Moving Invoice Template: Estimates, Crews & Packing

Quick answer: A moving invoice template should show the move date and addresses, the estimate type (binding or non-binding), crew size and hourly rate or weight-based charges, travel time, packing materials by item, specialty charges such as pianos or stairs, valuation coverage, deposits and the balance. For interstate moves, federal FMCSA rules control estimates and how much you can collect at delivery.

Moving invoices cause more complaints than almost any other consumer bill, mostly because the final number differs from the number the customer remembers. A clear moving invoice template that ties back to the estimate prevents most of that. This guide covers local hourly billing, packing materials, binding and non-binding estimates, federal rules for interstate moves, and worked examples. Build yours in the invoice generator with the Slate template.

What to include on a moving invoice

• Your company name, contact details and registration numbers. Interstate movers need a USDOT number; many states require a state license or permit number for intrastate moves.
• Customer name, origin and destination addresses, and the move date.
• Estimate reference and type: binding, non-binding, or local hourly quote.
• Labor: crew size, hourly rate, start and finish times, and how travel time is billed.
• Truck and travel fees, or mileage for long-distance moves.
• Packing services and materials, itemized by box type.
• Accessorial charges: stairs, long carry, elevator, shuttle, heavy items, storage.
• Valuation coverage selected by the customer.
• Deposit received, balance and accepted payment methods.

Local moves: hourly crews and materials

Local moves are usually billed by the hour for a crew and truck. The invoice should make the clock easy to follow. Show the start time, finish time, any unpaid breaks, and your travel-time rule (for example a flat travel fee, or a set amount of drive time added to the job). Most movers also set a minimum number of hours.

Charge	Typical unit	Tip
Crew and truck	Per hour, by crew size	State the billing increment, e.g. 15 minutes
Travel or truck fee	Flat or per hour	Explain it on the quote; it's the most-questioned line
Packing labor	Per hour or per room	Separate from moving labor
Boxes and materials	Each	List each box type and count
Heavy or specialty items	Each	Pianos, safes, pool tables
Stairs, long carry, elevator	Per flight, per distance or flat	Agree in advance where possible
Storage	Per day or month	Bill storage periods on a recurring invoice

Worked example: local hourly move invoice

A three-person crew with a truck at $165 per hour moves a two-bedroom apartment across town. The job ran 5.5 billable hours including the company's travel-time rule. The crew supplied boxes and moved a gun safe. The customer paid a $200 deposit when booking.

Description	Qty	Rate	Amount
3 movers + 26 ft truck, 8:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.	5.5 hrs	$165.00	$907.50
Truck and fuel fee (flat, local)	1	$75.00	$75.00
Medium moving boxes	15	$3.50	$52.50
Wardrobe boxes	4	$14.00	$56.00
Packing tape, rolls	2	$4.00	$8.00
Mattress bags	2	$12.00	$24.00
Heavy item: gun safe, ground floor to garage	1	$150.00	$150.00
Total			$1,273.00
Less deposit received			−$200.00
Balance due on completion			$1,073.00

The maths: 5.5 × $165 = $907.50; materials are $52.50 + $56 + $8 + $24 = $140.50; $907.50 + $75 + $140.50 + $150 = $1,273. Less the $200 deposit, $1,073 is due. Some states tax packing materials sold to the customer or tax intrastate moving services; check your state and use the sales tax calculator if needed.

Binding vs non-binding estimates

The estimate type determines what your final invoice can say. Our general guide to invoices vs estimates covers the basics; moving has its own vocabulary.

	Binding estimate	Non-binding estimate
What it promises	A guaranteed total for the listed goods and services	A reasonable approximation of the cost
Final charge	The estimate amount, unless items or services are added	Based on actual weight or time and the mover's tariff
Risk for the mover	Underestimating eats your margin	Limits on what you can collect at delivery (interstate)
Changes	Must be handled before loading, in writing	Added services can be billed separately

Some movers also offer a "binding not-to-exceed" estimate, where the customer pays the lower of the estimate or the actual charges. Check how your tariff defines it and describe it precisely on the estimate.

Interstate moves: FMCSA rules that affect your invoice

Interstate household goods movers are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under 49 CFR Part 375. The FMCSA Protect Your Move site sets out the consumer side. Points that directly shape your invoicing:

• Written estimates. Movers must give a written estimate, binding or non-binding, and generally base it on a physical survey of the goods (in person or virtual) unless the customer waives it under the rules.
• Binding estimates hold after loading. If the customer adds items, the binding estimate must be reaffirmed, revised in writing, or converted to non-binding before loading. Otherwise you can't collect more than the binding amount, apart from limited exceptions.
• The 110% rule. On a collect-on-delivery shipment under a non-binding estimate, the customer can't be required to pay more than 110% of the estimate at delivery, and you must release the goods once they pay that. The rest is billed afterward under the federal collection rules.
• Exceptions. Charges for services the customer requested after the bill of lading was issued, and certain impracticable operations charges (capped at a percentage of other charges due at delivery), are treated separately.
• Required documents. Customers must receive the "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" booklet and the "Ready to Move" brochure (or links), along with your arbitration program information.
• Valuation. Federal rules provide full value protection and a released value option limited to 60 cents per pound per article. Record the customer's choice.

These are federal rules for interstate moves only. Intrastate moves follow state law, which varies widely. Regulations are updated from time to time, so confirm details in the current 49 CFR Part 375 or with FMCSA, and treat this as general information, not legal advice.

Worked example: the 110% rule in practice

An interstate customer received a non-binding estimate of $4,800. The shipment weighed more than estimated, and the actual charges came to $5,650. At delivery, the most you can require is 110% of $4,800, which is $5,280. The remaining $370 ($5,650 − $5,280) is invoiced after delivery. Your final invoice should show the estimate, the actual charges, the amount collected at delivery and the deferred balance on separate lines, with the deferred balance's due date.

Deposits and payment timing

Local movers often take a small booking deposit and collect the balance on completion. If you take one, put your cancellation terms on the deposit invoice; the deposit invoice guide shows the layout. For interstate moves, follow your tariff and the federal rules on what can be collected and when. Business relocations are usually billed on terms instead; see invoice payment terms.

Storage changes the timing too. If you hold a customer's goods between pickup and delivery, bill storage on its own invoice for each period, with the warehouse location, the number of vaults or the weight stored, and the dates covered. Keep the move itself and the storage account separate, so a storage balance never gets mixed up with what's owed for the move.

Common moving invoice disputes

• Clock disputes. Write start and finish times on the invoice and have the customer sign the job sheet.
• Surprise materials. Count boxes as you use them and list each type.
• Damage claims. Keep claims separate from the invoice. A customer's damage claim doesn't change the amount owed for the move, but it should be handled promptly under your claims process.
• Holding goods hostage. Refusing to deliver until a customer pays more than the law allows is a serious violation on interstate moves. Know your limits.

If you also haul freight for businesses, the trucking invoice template covers bills of lading and rate confirmations. Real estate agents often refer movers, so the real estate commission invoice guide is worth a look if you're considering referral arrangements, which carry their own licensing rules.

Build your moving invoice

Open the Slate template in the generator, enter the addresses, estimate type and crew details, list labor, materials and specialty items on separate lines, and subtract any deposit. Download the PDF, have the customer sign the job sheet, and send the invoice before the crew leaves the driveway. For collecting the balance on time, see how to get paid faster.