How to Read a Moving Quote: 12 Things to Verify

Moving quotes are written to look like they say one thing while legally meaning something else. The phrase “estimate” gets used loosely, the line items that hide stair fees and long-carry surcharges get buried in the appendix, and the difference between binding, non-binding, and not-to-exceed is the difference between paying what you signed and paying double on delivery day. The federal regulations governing interstate household-goods quotes are detailed and specific — 49 CFR Part 375 runs to dozens of provisions — but most consumers never see them. Here are the 12 line items we tell every customer to verify before they sign anything, whether the quote is from us or from anyone else.

Quick answer

A defensible moving quote in 2026 specifies all of the following in writing: (1) binding vs non-binding vs not-to-exceed classification — 49 CFR § 375.403 requires interstate movers to label the estimate type clearly; (2) cubic-foot or weight basis for interstate moves (49 CFR § 375.401 governs how estimates are computed and disclosed); (3) stair, long-carry, and shuttle fees itemized with conditions, not buried as “additional services”; (4) full-value protection vs released-value (60¢/lb) — released-value is the federal default and pays roughly $300 on a $5,000 sofa; (5) same-crew commitment for load and unload, not a labor pool dispatched at the destination; (6) delivery window — a specific date for dedicated-truck moves, a spread (usually 1-14 days) for shared/consolidated loads; (7) USDOT and ICC/MC numbers verifiable on the FMCSA SAFER public registry at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov; (8) NJ Division of Consumer Affairs registration for intrastate jobs; (9) Certificate of Insurance terms and which buildings will receive it; (10) deposit amount — legitimate movers rarely ask for more than 10-25% of the quote and never demand cash; (11) cancellation policy with specific dollar consequences and timing; and (12) the bill of lading preview — the actual contract, distinct from the estimate, which you receive before pickup. Anything that contradicts or omits these is a red flag worth a second quote.

1. Is it binding, non-binding, or not-to-exceed?

The single most consequential line on any moving quote is the estimate type. Federal regulation 49 CFR § 375.403 requires every interstate household-goods estimate to be classified as one of three types:

Intrastate NJ moves follow NJ Division of Consumer Affairs rules rather than 49 CFR Part 375 but the underlying logic is the same: a written binding number protects you in a way that a verbal “around $4,000” does not.

What we do at Fresh Start: most of our in-state moves are binding flat-rate after a 10-minute video or in-person walkthrough. Long-distance moves are flat-rate or not-to-exceed. We do not write non-binding estimates because the customer carries 100% of the overrun risk and most customers don’t understand that until delivery day.

2. What’s the cubic-foot or weight basis?

For interstate moves, federal law requires the estimate to disclose the basis of calculation. Cubic-foot estimates are common in the consumer interstate market but they’re notorious for two abuses:

• Lowballed cubic-foot count. The mover estimates 800 cubic feet, the truck shows up, and the actual load is 1,200 cubic feet — the price recalculates upward on a non-binding estimate.
• Inflated cubic-foot rates. The per-cubic-foot rate is high enough that even an accurate count produces a price far above market.

The safer approach is a weight-based binding estimate verified against actual scale weights (the federal weight-bumping rules — 49 CFR § 375.519 — let you witness the scale weighing if you request it in writing 48 hours before pickup). The safest approach is a flat-rate quote after an in-person inventory.

Verify: the quote lists either a binding cubic-foot count, a binding weight estimate, or a flat-rate number. “Estimated” without binding language is a non-binding estimate dressed up to look firm.

3. Are stair, long-carry, and shuttle fees itemized?

The three highest-frequency surprise charges on residential moves:

• Stair fee. Typically $25-$75 per flight. Some movers charge per flight per mover per item. A third-floor walk-up with 50 boxes and three movers can add $500-$1,500 if not disclosed up front.
• Long-carry fee. Triggered when the truck can’t park within ~75 feet of the door. Typically $75-$300. Common in urban Red Bank, Westfield town center, downtown New Brunswick, and Bell Works east-dock parking.
• Shuttle fee. Triggered when the truck physically cannot reach the property (private road, low-clearance bridge, narrow rural lane) and a smaller vehicle has to shuttle. $300-$1,500.

A defensible quote either includes these in the flat rate or itemizes the trigger conditions and dollar amounts. A quote that says “additional services charged at actual cost” without numbers is a quote that gets renegotiated at unload.

What we do: all three are disclosed during the walkthrough. If we see a third-floor walk-up, the stair fee is in the quote. If parking is restricted, the long-carry is in the quote. We don’t add them at unload.

4. Is full-value protection included or extra?

Federal law (49 CFR § 375.701) requires interstate movers to offer two valuation options:

Most consumers don’t realize their move is automatically released-value until they file a claim and find out their broken $2,000 dining table pays $36. The mover is not obligated to disclose this in plain English — they’re only obligated to offer the choice on paper.

Verify: the quote either (a) includes full-value protection at a stated declared-value amount, or (b) discloses released-value as the default with a clear opt-in path to full-value at a stated cost. “Insurance included” without specifying which valuation type is a red flag.

5. Same crew or labor pool?

For long-distance and large commercial moves, ask explicitly: is the crew that loads the truck the crew that unloads it? The industry standard for shared-load (consolidated) interstate moves is to use one crew at origin, transfer the load to a line-haul driver, and dispatch a different labor pool at the destination. That model is what produces 80% of the long-distance horror stories: damaged furniture, missing boxes, surprise charges, and a destination crew that has no relationship with the customer’s expectations.

What we do: same crew, same truck, both ends on every interstate move. Documented in the contract.

Verify: the quote states whether the load is shared or dedicated and whether the destination crew is the same as the origin crew. Vague language (“our network handles delivery”) almost always means a labor pool.

6. What’s the delivery window?

Federal law does not require movers to commit to a specific delivery date on shared/consolidated interstate moves — the 1-to-14-day spread that infects the long-distance industry is permitted by the FMCSA, not a defect in any individual mover. But it’s also avoidable on a dedicated-truck move.

Verify: a specific date or a tight (1-3 day) window in writing. A 14-day window means you may be in a hotel on your dime waiting for furniture.

7. USDOT + ICC/MC numbers (FMCSA SAFER lookup)

Every legitimate interstate mover has a USDOT number and an ICC/MC operating authority number issued by the FMCSA. Both are public and verifiable in 30 seconds:

1. Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
2. Search by USDOT number or company name
3. Verify (a) the carrier is AUTHORIZED FOR HHG (Household Goods), (b) operating status is AUTHORIZED, and (c) the address on file matches what the mover told you.

What to check on the SAFER record:

• Out-of-service indicator — if the carrier is out of service, do not book.
• Insurance status — federally required cargo insurance on file.
• Crash history — public.
• Complaint count — public, with disposition.

Intrastate NJ moves require NJ Division of Consumer Affairs registration instead of USDOT (federal authority doesn’t apply to fully-in-state moves). The NJ registry is also publicly searchable.

A mover with a USDOT number that is not authorized for HHG, or whose authority is “revoked” or “suspended,” cannot legally transport your household goods across state lines no matter what their website says.

8. Deposit amount + payment timing

Legitimate movers typically ask for 10-25% of the quote as a deposit to hold the date, with the balance due at delivery. A mover demanding 50%+ as a deposit is unusual; a mover demanding cash-only or wire-only payment is a red flag for a category of moving scams documented by the FMCSA.

What we do: 25% deposit on long-distance bookings, balance due at delivery. Credit card, check, or ACH — never cash-only.

9. Cancellation policy

A defensible quote states: (a) the cancellation window during which the deposit is fully refundable, (b) the partial-refund window with the specific percentage retained, and (c) the no-refund window (typically inside 7-14 days of move day). Vague language (“non-refundable” without conditions) is a red flag — consumer protection rules in many states limit non-refundable deposits regardless of contract language.

10. COI terms

Commercial moves and many residential moves into condos or HOA-managed properties require a Certificate of Insurance from the mover to the destination building. The quote should state: (a) whether COI issuance is included or extra, (b) what coverage amounts the mover carries standard, and (c) the lead time required.

What we do: COIs to destination buildings on commercial moves by default, on residential moves on written request. No additional fee. Our standard policy is $2M general liability and $1M auto with the destination property manager named as additional insured on request.

11. Bill of lading preview

The bill of lading is the actual transport contract — distinct from the estimate, distinct from the booking confirmation. Federal law (49 CFR § 375.505) requires interstate movers to provide the bill of lading at or before pickup, and the bill of lading governs the move regardless of what the estimate said.

Ask to see the bill of lading template before you sign the estimate. Verify that the cargo-liability terms, the valuation election, and the delivery-window language match what you discussed verbally. A mover who refuses to share the bill of lading template until pickup day is a mover who is reserving the right to change terms on you.

12. Same address, same phone, same name

The final check before signing: confirm that the address on the quote, the address on the FMCSA SAFER record, and the address on the mover’s website all match. Confirm the phone number you’ve been calling matches the phone number on the SAFER record. Confirm the company name on the quote matches the legal name on file.

A “broker” that quotes you but then hands the job to a different carrier under a different DOT number is operating as a household-goods broker, not a mover — federal law (49 CFR § 375.401(b)) requires brokers to disclose this in writing before you sign. Most don’t, and the resulting dispute over who is liable for damage is one of the most common consumer complaints on the FMCSA registry.

What we put in our quotes

For comparison, here is what a Fresh Start Movers quote actually specifies:

• Estimate type: Binding flat-rate (in-state) or flat-rate / not-to-exceed (interstate).
• Basis: Walkthrough-based inventory, not cubic-foot guess.
• Stair / long-carry / shuttle: Disclosed in the flat rate when applicable, not added at unload.
• Valuation: Released-value default with full-value protection opt-in priced explicitly.
• Crew: Same crew loads in NJ and unloads at destination — local or interstate.
• Delivery window: Specific date for in-state and dedicated-truck interstate; we don’t run shared loads.
• USDOT / ICC-MC: On every quote header. AUTHORIZED FOR HHG on the FMCSA SAFER registry.
• NJ DCA registration: On every in-state quote.
• Deposit: 25% on long-distance bookings, none on most in-state. Credit card, check, or ACH.
• Cancellation: Full refund up to 14 days before move day; 50% retained 7-14 days out; no refund inside 7 days.
• COI: Included on commercial moves; on request on residential.
• Bill of lading template: Available on request before signing.

The residential moving service page and the about page cover more of our standard terms. For consumers researching long-distance moves specifically, the interstate move checklist for NJ and the shared load article cover the FMCSA-specific verification steps in depth.

How to use this list

Print the 12 items. Read your quote against them line by line. If three or more are missing or ambiguous, get a second quote — not because the first mover is necessarily wrong, but because comparing quotes is the only way to know whether what you’ve been offered is competitive and complete.

Get a 10-minute Fresh Start walkthrough quote →

More on our licensing, insurance and review record.