If a moving company billed more than you expected, damaged your belongings, or never showed up, put the dispute in writing and build an evidence file before you keep arguing by phone. Overcharges, cargo damage, and no-shows are not the same claim. What applies depends mainly on whether the move crossed a state line, what type of estimate you signed, and how you paid.

Interstate household-goods moves are covered by federal rules on estimates, delivery charges, and loss or damage. A written cargo claim generally must be filed within nine months after delivery. An FMCSA complaint can report a possible violation, but it isn't a court case and doesn't guarantee a refund.

This is general information for U.S. consumers, not legal advice.

First identify the rule that controls your dispute

Use the legal company name and USDOT number on the estimate, bill of lading, or other moving papers. A broker may have booked the job while a different carrier hauled the load. Send a damage claim to the carrier listed on the bill of lading and copy the broker.

Step 1: Build your evidence file

Keep originals in one folder. Save emails, texts, and photos in their original form when you can.

Collect:

• The estimate, order for service, bill of lading, inventory, and valuation selection
• The final invoice, payment records, receipts, and credit-card statements
• Weight tickets if the price was based on shipment weight
• Signed change orders or written approval for extra services
• Photos or video of belongings before loading and after delivery
• A list of every missing, damaged, or broken item
• Repair estimates, replacement prices, and proof of the item's age and condition
• Delivery paperwork showing exceptions you noted
• Emails, texts, and call records with the mover
• Proof of storage, lodging, replacement movers, or other direct expenses
• A timeline showing what happened and when

Don't discard damaged property until the mover has had a reasonable chance to inspect it, unless the item is a safety hazard. Photograph it first and explain why it had to be thrown out.

Step 2: Audit the estimate and final bill

Check whether the estimate was binding or nonbinding

A binding estimate generally fixes the price for the services and items listed. That number can still change if you request extra work, add belongings, change the shipment, or agree to charges already covered by the moving documents.

A nonbinding estimate is not a guaranteed price. The final charge may rest on actual weight, services performed, distance, and other amounts the contract and tariff allow. A low nonbinding quote isn't a bargain if the mover badly underestimated the shipment.

Compare the final bill line by line. Ask the mover to identify the contractual basis for:

• Fees that weren't listed in the estimate or order for service
• Services you didn't request or approve
• Duplicate charges
• Incorrect weight, mileage, dates, or quantities
• Materials or labor that weren't provided
• Charges based on a changed inventory that you dispute
• Amounts collected for damage that should have been handled as a claim

A salesperson's verbal promise matters less than the signed paperwork. Highlight every conflict between what you were told and what the documents say.

Understand the federal 110% rule

On a qualifying interstate move with a nonbinding estimate, federal rules generally stop the mover from requiring more than 110% of that estimate at delivery. The protection is about the amount due when the goods arrive. It does not automatically cap the final invoice at a 10% increase. 110% of a $3,900 estimate is $4,290. If the mover demands $5,100 at delivery, ask for an itemized explanation and the documents behind any extra charges. Under the federal framework, a balance that cannot be collected at delivery may still be billed later if the charge is otherwise allowed.

The rule doesn't automatically apply to a local move or a binding estimate. Extra services, a changed shipment, and charges outside the original estimate can also change the math. Read the estimate and 49 CFR Part 375 instead of treating 110% as a universal final-price cap.

If an interstate mover demands more than the amount permitted at delivery, ask in writing how it calculated the figure and whether it will release the shipment when you pay what the applicable rule requires. If belongings are being withheld or you feel threatened, document the situation and contact FMCSA and local authorities as appropriate. Don't physically confront the crew.

Check your valuation protection for damaged items

What you can recover often depends on the valuation option you selected, not the item's retail price.

For interstate moves, released value protection is commonly limited to 60 cents per pound per article. A 100-pound table could therefore have a $60 liability limit if that option applies. That isn't an automatic payment. The mover may still dispute responsibility, causation, or the item's condition.

Full value protection may offer repair, replacement, or cash, but deductibles, exclusions, declared values, and special rules can still apply. Check the valuation section of the estimate and bill of lading.

Also look for exclusions involving:

• Items you packed yourself
• Pre-existing damage
• Fragile or high-value property
• Items not listed on the inventory
• Damage caused by your own acts or omissions

List damage on the delivery receipt or inventory before you sign. If you find problems later, file the written claim anyway. A notation helps prove condition at delivery. It isn't a substitute for a formal claim.

Step 3: Send a written dispute or damage claim

Make the request specific. State the amount you dispute, show the calculation, and say what you want: a refund, a corrected invoice, or payment for listed items.

For interstate loss or damage, send written notice to the carrier within nine months after delivery. Identify the shipment, each affected item, and the amount claimed. A phone call or a folder of photos without a payment demand may not satisfy the claim process.

Under 49 CFR Part 370, a carrier generally must acknowledge a properly filed claim within 30 days and pay, deny, or make a firm settlement offer within 120 days. Those are processing requirements, not a promise the claim will be approved.

There is no universal nine-month deadline for every overcharge, no-show, or contract dispute. Send those disputes promptly and check the contract and applicable state law.

Demand letter template

Subject: Written dispute and claim for move on [date], invoice [number]

[Date]

[Moving company legal name]
[Claims or billing address]

I dispute $[amount] of the $[total] charge for my move from [origin] to [destination] on [date].

The written estimate was [binding or nonbinding] for $[estimate amount]. I dispute the following charges: [list each charge and explain why it is unsupported, duplicated, unauthorized, or inconsistent with the estimate].

I am also making a claim for the following loss or damage: [item, description, condition, and amount claimed]. The amount requested is $[amount], based on [repair estimate, replacement price, or applicable valuation].

Please provide an itemized invoice, supporting weight tickets, and copies of any signed authorization for additional services. I request a refund or payment of $[amount] within 14 days of receipt of this letter.

The attached documents include copies of the estimate, bill of lading, delivery paperwork, photographs, receipts, and correspondence. Please confirm receipt and respond in writing.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Address]
[Phone and email]

A 14-day response period is a practical business deadline, not a universal legal requirement. Send the letter to the claims or billing address in the moving documents. Email it and use trackable mail when you can. Keep copies and proof of delivery.

Step 4: Give the company a focused chance to correct the bill

Vague complaints are easy to brush off. Ask questions that require a document-backed answer:

1. What estimate type did the company use?
2. Which line items changed from the estimate?
3. What signed document authorizes each additional service?
4. What weight tickets support the charge?
5. Which valuation option applies to each damaged item?
6. When will the company inspect or pay for the damage?
7. Is the proposed refund conditioned on signing a release?

If you owe part of the bill, consider paying the undisputed amount while stating in writing that you dispute the rest. Don't withhold all payment unless you understand the contract. The mover may treat a full holdback as a default and start collection.

Don't sign a settlement, waiver, or release until you know which claims it ends. A check labeled as full settlement can create a separate dispute.

If you paid by credit card, debit card, or ACH

The payment method is a separate track from your claim against the mover.

For a credit card, contact the issuer immediately and follow its written billing-dispute instructions. Federal billing-error rules can apply to certain incorrect amounts, duplicate charges, or services not delivered as agreed, but not every complaint about poor service qualifies. For many credit-card billing errors, Regulation Z uses a 60-day written-notice period tied to the statement showing the error.

Debit, prepaid, and ACH transactions have different protections and bank procedures. Ask the bank about its dispute process as soon as possible, especially if the transaction was unauthorized. A bank dispute doesn't decide whether the mover breached the contract, and reversing an authorized payment may not eliminate a legitimate balance.

Step 5: Escalate through the right complaint channel

Interstate moves: FMCSA

Use the FMCSA complaint process when the move involved an interstate household-goods carrier or broker and the problem concerns conduct covered by federal rules.

Include:

• The mover's legal name and USDOT number
• Move dates and origin and destination
• The estimate and final invoice
• The amount disputed
• A short timeline
• Copies of your written requests and the company's responses
• Photos and delivery records for damage claims

FMCSA complaints help the agency identify possible violations and enforcement patterns. FMCSA generally isn't a private claims court, so filing a complaint doesn't guarantee a refund and doesn't replace a written cargo claim.

Local moves: state regulators and attorneys general

For an intrastate move, look for the state agency that regulates household-goods movers. Depending on the state, that may be a public utilities commission, transportation department, consumer affairs office, or attorney general. The agency may investigate, license, mediate, or refer the complaint, but its authority and deadlines vary.

Submit the dispute to the agency that covers the state where the move occurred. Don't assume FMCSA's interstate rules, including the 110% delivery protection, automatically apply to a local move.

BBB and public reviews

The Better Business Bureau is a private complaint and business-rating organization, not a government regulator. A BBB complaint can create another written record and sometimes prompt a response, but the company can decline to participate and the BBB can't order payment.

A factual public review may warn other consumers, but it shouldn't replace a formal claim. Avoid publishing private information or making accusations you can't support.

Step 6: Decide between arbitration and court

Arbitration

Interstate movers generally must offer a dispute-settlement program for qualifying household-goods disputes. Federal rules give special treatment to certain claims of $10,000 or less, but the program's filing rules, costs, deadline, and binding effect still matter.

Ask the mover for:

• The complete arbitration or dispute-settlement rules
• The claim types and dollar limits covered
• The filing fee and how costs are divided
• Whether the decision is binding
• The deadline for starting the process
• How evidence and hearings work

An arbitration clause in your contract may limit a lawsuit or require you to arbitrate. Some agreements preserve a small-claims option; others do not. Read the clause before filing in court.

Small claims court

Small claims can be practical for a clearly documented money dispute, but every state sets its own dollar limit, filing fee, venue rules, and service requirements. Before filing, confirm:

• The court's monetary limit
• Where the company can be sued
• The correct legal entity and address
• Whether the contract requires arbitration
• The deadline for bringing the claim
• How to serve the company
• Which documents and witnesses you can present

Bring the signed estimate, bill of lading, invoice, payment records, photos, written claim, correspondence, and a simple calculation of the amount requested. If the dispute exceeds the small-claims limit, involves personal injury, or concerns fraud, bankruptcy, or withheld goods, consider getting advice about a regular civil action.

An FMCSA, BBB, or state complaint usually doesn't pause a court deadline. Calendar the relevant dates separately.

Mistakes that weaken moving disputes

• A verbal quote is not the signed contract.
• The 110% rule is not a cap on the final bill.
• The nine-month clock is for cargo claims, not every invoice fight.
• Don't wait for the mover's preferred claim form if the deadline is close.
• A phone complaint alone is easy to ignore.
• Identify the carrier that actually transported the shipment.
• Photograph damaged property before you discard it.
• Add exceptions on the delivery receipt instead of signing that everything arrived undamaged.
• Read any release before you accept a partial refund.
• FMCSA and the BBB do not award your refund.
• An arbitration clause can limit or delay a lawsuit.
• Unsupported expenses and inflated replacement values weaken the file.

Frequently asked questions

Can a mover charge more than 110% of a nonbinding estimate?

On a qualifying interstate move, the mover generally can't require more than 110% of the nonbinding estimate at delivery. The remaining balance may still be billed later if the charges are otherwise permitted. The rule isn't a universal cap and doesn't automatically apply to local moves or every type of estimate.

Can I refuse to pay the disputed amount?

Don't simply refuse the entire bill. Separate the amount you agree is owed from the amount you dispute, document your position, and follow the contract. If an interstate mover demands more than the amount permitted at delivery or holds your belongings, get prompt help rather than relying on a chargeback or confrontation.

How long do I have to file a damage claim?

For most interstate household-goods loss or damage claims, submit a written claim within nine months after delivery. State deadlines control many local moves. A claim deadline is different from the deadline for filing a lawsuit, so check both.

Will an FMCSA complaint get my money back?

Not necessarily. FMCSA can review reported conduct and may take enforcement action, but it generally doesn't function as a private court that calculates and awards your refund. Continue pursuing the written claim, arbitration, payment dispute, or court option that applies.

Is a damage notation on the delivery receipt enough?

No. It helps establish the condition at delivery, but you should still send a written claim identifying the items and the amount requested. Include photographs, repair or replacement evidence, and the valuation documents.

Official references

• FMCSA Protect Your Move consumer resources
• FMCSA instructions for filing a complaint
• 49 CFR Part 375: Transportation of household goods
• 49 CFR Part 370: Principles and practices for processing loss and damage claims
• 12 CFR 1026.13: Billing error resolution for credit accounts

Open the estimate and bill of lading, mark every charge you contest, and send the written claim to the legal entity named on those papers. If the problem is interstate loss or damage, do that before the nine-month cargo deadline.