What documents should I keep from a mover?

Keep every written estimate, inventory, bill of lading, valuation selection, receipt, and written change. Keep them together with emails or messages that clarify the move.

Is the bill of lading the same as the estimate?

No. The estimate describes projected charges and services. The bill of lading is the transportation document you receive for the shipment. Compare the names, dates, shipment details, services, and stated amounts across both documents.

What if a number changes before moving day?

Ask for the change in writing and read it before agreeing. Compare the new document against the earlier estimate, especially the inventory, services, estimate type, valuation choice, and total.

Do these document rules apply to a local move?

Not automatically. Interstate household-goods requirements are federal; local and intrastate document rules vary by state.

MoveFinePrint guide

Moving Documents to Review Before Signing

Use a practical checklist to compare your moving estimate, inventory, bill of lading, valuation choice, and written changes before moving day.

Reviewed September 4, 2026 · General information, not legal advice

Short answer

Before signing, keep the written estimate, inventory, bill of lading, valuation selection, and every written revision together. Match the mover's legal name, dates, shipment description, services, estimate type, and stated amounts across the documents. If a term changes, ask for a written explanation before you agree. Local rules vary by state.

The written estimate

Use the estimate to identify the company, estimate type, quoted transportation charge, included services, conditional services, valuation language, and any stated dates or delivery window. A lower first-page total is not enough to show that two estimates describe the same move.

The inventory

Read the inventory or item list beside the estimate. It helps show what the mover used to prepare the price and which household goods are expected to move. If major rooms, specialty items, or packed boxes are missing, ask for a written revision rather than guessing what the total covers.

The bill of lading

For an interstate household-goods shipment, the bill of lading is a key transportation document. Before signing, compare it against the estimate: the legal name, USDOT number when shown, origin, destination, dates, shipment description, listed services, and valuation selection should make sense together.

FMCSA's pickup guidance describes the information that may appear in household-goods paperwork.

Valuation and written changes

Keep valuation on its own line. It is the mover's liability option for loss or damage, not the transportation price. If the company changes the inventory, services, date, price basis, or valuation language, ask for the changed terms in writing and compare them against the earlier documents.

Questions to ask before you sign

Does every document identify the same legal company and, for an interstate move, the same USDOT number?
Do the inventory, services, dates, and addresses describe the same move?
Is the estimate type written clearly?
Which services are included, conditional, omitted, or unclear?
Where is the valuation choice written, and what option does it name?
What changed since the first estimate, and where is that change written?

A note about local moves

This is a practical checklist, not legal advice. Federal household-goods guidance applies to interstate moves. Local and intrastate document requirements can differ by state.

Frequently asked questions

What documents should I keep from a mover?: Keep every written estimate, inventory, bill of lading, valuation selection, receipt, and written change. Keep them together with emails or messages that clarify the move.
Is the bill of lading the same as the estimate?: No. The estimate describes projected charges and services. The bill of lading is the transportation document you receive for the shipment. Compare the names, dates, shipment details, services, and stated amounts across both documents.
What if a number changes before moving day?: Ask for the change in writing and read it before agreeing. Compare the new document against the earlier estimate, especially the inventory, services, estimate type, valuation choice, and total.
Do these document rules apply to a local move?: Not automatically. Interstate household-goods requirements are federal; local and intrastate document rules vary by state.