Your Rights on an Interstate Move, Stage by Stage
FMCSA's rights booklet, which an interstate mover must give you, covers the whole move in order: a written estimate, a bill of lading, an inventory, weighing, payment at delivery, claims and arbitration. Each stage has something the mover must do and something you must do.
On this page
Who this covers
The booklet's title is Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. It says it is "furnished by your mover, as required by federal law." Its rules apply when a mover transports household goods "from one State to another or internationally." It says they "do not apply when your move takes place within a commercial zone" or between two points in the same state. For a move inside one state, ask your state's consumer office what applies.
Your main job, in its words, is to "understand the terms and conditions of the moving contract (bill of lading), and know what to do in case problems arise." This page follows the booklet in the order a move happens.
Stage 1: estimates
The mover must give you an estimate in writing, built on a physical survey that is "conducted on-site or virtually." A verbal quote "is not an official estimate since it is not in writing," and the written one is dated and signed by you and the mover. The estimate can change only before loading.
You should ask for the kind you want and read what it promises. The details of binding and non-binding estimates are in the estimates guide. One line is worth remembering from the booklet: at delivery a mover cannot require more than 1.1 times a non-binding estimate, and the rest is billed 30 days later.
Stage 2: valuation
The mover must state two liability options in the estimate: Full Value Protection, or a waiver that accepts released value of 60 cents per pound per article. You should choose on purpose, since the booklet calls the second "minimal protection." The valuation guide compares them.
Stage 3: order for service and bill of lading
The booklet describes the bill of lading as "the contract between you and the mover for the transportation of your shipment," issued "at least 3 days prior to the pickup date," with a copy handed to you by the driver "before or at the time of loading." The order for service appears in the booklet only inside a definition, where it is one of the documents showing the agreed dates, so ask the mover what it uses.
You should act on the capitals in the booklet: "IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO READ THE BILL OF LADING BEFORE YOU ACCEPT IT." Check the dates, the forms of payment, and the valuation statement. Never sign a blank document. An incomplete one may be signed only where the missing items are the actual weight on a non-binding estimate and unforeseen charges.
Stage 4: inventory
The mover must list your shipment and "any damage or unusual wear." You and the mover sign each page, you get a copy, and it is your receipt. You should walk the house with the crew, check every entry, and write down any disagreement, because "your ability to recover from the mover for any loss or damage may depend on the notations made on this form."
Stage 5: pickup, delivery and weighing
The mover must put pickup and delivery dates on the bill of lading and give notice of delivery at least 24 hours ahead. If it cannot meet the dates it must tell you in writing. You should be there, or appoint someone, and avoid "as soon as possible" dates: the booklet says the dates "should be definite."
On a non-binding estimate the mover must weigh the shipment on a certified scale. You may observe each weighing, you can ask for a reweigh before unloading at no charge, and "the final charges due will be based on the reweigh weight, even if it is more than the initial weight." Binding estimates need no weighing.
Stage 6: payment at delivery
The mover must note on the bill of lading the payment forms it takes, and give you an invoice. You should confirm the form of payment in advance: "Do not assume your mover will accept payment by credit card unless it is clearly indicated on the bill of lading." If you pay what the booklet says is due and the mover keeps your goods, the booklet calls that holding the shipment hostage in violation of federal law. Call FMCSA at 888-368-7238.
Stage 7: claims
You should make delivery-day notes on the inventory and not sign the mover's copy until it is accurate. The booklet also says movers are "prohibited from having you sign documents that release the mover from all liability." File the claim in writing within 9 months of delivery. The mover has 30 days to acknowledge it and 120 days to give you a disposition.
Stage 8: disputes and arbitration
FMCSA "cannot resolve these claims on your behalf." Every mover must offer arbitration, and must give you a summary before you sign the bill of lading. If you ask for arbitration on a claim of 10,000 dollars or less, the mover must agree and the decision binds both sides. Above that amount, the mover need not agree. You may also sue.
Worked example
Here is the booklet's own example, in its words on lost goods. You have a binding estimate of 1,000 dollars to move 1,000 pounds, and half the shipment is lost. The booklet says the mover can collect only half, so 500 dollars. Under a non-binding estimate, the booklet says it could collect half the actual charges, capped at 1.1 times the estimate, which it works out as 550 dollars.
Your part was the inventory. Because you noted every box before loading, you can show what is missing. Next, write the claim with the claim letter tool. If the mover will not settle, ask for arbitration. To check a company that is pressuring you, use the red flags checklist.
Questions people ask
Does the booklet apply to a short move across a state line?
Not always. It exempts moves inside a commercial zone, even if they cross a state line. This guide is not legal advice; ask your state office or an attorney if you are unsure.
What if my mover never gave me the booklet?
The booklet and Ready to Move brochure are listed among what a mover or broker must provide before you move, and FMCSA's Protect Your Move brochure lists failing to supply the booklet as a red flag.
Can FMCSA settle my claim?
No. The booklet says you must resolve claims with your mover, though a complaint to FMCSA may trigger a federal investigation of the mover, according to the Ready to Move brochure.
Sources (3)
- FMCSA, Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move fmcsa.dot.gov
- FMCSA, Ready to Move brochure fmcsa.dot.gov
- FMCSA, Protect Your Move brochure fmcsa.dot.gov