The short answer
Interstate household goods moves are regulated under 49 CFR Part 375. The rules that matter most to a household are four: the carrier must give you a written estimate, it may collect no more than 110% of a non-binding estimate at delivery, its default liability is 60 cents per pound per article unless you buy full value protection, and you may demand a reweigh before charges are set.
None of these rules set or cap what a move costs. They govern documentation, collection timing, liability and weight verification. They also apply only when your shipment crosses a state line — an intrastate move is governed by your state's rules instead, which differ and which we do not attempt to summarise.
What does the 110% rule actually limit?
Under 49 CFR 375.407, when your estimate is non-binding the carrier may require payment at delivery of no more than the estimated charges plus 10 percent. Any remaining lawful charges are billed afterwards, and you have at least 30 days from delivery to pay that balance without penalty.
49 CFR 375.407 — Non-binding estimates and collection of chargesRead precisely, the rule is about collection timing rather than price. It does not cap what the move may ultimately cost, and it does not make a non-binding estimate binding. If the actual weight and services come to more than 110% of the estimate, the excess remains payable — the regulation only stops the carrier from demanding it as a condition of releasing your shipment on delivery day.
That distinction is where households are most often surprised. A shipment that weighed 1,500 lbs more than surveyed still generates the higher line-haul charge; you simply pay 110% at the door and the rest on an invoice. If you want the exposure itself capped rather than deferred, that is an estimate-type decision, covered in binding vs non-binding moving estimates.
One charge sits outside all of this: a gratuity is not part of a written estimate and is not covered by the 110% cap, because it is a voluntary payment to the crew rather than a charge assessed by the carrier. It is never owed, and no rule governs it.
What must the written estimate contain?
Section 375.401 requires the carrier to conduct a physical survey of household goods within a 50-mile radius unless you waive it in writing, and to provide an estimate in writing that describes the shipment and all services, stating clearly whether it is binding or non-binding.
49 CFR 375.401 — Must I provide an estimate?The requirement is documentary. The carrier must put the estimate on paper (or in an agreed electronic form), attach it to the paperwork it gives you, and say which type it is. A number read out over the phone with nothing behind it does not satisfy the section, and an estimate covering an inventory you never discussed does not describe your shipment.
The survey provision is the part most shippers do not know exists. Within 50 miles of the origin, a physical survey is the default rather than a courtesy, and waiving it takes a written waiver from you. Video surveys are commonly offered and accepted in practice; the point is that the carrier cannot simply skip the step and price from a guess.
What the section does not do is guarantee accuracy. A written, surveyed, correctly-typed estimate can still be wrong about the weight — the paperwork obligation and the pricing outcome are separate things.
How much is a mover liable for if something breaks?
Section 375.701 requires the carrier to offer two levels of liability. Released value is the no-cost default at 60 cents per pound per article, so a 40-pound television is covered for 24 dollars. Full value protection, which costs extra, makes the carrier liable for repair, replacement or a cash settlement.
49 CFR 375.701 — Valuation and liability for loss or damageNeither level is insurance, and the distinction matters legally: this is carrier liability for loss or damage in transit, not a policy underwritten for you. Released value is calculated by weight alone, so it is systematically worst for the items households care about most — electronics, art, instruments, anything light and valuable.
Full value protection changes the measure from weight to value, but it is not unlimited. Carriers may set a minimum declared value for the shipment, apply a deductible, and limit liability on articles of extraordinary value unless you list them specifically. Read the valuation section of the bill of lading for the numbers that apply to your shipment rather than assuming a standard.
The choice is recorded on the bill of lading. If nothing is selected, released value applies by default, which is the single most common way households end up with 60-cent-per-pound coverage they did not knowingly accept.
Can I make the mover weigh my shipment again?
Yes. Under 49 CFR 375.519 you may request a reweigh before the carrier sets your final charges, and the carrier must reweigh the shipment. Charges are then based on the reweigh weight. You may also observe each weighing, which is how the weight on your invoice becomes verifiable.
49 CFR 375.519 — Must I reweigh a shipment at the shipper's request?Shipment weight is established by weighing the vehicle empty and then loaded, and the difference is your shipment. Because a non-binding estimate converts weight directly into money, the weight ticket is the number that decides the invoice — and a reweigh is the only mechanism a shipper has to test it.
The right is time-limited in a practical sense: it must be exercised before final charges are determined, which in practice means at or before delivery, not after you have paid and unpacked. Ask for the empty and loaded tickets, check that the vehicle identification matches, and raise the reweigh request while the shipment is still on the truck.
On our own figures, weight is worth more than any other input — the modeled spread across home sizes is the widest of the eight variables in our model, which is why verifying it is worth the delay. The full sensitivity ranking is published on the moving cost data page.
Interstate only: where these rules stop
Everything above governs interstate household goods transportation. Move within a single state and Part 375 does not apply to you; intrastate moving is regulated at state level, by a public utilities commission, a department of transportation or an equivalent body, and the rules vary in substance — some states mirror the federal estimate framework closely, others regulate tariffs directly, and a few barely regulate household movers at all.
We do not hold a compiled dataset of 50 state regimes, so we do not summarise them. If your move is intrastate, the correct source is your own state regulator, and the practical questions to ask it are the same four: what must be in writing, what may be collected at delivery, what liability applies by default, and how weight or hours are verified.
A last point of interpretation. Nothing in Part 375 sets prices, approves rates or certifies that a quote is reasonable. Registration with FMCSA is a licensing fact, not a quality signal, and a compliant carrier can still be expensive. Cost comparison is a separate exercise — that is what our pricing methodology and corridor estimates are for.
Limits of this analysis
- This page describes federal requirements for interstate household goods moves. It is not legal advice and it is not a complete reading of 49 CFR Part 375.
- Intrastate moves fall under state law, which varies. We do not hold data on individual state regimes and do not summarise them here.
- Regulations are quoted as they read on the cited eCFR sections at the review date above; verify the current text before relying on it.
Put this into a number
Use the moving cost calculator to see how these mechanics change your own estimate, or read the pricing methodology for the exact inputs we apply.
Related, and deliberately separate
Questions
Does the 110% rule cap what my move can cost?
No. It limits what the carrier may require you to pay at delivery on a non-binding estimate. Lawful charges above that are billed afterwards, with at least 30 days to pay the balance.
Is a tip covered by the estimate or the 110% limit?
No. A gratuity is a voluntary payment to the crew, not a carrier charge, so it appears in no estimate and falls outside the 110% collection limit entirely. It is never owed.
Is released value protection insurance?
No. It is the carrier's default liability level under 375.701, set at 60 cents per pound per article. Full value protection is the paid alternative; separate insurance is a different product from a different provider.
Do these rules apply to a move inside one state?
No. Part 375 governs interstate household goods moves. Intrastate moves are regulated by the state, and those rules differ from the federal framework in ways we do not attempt to generalise.