Must My Mover Estimate the Transportation and Accessorial Charges for My Move?

We require your mover to prepare a written estimate on every shipment transported for you. You are entitled to a copy of the written estimate when your mover prepares it. Your mover must provide you a written estimate of all charges, including transportation, accessorial, and advance charges. Your mover’s ‘‘rate quote’’ is not an estimate. You and your mover must sign the estimate of charges. Your mover must provide you with a dated copy of the estimate of charges at the time you sign the estimate.
If the location that you are moving from is located within a 50 mile radius of your mover’s (or its agent’s) place of business, the estimate that your mover provides to you must be based on a physical survey of your goods. You may waive the requirement for a physical survey if you choose, but your waiver must be in the form of a written agreement signed by you before your shipment is loaded.
You should be aware that if you receive an estimate from a household goods broker, the mover may not be required to accept the estimate. Be sure to obtain a written estimate from the mover if a mover tells you orally that it will accept the broker’s estimate.
Your mover must specify the form of payment the mover and its delivering agent will honor at delivery. Payment forms may include, but are not limited to, cash, certified check, money order, cashier’s check, a specific charge card such as American Express™, a specific credit card such as Visa™, and your mover’s own credit.
Before loading your household goods, and upon mutual agreement between you and your mover, your mover may amend an estimate of charges. Your mover may not amend the estimate after loading the shipment.
A binding estimate is a written agreement made in advance with your mover, indicating you and the mover are bound by the charges. It guarantees the total cost of the move based upon the quantities and services shown on your mover’s estimate.
A non-binding estimate is what your mover believes the total cost will be for the move, based upon the estimated weight of the shipment and the accessorial services requested. A non-binding estimate is not binding on your mover. The estimate must indicate that your final charges will be based upon the actual weight of your shipment, the services provided, and the mover’s tariff provisions in effect. You should be prepared to pay ten percent more than the estimated amount at delivery.
You must also be prepared to pay at delivery the cost of any additional services that you requested after the contract was executed that were not included in the estimate and charges for impracticable operations. Impracticable operations are defined in your mover’s tariff and you should ask to see the mover’s tariff to determine what services constitute impracticable operations. Charges for impracticable operations due at delivery may not exceed 15 percent of all other charges due at delivery.
Source http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/