Storage in Transit vs. Permanent Storage
Interstate storage in transit is temporary storage under the mover's tariff. Learn what written notice is required before it converts to permanent storage.
Reviewed October 15, 2026 · General information, not legal adviceStorage in transit is temporary storage that remains part of an interstate household-goods move. Before it converts to permanent storage, federal rules require written notice explaining the conversion date, a claims period, the end of the mover's liability, and the warehouseman's rules and charges. The applicable storage period comes from the shipment documents or tariff rather than one universal federal number of days.
Start with the storage line on the estimate
Look for “storage in transit,” “SIT,” warehouse handling, delivery-out charges, and a stated number of days. Compare the same fields across estimates. A quote that includes temporary storage is describing a different job from one that leaves storage unresolved.
Compare the whole storage cost, not just a daily rate
Ask the mover to identify each applicable charge in writing: the storage rate and its unit, minimum billing period, warehouse handling, delivery out of storage, and any access or redelivery charges. Some may not apply to your shipment. Ask whether a partial period is rounded up and who must authorize an extension. These are questions for your actual tariff and documents, not a national price schedule.
Fictional comparison, not a market average: for the same 20-day stay, Quote A lists $15 per day plus $300 handling and $250 delivery out: $850 total. Quote B lists $12 per day plus $450 handling and $300 delivery out: $990 total. The lower daily rate costs more in this example. Taxes, minimums, other services, and billing rules are excluded; an actual comparison must include every applicable term.
If delivery out or handling is unpriced, mark the total incomplete rather than assuming zero. Use the moving-estimate comparison guide to keep scope consistent and the moving-fee guide to organize unresolved charges.
Storage in transit and permanent storage compared
| Compare | Storage in transit | Permanent storage |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship to the move | Temporary storage that remains part of the interstate household-goods move. | Warehouse storage after the shipment converts out of storage in transit. |
| Rules and charges | The specified period and applicable charges come from the shipment documents or mover's tariff. | The warehouseman's rules, regulations, and charges apply after conversion. |
| Liability language | The shipment remains under the mover's storage-in-transit responsibility. | The required conversion notice says the mover's liability is ending. |
| Document to keep | Estimate, bill of lading, storage authorization, and tariff page. | Conversion notice, warehouse receipt, and warehouse charge schedule. |
The storage period is document-specific
49 CFR 375.609 refers to either the specified period when the goods will be held or the maximum storage-in-transit period in the mover's tariff. It does not state a single nationwide 90- or 180-day period.
Check the estimate, bill of lading, storage authorization, and applicable tariff. If they show different periods, ask the mover to reconcile them in writing.
Four items belong in the written conversion notice
Before storage in transit expires, the written notice must identify:
- The date of conversion to permanent storage.
- The existence of a nine-month period after conversion for claims against the mover for loss or damage occurring in transit or during storage in transit.
- The fact that the mover's liability is ending.
- The fact that the property will become subject to the warehouseman's rules, regulations, and charges.
The same four requirements appear in the official 2025 edition of 49 CFR Part 375.
When the notice is due
The mover generally must give the notice at least 10 days before the specified storage period or tariff maximum expires. If the storage-in-transit period is less than 10 days, notice is required one day before expiration. The regulation permits notice by fax, email, overnight courier, or certified mail with return receipt requested.
What conversion changes
The required notice must say that the mover's liability is ending and that warehouseman rules and charges will apply. Do not assume that the transportation estimate, its valuation selection, or its delivery-day payment limit automatically controls permanent storage. Keep the conversion notice and warehouse documents together and compare the names, dates, charges, and liability language.
What to keep with your moving documents
- The estimate and bill of lading.
- The storage authorization and tariff page showing the SIT period.
- The conversion notice, including when and how it arrived.
- The warehouse name, address, receipt, and charge schedule.
- Messages changing the delivery date or storage period.
Interstate and local storage are different
This guide concerns federal rules for interstate household-goods shipments. Intrastate moving and ordinary warehouse or self-storage agreements can be governed by state law. Use the route, parties, and actual documents before deciding which rules apply.
Frequently asked questions
- What costs should I compare for storage in transit?
- Ask for the storage rate and billing unit, any minimum period, handling or warehouse charges, delivery-out charges, and conditions that trigger another billing period. Compare the same storage duration and services; a lower daily rate alone does not establish the lower total.
- How long can movers keep my shipment in storage in transit?
- Federal household-goods rules do not state one nationwide 90- or 180-day period. Check the specified storage period in your documents and the maximum period in the mover's tariff.
- What must the conversion notice tell me?
- The written notice must state the conversion date, the nine-month period after conversion for certain claims against the mover, that the mover's liability is ending, and that warehouseman rules and charges will apply.
- How much notice should I receive?
- Generally, notice is required at least 10 days before the specified storage period or tariff maximum expires. If the storage-in-transit period is less than 10 days, the rule calls for notice one day before it expires.
- Does this rule apply to a self-storage unit I rented?
- Not automatically. This guide addresses storage in transit for an interstate household-goods shipment. A separate self-storage agreement or local move can follow different state rules.