Bekins Van Lines
Legal name: Bekins Van Lines, Inc.
29 consumer complaints filed with FMCSA in the last four years — 3 for holding goods hostage
What we found
Checked Sep 3, 2026 · every line links to its source- SERIOUS29 consumer complaints filed with FMCSA in the last four years — 3 for holding goods hostage
FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database (via the Protect Your Move registry) — by year: 2023: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 7 (registry data as of 07/31/2026). Categories: Loss and Damage 17, Claim Settlement 14, Deceptive Business Practices 11, Shipment Documents 7, Estimates/Final Charges 6. Fleet on the registry: 1 truck — 29.0 complaints per truck.
Hostage-goods complaints mean customers told FMCSA this company held their belongings until they paid more than the estimate.
Source: FMCSA Protect Your Move — complaint history · as of Sep 3, 2026
- PROBLEM1 truck, 1 driver on the federal record
FMCSA: 1 power unit, 1 driver, 55 miles reported for 2023. The website advertises “nationwide”.
The operation on record is a one-truck business, whatever the marketing says.
Source: SAFER snapshot · company website · as of Sep 3, 2026
- PROBLEMDriver out-of-service rate 40% vs 6.67% national average
2 of 5 driver inspections in the last 24 months ended with the driver placed out of service (as of 09/01/2026).
Source: SAFER snapshot · as of Sep 3, 2026
- PROBLEM10 complaints closed with BBB in the last 3 years, 4 in the last 12 months (BBB shows 12 customer reviews; FMCSA record: 1 truck)
BBB complaint volume relative to the size of the business.
Source: BBB listing · as of Sep 3, 2026
- PROBLEMBBB: 2★ from 12 reviews
BBB rating 2/5, grade A+, 10 complaints in 3 years.
Source: BBB listing · as of Sep 3, 2026
- COULD NOT VERIFYNo State household-goods mover registry record found for this business
We searched State household-goods mover registry on 09/02/2026 and found no certificate under this name or USDOT 2256609.
It may operate under another legal name — or it may be unlicensed in-state. Ask for the certificate number.
- NOTESelf-declared: “most trusted”
“ing & Storage Company Moving Made Easy Since 1891 As one of America’s most trusted nationwide moving companies, Bekins V”. No source is given for any of these claims.
Source: company website · as of Sep 3, 2026
- ON RECORDFMCSA investigation on record: 1 — most recent 05/04/2017 (Non-Ratable Review)
05/04/2017 Non-Ratable Review. No FMCSA enforcement cases in the last six years.
Source: FMCSA SMS overview · as of Sep 3, 2026
- ON RECORDOwner of record: MARK KIRSCHNER (CEO)
Company official(s) on the FMCSA registration for USDOT 2256609, BEKINS VAN LINES INC.
Source: MOTUS · as of Sep 3, 2026
- ON RECORDOther locations under this brand in Indianapolis, IN: “Bekins Van Lines, Inc.”
BBB: “Bekins Van Lines, Inc.” — BBB rating A+, Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of the BBB Letter Grade Rating, started 11/18/2011. These share this company's website, so they are the same brand's other locations — a branch, agent or franchise — rather than one company trading under two names. Linked by: BBB: phone (800) 932-7799 on both records; BBB: website bekins.com on both records; BBB: address 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250-2005 matches 8010 Castleton Rd, Indianapolis, IN, 46250; BBB: address 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250-2005 matches 8010 Castleton Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46250; BBB: address 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250-2005 matches 8010 CASTLETON ROAD, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46250; BBB: lists bekins.com as its own page; BBB: name “Bekins Van Lines, Inc.” appears on both records.
Ask which company holds the operating authority and insurance for your move, and get it in writing.
Source: BBB profile — Bekins Van Lines, Inc. · as of Sep 3, 2026
- CHECKS OUTActive federal household-goods authority (MC-770031)
FMCSA: ACTIVE; authorized for Motor Carrier of Household Goods; insurance filings on file.
Source: SAFER snapshot · MOTUS · as of Sep 3, 2026
- CHECKS OUTBBB rating A+ (accredited)
BBB complaints: 10 complaints in the last 3 years (4 closed in the last 12 months); types: Service or Repair Issues 4, Order Issues 3, Sales and Advertising Issues 2, Delivery Issues 1; status: 9 answered, 1 resolved.
Source: BBB profile · as of Sep 3, 2026
Other identities of this operator
Listings under another name, city or website that share this business's phone, address, website, people or an explicit cross-reference. A shared brand name alone is never enough to appear here.
- Bekins Van Lines, Inc.Indianapolis, INON RECORDlink strength: strong
- BBB — Bekins Van Lines, Inc.: BBB rating A+ · Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of the BBB Letter Grade Rating · started 11/18/2011
How we linked them: BBB: phone (800) 932-7799 on both records · BBB: website bekins.com on both records · BBB: address 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250-2005 matches 8010 Castleton Rd, Indianapolis, IN, 46250 · BBB: address 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250-2005 matches 8010 Castleton Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46250 · BBB: address 8010 Castleton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250-2005 matches 8010 CASTLETON ROAD, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46250 · BBB: lists bekins.com as its own page · BBB: name “Bekins Van Lines, Inc.” appears on both records
Changes on the public record
We re-read this company's FMCSA record — and its state licence where the state publishes one — every day. These are the changes we observed in the last 90 days.
- Aug 20, 2026MEDIUMUSDOT status changed from unknown to ACTIVE.
- Aug 20, 2026MEDIUMOperating authority changed: AUTHORIZED FOR: (Motor Carrier of Household Goods).
- Aug 20, 2026INFOFederal record address changed to 8010 CASTLETON ROAD, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46250. (8010 CASTLETON ROAD, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, 46250 → 8010 CASTLETON ROAD, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46250)
- Aug 20, 2026INFOFleet on record now 1 power unit(s), 1 driver(s). (0 units / 1 drivers → 1 units / 1 drivers)
What kind of company is this?
Hauls goods under its own federal authority. The company you hire is the company that moves you.
Federally authorized to move household goods across state lines.
Fleet size reported in federal filings.
What we checked
- Federally licensed (FMCSA)Active federal authority on file with FMCSA (USDOT 2256609).
- Authorized to move household goodsFMCSA confirms household goods (HHG) carrier authority. This mover is allowed to move home contents.
- State household-goods licenceWe searched State household-goods mover registry (checked Sep 2, 2026) and found no record for this business. That may mean it is not licensed in this state, or that it operates under a different legal name — it is not itself proof of a violation.
- Insurance currently on fileOn-file coverage ($750,000) meets or exceeds federal requirement ($750,000).
- Reviews are consistent across sourcesStar ratings are within 0.6 stars of each other across 2 review sources.
- Operates under a single brand nameNo alternate marketing brand names found on the company website.
Other concerns we want to surface
- •4 medium-confidence identity matches awaiting review (advisory; does not block publishing)
- •Low BBB customer review rating (2/5)
- •State licensing still unverified
FMCSA regulatory snapshot
- Authority status
What does this mean?
"Authority" is the FMCSA permission to operate as a federal interstate carrier. NOT AUTHORIZED / INACTIVE means the carrier cannot legally accept interstate moves under federal rules. ACTIVE means they have permission to operate. - AUTHORIZED FOR: Motor Carrier of Household Goods
- Carrier operation
- Interstate
- Authorized for HHG
What does this mean?
"HHG" stands for Household Goods, the federal category covering home moves. A carrier without HHG authority is not allowed to move home contents across state lines under federal law. - Yes
- Operating status
- ACTIVE
- Trucks
What does this mean?
FMCSA calls these "power units", meaning trucks, tractors, and other registered moving vehicles the carrier owns or leases. - 1
- Drivers
What does this mean?
Drivers the carrier has registered with FMCSA. This is the official number; some carriers operate with more drivers than registered. - 1
- Insurance status
- —
- Safety rating
What does this mean?
FMCSA only assigns a safety rating after conducting a Compliance Review (a formal on-site audit). Most carriers have never been audited. About 90% of registered carriers carry no rating. "Not rated" is normal; it does not mean the carrier failed an audit or is unsafe. It only means an audit has not happened. - Not rated
- DOT complaints (FMCSA)
- 29 consumer complaints on fileBy year: 2023: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 7 · registry data as of Jul 31, 2026 · FMCSA complaint historyLoss and Damage (17)Claim Settlement (14)Deceptive Business Practices (11)Shipment Documents (7)Estimates/Final Charges (6)Weighing (4)Pickup and Delivery (4)Hostage Goods (3)Operating Authority (1)Insurance (1)
- FMCSA enforcement & investigations
- No enforcement cases (six years) · SMS recordInvestigations: 2017-05-04 Non-Ratable Review
- Physical address
- 8010 CASTLETON ROAD, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46250
- Operating authority dockets
- ActiveMC770031Motor Carrier of Household Goods
A company can hold several federal dockets over its lifetime. Only an Active docket grants operating authority. An inactive one is history, not a violation.
State household-goods licence
In-state moves are governed by the state, not the FMCSA. This is what State household-goods mover registry shows as of Sep 2, 2026.
Reviews and complaints — every platform we check
Each platform is shown whether or not this company has a listing. “No listing found” means we searched by name and city and nothing matched — it is a fact, not a rating.
Accredited
What the reviews show
14 reviews read across BBB, Trustpilot- NOTABLE10 complaints closed with BBB in the last 3 years, 4 in the last 12 months (BBB shows 12 customer reviews; FMCSA record: 1 truck) (BBB, n=10)
- INFOThe 10 dated BBB reviews we read span 1008 days (2023-10-28 to 2026-07-31); the 5 closest together fall within 236 days (BBB, n=10)
- INFOBBB rating 2.0★ from 12 reviews (BBB, n=12)
Verified customer experience reports
Structured accounts from customers who proved their move with a bill of lading or final invoice, a verified email, and a verified phone. No star ratings, no anonymous reviews, and nothing a company can pay to change — how this works.
No verified customer reports yet. Only customers who can document their move may submit one — that keeps the count honest, and it means it grows slowly.
Moved with Bekins Van Lines? — you will need your bill of lading or final invoice, and a phone that can receive a code.
Work at Bekins Van Lines? Claim this profile to respond publicly to reports. Claiming is free and never changes the records on this page.
The full verification report
The complete record below is compiled from official sources. Access requires a one-time fee, shown at checkout.
Last refreshed Sep 3, 2026. First published Sep 3, 2026. This report pulls from 467 pieces of information across federal, state, review, and identity sources, and is re-checked on a regular cadence. Every claim above links back to its original source.
NMB does not invent facts. When a section reads "—" or "this check has not run yet," that means we have not been able to verify the information from a primary source. It does not mean the answer is good or bad.
Spotted something off?