How To Read a Moving Contract: The Bill of Lading Explained

Okay, let’s get the boring definition out of the way, but I’ll make it quick.

In my old logistics world, a Bill of Lading (or “BOL”) is a standard document used in freight. It’s a receipt for goods, a contract for carriage, and a document of title (meaning whoever holds it owns the stuff).

In the moving industry, it’s all of that, but it’s personal.

It’s the legal, binding agreement between you (“the shipper”) and the moving company (“the carrier”). It’s the final, official version of your agreement. It lists what they’re moving, where it’s going, when they promise (within a window) to deliver it, and – most critically – how much you are going to pay and what kind of insurance you have.

If you and the mover end up in a dispute, the only document a judge or the Department of Transportation will care about is this moving contract. Not the email from the salesperson. Not what the foreman promised you. The Bill of Lading.

When that driver hands you the clipboard, you’re not just looking for your name. You need to be a detective for about three minutes. Your BOL must have this information clearly written out.

• Mover’s Information: The company’s full legal name, their address, and their phone number. This must match the company you hired, not some third-party broker you’ve never heard of.
• Your Information: Your name, origin address, new address, and phone number. Obvious, but I’ve seen them get the destination wrong. Check it.
• Dates: The agreed-upon pickup date (or window) and the agreed-upon delivery date (or window). This is huge for long-distance moving. If it just says “August,” that’s a problem. You want a specific window, like “August 10-14.”
• The Inventory List (or “Household Goods Descriptive Inventory”): This is often a separate page (or 10 pages) but is part of the BOL. It should list every single item they are loading. We’ll get into this more in a minute.
• Type of Estimate & The Price: This is the big one.

• Valuation (Insurance): This is the part everyone skips. By default, federal law requires movers to include liability at $0.60 per pound, per item. This is terrible. It means your 50-pound, $1,500 TV is only covered for $30 ($0.60 x 50). If you paid for “Full Value Protection” (which you should), the BOL must reflect that, and it will list the additional charge for it.
• Extra Fees: Any charges for “special services” must be listed.

If you see a charge you don’t recognize, ask before you sign.

My sister Megan… she’s a photographer, super creative, mom of four, and has moved, I swear, ten times in the last five years. She is not a details person.

One time, she called me, furious. The movers were at her new place, and they were refusing to unload the truck until she paid them an extra $800 in “waiting fees” and “long-carry fees” that were never, ever discussed.

I asked her, “Megan, what does the Bill of Lading say?” Silence. “You did read the Bill of Lading, right?” “I don’t know, Jason, they just gave me a paper, and I signed it! I was busy with the kids!”

She had signed a BOL that had the “long-carry” and “waiting time” rate fields left blank. The moving crew filled them in later with their highest possible rate. Because she had signed it, she had almost no leg to stand on.

The BOL matters because it is your only protection.

• It is proof of what you own and what you gave them.
• It is proof of the price you agreed to.
• It is proof of your insurance coverage.

If your stuff arrives damaged, your claim is based on the inventory list and the valuation level you selected on the BOL. If they try to overcharge you, your defense is the price written on the BOL.

It is the document. Nothing else compares.

Okay, this is the section I really want you to read. When I’m reading moving company contracts for friends, these are the red flags that make me slam on the brakes. If you see any of these, you stop, and you pick up the phone.

This isn’t as scary as it sounds. It’s a simple, two-part process.

If you sign it “clean” and then find damage an hour later… you can still file a claim, but it’s a thousand times harder. Your signature told them everything was fine.

I’m gonna be straight with you: this is a lot of work. It’s stressful, and it feels legalistic and annoying, all while you’re trying to manage kids, pets, and your own sanity.

The truth is, the moving industry has some fantastic, honest people. It also has its share of shadows.

This whole process – verifying DOT numbers, checking insurance, reading moving company reviews, understanding moving company contracts – it’s what we do at NationalMovers. The whole point of our “verified” list is to filter out the most obvious scammers before they even get a chance to give you a quote.

We check that they’re a real, registered company. We check their insurance. We look at their claims ratio and customer complaints.

Does that mean you can just skip reading the Bill of Lading? Absolutely not. You still have to be your own best advocate. You still have to read your moving contract.

But using a verified network like ours means you’re starting the race on the 50-yard line instead of from the parking lot. You’re dealing with companies that have a reputation to protect, not some guy who bought a truck yesterday and posted an ad on Craigslist. It’s about stacking the deck in your favor from the very beginning.

That Bill of Lading is more than just a piece of paper. It’s your peace of mind. It’s the one tool you have to make sure the company you hired follows through on its promises.

Don’t let anyone – not a fast-talking salesman, not an impatient driver – rush you through signing it.

Take a deep breath. Take those five minutes. Read the lines. Check the numbers. By understanding this one moving contract, you’re taking control of your move. And trust me, that feeling of control is worth everything. You’ve got this.