Moving Terms Glossary: Bill of Lading to Valuation

How to use this moving terms glossary

You do not need to memorize any of this. Skim it once before you request estimates, then come back when a word on your paperwork is unfamiliar. The terms are grouped by where you will run into them: the paperwork, the price, the services, the people, the schedule, and the protection on your belongings.

Most of these definitions come from the rules and customs of interstate moving. Local moves within one state use many of the same words, but the rules behind them vary by state. When in doubt, ask your mover to explain a term in writing.

Paperwork terms: estimate, bill of lading, and inventory

• Survey. The review of your home's contents that an estimator uses to prepare your estimate. The more complete the survey, the more accurate the price
• Estimate. The mover's written statement of what your move is expected to cost. It may be binding or non-binding. See binding vs. non-binding estimates
• Order for service. A document prepared before the move that lists the services you have ordered, the agreed dates, and the estimated charges. It authorizes the mover to transport your goods. The bill of lading, described next, holds the terms of the contract
• Bill of lading. The contract between you and the mover, and your receipt for the shipment. You sign it at loading. Read it first, and keep your copy until your goods are delivered and any claims are settled
• Moving inventory. The itemized list of everything loaded on the truck, with the condition of each piece noted. You sign it at pickup and check items off it at delivery
• Exceptions. Notes written on the inventory about existing scratches or dents at pickup, or about damage and missing items at delivery
• Delivery receipt. The document you sign to confirm the shipment arrived. Note any damage on it before you sign

Pricing terms: tariff, line-haul, and accessorial charges

• Binding estimate. A guaranteed price for the items and services listed on the estimate
• Non-binding estimate. An approximation. The final cost is based on the actual weight of the shipment and the services provided
• Binding not-to-exceed estimate. A ceiling price. You pay less if the shipment weighs less than estimated and never more than the estimate for what was listed
• Tariff. The mover's published list of rates, rules, and charges
• Line-haul charges. The basic transportation charges for a long-distance move, driven by weight and mileage
• Accessorial charges. Charges for services beyond basic transportation, such as packing, stair carries, shuttle service, or appliance servicing
• Advanced charges. Charges for a service performed by a third party at your request, such as a specialist who prepares a piano. The mover pays and adds the cost to your bill
• Tare, gross, and net weight. Tare weight is the truck before loading. Gross weight is the truck after loading. Net weight is the difference, which is the weight of your shipment
• 110 percent rule. On an interstate move with a non-binding estimate, the most the mover can require at delivery is the estimate plus 10 percent. Any balance is billed later
• Hourly rate. The usual basis for a local move: a rate per hour that depends on crew size and truck needs
• Flat rate. One set price for the whole move. Allpoints quotes long-distance moves as a flat rate based on distance, inventory, and added services

Service and access terms: long carry, shuttle, and storage

• Long carry. A charge that applies when the crew must carry your goods more than a set distance between the truck and your door
• Stair carry or flight charge. A charge for carrying items up or down flights of stairs
• Shuttle service. Use of a smaller truck to move your shipment between your home and the large van when the van cannot reach the address
• Bulky article. An oversized or unusually heavy item, such as a piano, a safe, or a riding mower, that needs extra handling
• Full-service packing. The crew packs everything. Partial packing covers only the rooms or items you choose. See our packing services
• PBO. Packed by owner. A box you packed yourself, which is noted on the inventory
• CP. Carrier packed. A box the moving crew packed
• Crating. Building a custom wooden crate around a fragile or high-value piece, such as a glass tabletop or a large mirror
• Storage-in-transit. Temporary storage of your shipment in the mover's warehouse when it cannot be delivered right away, often abbreviated SIT

Who is who: shipper, carrier, agent, and van line

• Shipper. You. The person whose household goods are being moved
• Carrier. The moving company that transports your shipment
• Van line. A national moving company that operates through a network of local agents and contract carriers
• Agent. A local moving company authorized to act on behalf of a van line
• Broker. A company that arranges a move and hands the transportation to a carrier. A broker does not move your goods itself
• Estimator. The person who surveys your home and prepares the estimate
• Driver or van operator. The person responsible for loading, hauling, and delivering your shipment, and for the paperwork on moving day

Timing terms: pickup date and delivery window

• Pickup date or load date. The day the crew loads your shipment
• Delivery window. The span of dates within which a long-distance shipment is scheduled to arrive, sometimes called the delivery spread
• Transit time. The time the shipment spends on the road between loading and delivery
• Peak season. The busiest months for moving, from late spring through summer, when dates are hardest to get
• Guaranteed pickup and delivery. An optional service in which the mover commits to specific dates
• Redelivery. A second delivery attempt, usually from storage, when the shipment could not be accepted the first time

Protection terms: valuation and claims

• Valuation. The degree of liability the mover accepts for your goods. It is not insurance
• Released value protection. The basic level on interstate moves, included at no extra charge. The mover is liable for no more than 60 cents per pound per article
• Full value protection. The fuller level. The mover repairs, replaces, or pays for items lost or damaged in its care, for an added charge
• Declared value. The total value you state for your shipment, which is used to set the cost and the limit of full value protection
• High-value article. An item worth more than $100 per pound, such as jewelry or fine china. List these in writing so the mover's liability is not limited
• Claim. Your written request to the mover for payment for loss or damage
• Arbitration. A way of settling a claim dispute through a neutral third party instead of a court

For the full picture, read moving insurance and valuation: what is really covered.

Put the terms to work

Knowing the vocabulary changes the conversation. You can ask whether an estimate is binding, which accessorial charges might apply, how wide the delivery window is, and which level of valuation is on the bill of lading, and you will understand the answers.

Allpoints Moving Services is family-owned and operated, based in Metro Atlanta, and has been in business since 1999. We are licensed and insured, and we are glad to explain any line on our paperwork. Request a free, no-obligation quote, call (678) 886-0944, or see our moving FAQs.