Rights
The estimate changed after the load
A binding estimate cannot go up because the truck was heavier. A non-binding estimate can, but you owe only 110% at delivery and the balance on a bill with at least 30 days to pay. A number that jumped on the driveway with no new services is the bait-and-raise pattern, and the paper is your defence.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 29 September 2026
What the licensed review rows say. 31087 dated rows, as of 2026-10-29. Counted by phrase, not by sentiment.
| Phrase family | Rows | Share of rows |
|---|---|---|
| Estimate changed, price went up, extra charges | 1699 | 5% |
| Held our things, would not unload, hostage | 732 | 2% |
| No-show, never showed, cancelled on us | 932 | 3% |
Binding means binding
A binding estimate under 49 CFR 375.403 is the price for the services listed, whether the shipment weighs more or less than guessed. The mover can add charges only for services you request after the estimate, or for impracticable operations they could not see at the survey.
A phrase on the estimate that says binding, then a clause on page three that says subject to final weight, is not a binding estimate. Read for the second sentence.
Non-binding means the weight decides
Under 375.405 the mover's final charges follow the actual weight and the tariff. The estimate must be based on a physical or virtual survey and must be reasonably accurate. At delivery you owe 110% of the estimate. The rest goes on a bill.
The defence is the weighing. Ask to observe it and ask for a reweigh if the weight looks wrong.
The tells before you book
No survey, video or in person. A quote by cubic feet with no item list. A large deposit in cash or app transfer. A company name that differs from the truck and the USDOT. Any one of these is the moment to open the deposit checker.
Official doors
Where to take a complaint
Booklet
Interstate movers must give Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. We link it. We do not rehost it as ours.
Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move (PDF)Lookup
SAFER company snapshot. Registered is not the same as authorized to haul household goods.
FMCSA SAFER company snapshot
Reviewed 29 September 2026 by Anthony Bale. Numbers on this page carry their own dates; the official pages below are the sources.
Sources
Links go to the publisher. Haulest does not add findings. Checked September 2026; if the live page moved, believe the agency.
- 49 CFR 375.403 (binding estimates)ecfr.gov · Government · checked September 2026
- 49 CFR 375.405 (non-binding estimates)ecfr.gov · Government · checked September 2026
- 49 CFR 375.407 (110% COD rule)ecfr.gov · Government · checked September 2026
- Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move (PDF)fmcsa.dot.gov · Government · checked September 2026
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- They say the binding estimate is void because I added boxes. True?
- Added items or services can add charges. They do not void the estimate for everything else. Ask for the added charges in writing before the truck loads.
- Can I refuse to pay the new number?
- Pay what the rule requires for your estimate type, take delivery, and dispute the rest in writing. Do not leave your goods on the truck over a disagreement.
Next steps
Next
Keep going
About Anthony Bale
A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.
At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.
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