San Rafael, CA – The Marin County District Attorney’s Office was among the agencies that recently conducted an undercover sting operation to combat unpermitted household moving in Northern California.
The State of California’s Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS) partnered with the Marin DA, the Napa County District Attorney, Sonoma County District Attorney, and the St. Helena Police Department on the operation during June.
Six individuals were cited for advertising as a household mover without a permit, engaging in unpermitted household moving activity, as well four moving trucks were towed. Additionally, four individuals were cited for failure to carry the proper workers’ compensation insurance for their employees.
In Marin, a San Rafael-based entity known as More than Moving was involved in the sting.
To execute the sting operation, BHGS special investigators reached out to the alleged unpermitted movers through their advertisements offering to conduct a move of household goods and personal effects. The investigators then posed as consumers who needed to move from a single-family home.
Household movers that operate without a BHGS-issued permit are participating in the underground economy. Unpermitted household movers undercut estimates from law-abiding household movers causing them to lose work. It is also common for unpermitted movers to lose, damage, or hold consumers’ belongings hostage. Additionally, unpermitted movers often don’t carry workers’ compensation insurance, which could leave homeowners liable for workers injured on their property.
Of the seven unpermitted household movers contacted, six arrived prepared to conduct a household move. Those suspects are now facing misdemeanor charges for attempting to engage in the business of transporting household goods over California roadways, which requires a household mover permit (Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section (§) 19237 (a)(1)). First-conviction penalties for operating as a household mover without a permit in California may include up to one year in jail and/or up to $10,000 in fines.
All six individuals are also facing a misdemeanor charge for advertising as household movers without a valid permit (BPC § 19279.3). Household movers are prohibited from soliciting or otherwise holding out to the public that they are in operation as a household mover without having a valid permit. Penalties for violating household movers advertising rules may be a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $2,500.
Household movers must carry workers’ compensation insurance if they have employees. If they do not have employees, they must file a workers' compensation exemption with BHGS, which is noted on the permit record. Four suspects did not have the proper Workers’ Compensation Insurance policies to protect those working for them and are facing additional misdemeanor charges (Labor Code (LC) § 3700.5).
Two suspects are also charged with conspiracy to commit a crime (Penal Code (PC) § 182) and four vehicles were towed by the St. Helena Police Department for violations of driver’s license requirements (Vehicle Code § 22651(p)). All suspects were ordered to appear at the Napa County Superior Court.
The BHGS urges all consumers who need the services of a household mover to check the permit status before engaging in business. The BHGS operates under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. BHGS licenses and regulates approximately 44,000 household movers, electronic and appliance repair businesses, the manufacture and sale (retail, wholesale, and import) of upholstered furniture and bedding, supply dealers, custom upholsterers, bedding sanitizers, and the manufacture of thermal insulation products.