A
NILSON VAN & STORAGE
USDOT 122025 • MC-109331 • COLUMBIA, SC
MoverAudit grade: A, based on federal records below
✓ No major red flags found
Complaint history
No federal complaints on record in the last 4 years. Records checked against the FMCSA household goods complaint database.
Company details
Legal nameNILSON VAN & STORAGE
Address6821 N MAIN STREET, COLUMBIA, SC 29203
Phone(803) 786-1090
OrganizationCorporation
In business sinceJun 1974
Last FMCSA updateMay 2026
Fleet & authority
Power units (trucks)43
Drivers36 (21 CDL)
Operation classAuthorized For Hire
Carrier operationInterstate
Broker authorityn/a
Carrier authorityYes
Safety ratingSatisfactory (Dec 1992)
Prior revocationYes
MoverAudit risk score: 1/100
Computed from objective federal flags only: broker-only registration, fleet size, complaint volume and severity, hostage-goods reports and past revocations. Lower is safer. This is a summary of public records, not a review.
Complaints vs. other checked movers
Red flags & green flags
!Operating authority was revoked at least once (see authority history below).
!2 insurance policy cancellations in the last 3 years.
✓Official FMCSA safety rating: Satisfactory.
✓USDOT registration is active.
✓Holds real carrier authority: they move goods themselves.
✓43 trucks registered with FMCSA.
✓No hostage-goods complaints on record.
✓In business since 1974: a long federal track record.
Complaint history, year by year
2023 1 complaint
No complaints filed this year.
Roadside safety & insurance
Roadside safety record
Vehicle out-of-service rate, this company vs. national average:
Vehicle inspections5 (3 OOS)
Driver inspections13
Crashes, last 3 years1, 1 with injuries
FMCSA safety ratingSatisfactory
FMCSA safety categories (SMS BASICs), last 24 months:
Driver FitnessBelow cutoff
Controlled Substances/ AlcoholClean
Hours-of-Service ComplianceBelow cutoff
Unsafe DrivingBelow cutoff
Vehicle MaintenanceBelow cutoff
Insurance on file
Liability insuranceOn file
InsurerVanliner Insurance Company
Policy effective sinceNov 2025
Cargo insurance5
Cancellations, 3 yrs2
2 insurance cancellations in the last 3 years, most recently Nov 2024. Repeated cancellations often mean unpaid premiums or dropped coverage, ask this company to show you a current certificate of insurance before booking.
Source: FMCSA Licensing & Insurance filings, refreshed nightly.
Insurance policy history
Nov 2014 → Nov 2024
Vanliner Insurance Company (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 2014 → Nov 2024
Vanliner Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 2013 → Nov 2014
Wesco Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 2013 → Nov 2014
Granite State Insurance Co. (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 2012 → Nov 2013
American Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 2012 → Nov 2013
American Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co. (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 2011 → Nov 2012
Vanliner Insurance Company (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 2011 → Nov 2012
Vanliner Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Every liability policy this company filed with FMCSA, newest first. Frequent insurer changes or repeated cancellations are worth a direct question; one long-running policy is what stability looks like.
Recent roadside inspections
Jun 10, 2026 Driver-only, GA
Clean, no violations
Dec 4, 2025 Driver-only, GA
1 violation
49 CFR 392.2-SLL (driver)
Sep 18, 2025 Walk-around, TX
3 violations, 1 out-of-service
49 CFR 393.75A: Flat tire or fabric exposed, OOS
49 CFR 393.11TL: Truck-Tractor lower rear mud flaps retroreflective sheeting / reflex …
49 CFR 393.60D: Windshield / Windows - Tinting permits less than 70% of light transmi…
Sep 11, 2025 Driver-only, MT
Clean, no violations
Jun 26, 2025 Driver-only, GA
2 violations
49 CFR 392.2-SLLLR (driver)
49 CFR 392.2-SLLS2 (driver)
Mar 11, 2025 Walk-around, SC
2 violations, 1 out-of-service
49 CFR 393.75A3-TAOL, OOS
49 CFR 396.17C-PI
Feb 25, 2025 Driver-only, TN
1 violation
49 CFR 392.2-SLLS4 (driver)
Feb 14, 2025 Driver-only, NC
Clean, no violations
Last 8 roadside inspections from FMCSA records (up to 3 years). "OOS" means the driver or vehicle was ordered out of service on the spot.
Authority history
Nov 8, 2024 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Nov 8, 2024 Discontinued revocation
Contract: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Jun 8, 2021 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Jun 8, 2021 Discontinued revocation
Contract: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Nov 12, 2014 Discontinued revocation
Contract: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Nov 12, 2014 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Sep 20, 2002 Revoked
Property broker: granted -> revoked
Jan 31, 2002 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
May 22, 1996 Discontinued revocation
Broker: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Shared identity check
Clean identity check. This company's address, phone number and officer do not match any other registered mover in our database. No sign of the "chameleon" pattern where a burned company re-registers under a fresh name.
Is Nilson Van & Storage reliable? Our read of the record
On the evidence, Nilson Van & Storage looks like a reliable operator: operating since 1974 with only 1 complaint on record, 43 registered trucks. A record like this is exactly what an honest mover's file tends to look like.
No public record can guarantee your specific move, so keep the basics: written binding estimate, USDOT 122025 on the paperwork, and reasonable deposit. But nothing in the federal file says walk away.
This assessment is generated from the public federal records shown on this page: registration, fleet, complaints, inspections, insurance and authority filings. It is a summary of records, not a review or an accusation.
Carriers to compare in South Carolina
About Nilson Van & Storage
Nilson Van & Storage is a federally licensed household goods carrier based in Columbia, South Carolina, registered with FMCSA since June 1974. Federal filings show 43 power units (trucks/tractors) and 36 drivers.
Over the last four years, consumers filed 1 complaint against this company with the federal government.
How to read this report
The grade and risk score at the top are calculated by MoverAudit from objective federal flags: whether the company is a broker or a carrier, how many trucks it operates, the volume and severity of complaints, hostage-goods reports, and past authority revocations. They are not official government ratings, and they are not reviews: every input is a public federal record shown on this page.
The complaint categories come from the FMCSA household goods complaint system. A single bad move can generate complaints in several categories at once, so the category sum can exceed the total. Pay the most attention to "Hostage Goods" and "Deceptive Business Practices": those describe intent, not accidents. "Loss and Damage" at low volume is normal friction for a carrier doing thousands of moves; the same number at a tiny company is not.
The fleet numbers matter more than they look. A company advertising nationwide service with zero or one registered truck is not doing that work itself: your move will be handled by someone you have not vetted. Compare the fleet size to the promises in your quote.
If you are considering this company, use this report as a starting point, not a verdict. Get the estimate in writing and check whether it is binding, confirm the USDOT number on their paperwork matches 122025, and if a different company shows up on moving day, stop and check that company here before a single box goes on the truck.
Questions about NILSON VAN & STORAGE
Is Nilson Van & Storage legit?
Nilson Van & Storage has an active USDOT registration (122025). It has 1 federal complaints in the last 4 years. Review the categories above before booking.
Is Nilson Van & Storage a broker or a carrier?
A licensed carrier with 43 registered trucks.
How many complaints does Nilson Van & Storage have?
1 federal complaints in the last 4 years, most in the "" category. None are hostage-goods complaints. Complaints are filed by consumers with FMCSA and cannot be removed by the company.
Where is Nilson Van & Storage based?
6821 N Main Street, Columbia, SC 29203. Phone on file: (803) 786-1090. Registered with FMCSA since June 1974.
Sources: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (registration, fleet), FMCSA Household Goods Complaint History via NCCDB (complaints, checked Jul 17, 2026). MoverAudit summarizes public federal records; it does not accuse any company of wrongdoing. Verify details at protectyourmove.gov.