Unexpected Moving Charges and the 110% Rule
How the 110% delivery cap works on non-binding interstate moves, what extras can be collected at delivery, and which charges wait 30 days.
Reviewed October 7, 2026 · General information, not legal adviceThis guide covers interstate household-goods moves for individual consumers. State and local moving rules can differ. For an interstate household-goods move, a mover generally cannot require more than the binding-estimate amount, or more than 110% of a non-binding estimate, before releasing the shipment at delivery. The 110% rule is a delivery-day payment limit, not a final-price cap. Additional services requested after the contract and qualifying impracticable-operations charges are treated separately. Local and intrastate rules vary by state.
Start with the estimate type
Read the exact words on the written estimate. Binding and non-binding estimates have different delivery-day rules. Before delivery, keep the estimate, any written revision, the inventory, and the bill of lading together so you can compare what each document says.
Binding estimates at delivery
On an interstate move, a binding estimate covers the listed shipment and services. A mover generally cannot require more than that amount at delivery for the listed work. Charges can still arise when you request additional services after the contract is executed or when an applicable federal exception applies.
Current 49 CFR 375.403 explains the delivery rules and written-estimate requirements.
Non-binding estimates and the 110% rule
A non-binding estimate is not a final-price guarantee. For the quantities and services shown on an interstate non-binding estimate, the mover generally may not require more than 110% of the estimated amount at delivery. The remaining balance can still be billed later under the applicable rules.
Federal law states that a household-goods carrier must give up possession at destination upon payment of no more than 110% of the charges in a non-binding estimate, subject to the documented exceptions below. See 49 U.S.C. § 13707(b)(3) and 49 CFR 375.407.
$2,000 estimate: a simple 110% example
Hypothetical example: assume an interstate, collect-on-delivery move has a written non-binding estimate of $2,000. Assume there is no replacement estimate, no additional service requested after the contract, and no impracticable-operations charge.
110% of $2,000 is $2,200. In that example, $2,200 is generally the delivery-day payment limit for the services and quantities on the estimate. It does not freeze the final tariff calculation or guarantee that no balance can be billed later.
Use the delivery-demand worksheet
Separate the delivery-day math from the final bill.
Enter only figures already written on your estimate or delivery paperwork. Nothing entered here is sent to MoveFinePrint.
Enter a written estimate amount to see the worksheet
For U.S. interstate household-goods moves and educational comparison only. This is not a final-bill calculator and does not decide whether any charge qualifies. The 110% path applies to qualifying non-binding collect-on-delivery shipments; federal rules contain exceptions and state/local rules can differ.
Charges treated separately at delivery
The statute treats services you request after the contract is executed separately when they were not included in the estimate. It also treats impracticable operations, as defined by the carrier's tariff, separately.
Impracticable-operations charges collected at delivery may not exceed 15% of all other charges due at delivery. Any remainder is handled through later billing under the governing rules. Ask the mover to identify the requested service or tariff provision and show the calculation in writing.
Check the promised form of payment
For a collect-on-delivery non-binding shipment, 49 CFR 375.407 says the mover must accept the form of payment agreed to at the time of the estimate unless the shipper agrees in writing to a change. Compare any delivery-day demand with the payment method stated on the estimate and bill of lading.
If only part of the shipment arrives
Federal law provides a prorated calculation for a partial delivery. The percentage is based on the weight delivered compared with the shipment's total weight. Do not assume the mover can demand the entire binding amount or the full 110% calculation at a partial delivery.
If the mover says more is due
Ask for a written explanation that identifies the estimate type, the calculation, any revised estimate or signed addition, and the relevant tariff provision. Keep copies of every page you sign and every payment record.
For an interstate household-goods issue, FMCSA provides a consumer complaint channel. This is general information, not legal advice or a prediction of an outcome.
A note about local moves
This guide concerns interstate household-goods moves. Local and intrastate moves can follow different state rules, so check the regulator or consumer-protection office for the state where your move occurs.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a mover refuse to unload until I pay the full bill?
- For an interstate move, federal rules limit what a mover may require at delivery under a binding or non-binding estimate, subject to limited exceptions. If the mover says more is due, ask for the written estimate, the written basis for the amount, and the applicable tariff terms.
- What if my final bill is higher than my estimate?
- A higher final bill can depend on the estimate type, the documented shipment and services, later requested additions, and the mover's tariff. The delivery-day amount and the final amount are separate questions on a non-binding estimate.
- Is the 110% rule a cap on my final moving bill?
- No. For an interstate non-binding estimate, 110% generally limits what may be required at delivery for the estimated services and quantities. It does not erase every lawful charge that may be billed later.
- What is 110% of a $2,000 non-binding estimate?
- It is $2,200. That arithmetic illustrates the delivery-day limit for the estimated work; it does not determine the final tariff bill.
- Does the 110% rule apply to local moves?
- Not automatically. The federal rules discussed here apply to interstate household-goods moves. Local and intrastate moves follow state-specific rules.
- What should I do if a mover demands more than the delivery-day amount?
- Keep the estimate and moving documents, ask the mover to explain the amount in writing, and use FMCSA's consumer complaint channel for an interstate household-goods issue. This guide is general information, not legal advice.