If a mover is holding your belongings for more money
7 min read · updated 2026-07-26
A carrier must deliver on payment of 110% of a non-binding estimate, or 100% of a binding one, plus services you added after signing and impracticable-operation charges capped at 15%. Demanding more before unloading is not permitted, and there is a specific federal complaint process for it.
This happens to thousands of people a year and it is frightening in a specific way, because everything you own is in a truck belonging to someone who is now negotiating with you. It is also one of the few moving problems with a clear procedure attached.
In order
- Ask for the bill of lading and the written estimate. The bill of lading is your contract and your receipt, and the carrier is required to have given you one. Photograph both.
- Work out the number they are actually entitled to at the door: 110% of a non-binding estimate (or 100% of a binding one), plus any services you genuinely requested after signing, plus impracticable-operation charges up to 15% of the other charges. That is the figure that matters, not the one being demanded.
- If you can, pay that amount under protest and write "paid under protest" on the receipt. Getting your belongings off the truck first puts you in a far stronger position than negotiating while they are on it.
- File a complaint with the FMCSA at 1-888-368-7238, or through the National Consumer Complaint Database. Have the USDOT number ready.
- Ask the carrier for its arbitration program. Interstate household goods carriers are required to offer a neutral dispute-resolution programme, and to tell you about it.
- Call local police if you feel unsafe. They will usually treat it as a civil matter, but a report creates a record and sometimes changes the behaviour on the spot.
What helps before it happens
- Get the estimate in writing and know which type it is.
- Take the USDOT number off the paperwork and check the record before the truck is loaded, not after.
- Photograph the loaded truck and the inventory sheet.
- Pay by card rather than cash or wire where possible — it leaves a route to dispute the charge.
If the company is a broker
The broker is not holding your belongings; a carrier is. Establish which carrier has the shipment and its USDOT number, because that is who the complaint is about. The broker's surety bond may still be relevant to recovering a deposit, but the shipment itself is the carrier's responsibility.
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Common questions
Is it legal for movers to hold your stuff?
No. A carrier must deliver on payment of 110% of a non-binding estimate, or 100% of a binding one — plus any services you requested after signing and impracticable-operation charges capped at 15% of other charges. Demanding more before unloading is not permitted, and is reportable to the FMCSA at 1-888-368-7238.
What is the 110% rule?
On a non-binding estimate the carrier must release your shipment once you pay 110% of the estimated charges, plus services you requested after signing and impracticable-operation charges up to 15% of other charges. Anything owed beyond that is billed later, with at least 30 days to pay.
Who do I report a moving company to?
The FMCSA, at 1-888-368-7238 or through the National Consumer Complaint Database. You will need the company's USDOT number, which is on your paperwork and on the side of the truck.