's name and keep it active. The application requires a recent bank statement showing a positive balance. Do not move personal funds into the account just to create a balance for the filing. Motor Carrier Services can tell you what documentation it expects, and a reviewer will see the statement as part of the whole application.

Step 3: Confirm Whether You Need a USDOT Number

The application asks whether you need a USDOT number. Whether you do depends on how you operate. If you will move goods across state lines, you will almost certainly need one, along with the FMCSA registration described above. If you only move household goods within Indiana, confirm the answer with Motor Carrier Services before you mark the form. Do not guess on this question, because an error here can slow the whole application.

Step 4: Set Up Insurance and Read the Form E Rules

Insurance is handled in two places. The minimum household goods coverage amounts are set out on State Form IOA-1, which you should read in full before you buy a policy. After approval, your insurer files proof of insurance on Form E, and that filing must reach the state within the window described in Step 7.

Ask your broker to confirm in writing that the policy meets the IOA-1 minimums and that the insurer can file Form E directly with the state. A policy that does not match the form is a common cause of delays after approval.

Step 5: Write Your Tariff Before You Quote Anyone

A tariff is the published list of your rates, charges, and operating rules. Under IC 8-2.1-22-23, a mover may not charge anything that is not in its tariff. That rule covers every add-on you plan to bill, such as stair carry fees, long-carry charges, packing services, or storage. If a charge is not in the tariff, you cannot collect it, even if the customer agrees to pay.

Draft the tariff with the add-ons you actually plan to offer. Once approved, you will file it on State Form IOA-T (57867). Keep the approved version on hand and make sure every quote and invoice matches it.

Step 6: File State Form IOA-2 and Choose Your Authority Type

Submit State Form IOA-2 with the support statement IOAP-SUP, your entity documents, your EIN verification, your bank statement, your USDOT number if applicable, and the $100 application fee. The fee is non-refundable, so check the package against the checklist above before you pay.

The same form lets you request one of two faster temporary options along with your tariff:

• Temporary Authority, valid for 180 days.
• Emergency Temporary Authority, valid for 30 days.

DOR says applications take 30 to 60 days to process, and no goods may be moved during that time. Ask Motor Carrier Services how a temporary authority interacts with that no-move period before you book any customer. Do not assume the temporary options let you start work on an earlier date.

Step 7: Meet the 60-Day Post-Approval Deadline

After approval, you have 60 days to submit two documents: the proof of insurance from your insurer on Form E, and your tariff on State Form IOA-T (57867). Put that deadline on your calendar the day approval arrives. Missing it puts your authority at risk, so treat it as a hard date rather than a target.

Step 8: Calendar Your Annual Renewal

Household goods authority renews every year, and the renewal is due by November 30. Set a reminder for early November so you have time to confirm the insurance filing, the tariff, and your registered agent details are still current.

Renewal fee amounts are not listed on the pages we reviewed, so confirm the current renewal cost with Motor Carrier Services before you budget for it.

Fees Still to Confirm

Some online sources cite an $80 publication fee and a $10 per unit fee for Indiana household goods movers. We could not find either amount on an official DOR page, so treat both as unverified. Before you build a price list or budget, call Motor Carrier Services at 317-615-7200 and ask for each fee in writing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Choosing a name without searching the records. Adding Inc. or LLC to an existing name does not make it distinguishable, and the filing can be rejected.
• Using a P.O. Box as the registered office. A street address is required unless the box comes with a rural route reference.
• Filing with a thin bank account. The statement must show a positive balance, so open and fund the account before you apply.
• Billing extras that are not in the tariff. IC 8-2.1-22-23 bars charging anything not on the filed tariff.
• Scheduling jobs during the 30 to 60 day wait. No goods may be moved while the application is pending.
• Missing the 60-day post-approval window. Insurance on Form E and the tariff on IOA-T must reach the state on time.
• Forgetting the November 30 renewal. Calendar it the day you are approved.
• Assuming a state license covers everything. Local permits or zoning approval may still apply to your office or truck parking.

What Results to Expect

A complete, accurate package filed once is more likely to avoid back-and-forth with the agency than a rushed submission. DOR's published range for processing is 30 to 60 days. Your actual timing may fall anywhere in that range, and it may depend on how complete the package is and how the agency's queue looks when you file. Plan your launch date around the longer end of the range, and treat any customer deposit as something to hold until your authority is in hand.

Expect the early months to involve more paperwork than revenue. The authority, insurance filing, tariff, and renewal calendar all need upkeep, and missing one can stop you from operating legally.

Other Permits and Taxes to Check

Indiana has no single business license, so check a few other items:

• Local permits and zoning. Your city or county may require approval for an office, a storage yard, or overnight truck parking.
• Registered Retail Merchant Certificate. If you sell taxable goods, such as boxes or packing supplies, you may need this certificate from DOR, which the state lists at $25.
• Sales tax. The state sales tax rate is 7%. Confirm with DOR which of your sales are taxable.
• Income tax. An LLC's income generally passes through to its owners, who pay the individual adjusted gross income tax of 2.95% for 2026 plus their county local income tax. That rate is scheduled to fall to 2.90% in 2027. A corporation that is taxed as a corporation pays the 4.9% corporate adjusted gross income tax.

For DOR tax registration and forms, start at https://www.in.gov/dor/.

Where to Get Help

Three official or public resources are worth bookmarking:

• The Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, at https://www.in.gov/sos/business/, for entity filings and the public business search at https://bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch.
• The Indiana Small Business Development Center at https://isbdc.org/, which offers free advising for new businesses.
• Motor Carrier Services, at 317-615-7200, for questions about the household goods authority, the tariff, and renewal fees.

Talk to a Professional Before You Commit

A moving company carries liability, insurance, and contract risk from its first job. Before you sign a lease, buy trucks, or sign a customer agreement, talk with an Indiana business attorney about your entity structure and contracts. Talk with a CPA about how your income will be taxed and what records you need to keep. This guide is informational only. It is not legal or tax advice, and the rules described here can change. Confirm every fee, form, and deadline with the agency before you act on it.