Does federal law set a maximum moving deposit?

The interstate household-goods broker disclosure rule requires brokers to state their deposit, cancellation, and refund policies. It does not state a dollar or percentage cap in that rule. Read the policy on the agreement you received.

Is my moving deposit refundable if I cancel?

Read the cancellation and refund policy in the agreement. For interstate household-goods brokers, federal rules require disclosure of the policy; they do not make every deposit refundable or nonrefundable.

How do I know whether I am paying a broker or a carrier?

Compare the legal name on the estimate, agreement, and payment request. For an interstate move, a broker must say that it is arranging transportation rather than transporting the shipment itself, and identify the carriers it uses.

Do these rules apply to an in-state move?

Not automatically. The federal material here applies to interstate household-goods moves. Local and intrastate moves can follow different state rules.

MoveFinePrint guide

Should I Pay a Moving Deposit? What to Check First

A document-review checklist for moving deposits: what your agreement says, who collects payment, broker versus carrier, and cancellation terms.

Reviewed September 24, 2026 · General information, not legal advice

Short answer

Whether to pay a moving deposit is a document question. Before paying, confirm in writing who receives the money, what the agreement says about cancellation and refunds, and whether the company is a broker or carrier. For interstate moves, federal broker rules require policy disclosures; local rules vary by state.

Find the deposit terms on the written agreement

Do not rely only on a verbal quote or phone conversation. Find the estimate, broker agreement, or other written document and locate the deposit language. Record the stated amount, when it is due, whether it is applied to transportation charges or described as a separate fee, the accepted payment method, and any cancellation or refund terms. If the document does not state those terms, mark that as an unresolved question before paying.

Read the cancellation and refund policy

For an interstate household-goods broker, federal rules require prominent disclosure of its cancellation policy, deposit policy, and policy for refunding deposited funds on its website and in agreements with prospective shippers. The rule requires disclosure; it does not prescribe a universal deposit amount, refund deadline, or refund outcome.

Read the company's own policy for the events that trigger a refund, any timing conditions, whether the policy distinguishes cancellation by you from cancellation by the company, and whether the terms appear in more than one document. See current 49 CFR 371.117.

Confirm who receives the payment

Compare the legal name on the payment request with the name on the estimate and agreement. For an interstate move, identify whether the company is a broker arranging transportation or the carrier expected to transport the shipment. A broker must provide potential shippers a list of the authorized household-goods carriers it uses and a statement that the broker is not the federally authorized motor carrier transporting the goods.

If a broker gives a written estimate on a carrier's behalf, federal rules require a written agreement with that carrier. Match the names and USDOT or MC numbers on your documents before treating separate company names as interchangeable. See 49 CFR 371.109 and 49 CFR 371.115.

Put important answers in writing

Ask for a written answer when a deposit term is unclear. Keep the estimate, agreement, payment request, receipt, and any message that explains a change in one place. A written record does not change the agreement by itself, but it gives you a specific document to compare when the paperwork and a verbal statement differ.

Questions to ask before paying

What exact amount is due, and where is it written?
Is it applied to the transportation charge or treated as a separate fee?
What cancellation, deposit, and refund policy applies to this payment?
Which company receives the money, and is that company a broker or carrier?
Which carrier is expected to transport the shipment?
What written receipt will identify the payment and the agreement it relates to?

Interstate and local moves

The federal broker rules linked here apply to interstate household-goods moves. A move that stays within one state can follow different state rules and pricing practices. Confirm the route before relying on an interstate disclosure rule for a local move.

Frequently asked questions

Does federal law set a maximum moving deposit?: The interstate household-goods broker disclosure rule requires brokers to state their deposit, cancellation, and refund policies. It does not state a dollar or percentage cap in that rule. Read the policy on the agreement you received.
Is my moving deposit refundable if I cancel?: Read the cancellation and refund policy in the agreement. For interstate household-goods brokers, federal rules require disclosure of the policy; they do not make every deposit refundable or nonrefundable.
How do I know whether I am paying a broker or a carrier?: Compare the legal name on the estimate, agreement, and payment request. For an interstate move, a broker must say that it is arranging transportation rather than transporting the shipment itself, and identify the carriers it uses.
Do these rules apply to an in-state move?: Not automatically. The federal material here applies to interstate household-goods moves. Local and intrastate moves can follow different state rules.