Quote line-item guide
Moving accessorial charges: what they cover and how to compare them
A low transportation price can stop being the lower quote when packing, stairs, elevators, long carries, shuttles, storage, or special handling sit outside the total. Match each service before comparing the bottom line.
What is an accessorial charge?
An accessorial charge pays for a service beyond the vehicle-transportation portion of a move. FMCSA's glossary describes accessorial services as work such as packing, appliance servicing, unpacking, or piano stair carries that you request or that special circumstances make necessary. Those charges may be separate from line-haul transportation. Source: FMCSA Moving Glossary.
The label is not enough
Two movers can organize or name services differently. Compare the work performed, the rate basis, the quantity included, and the condition that triggers the charge. “Stair service included” is incomplete if it does not say which address, how many flights, or whether a threshold applies.
Common moving accessorial services
| Service | What it usually describes | What to confirm in writing |
|---|---|---|
| Packing and materials | Labor and cartons, paper, tape, crates, mattress protection, or other materials. | Who packs, item or carton quantities, material types, unit rates, and whether unpacking or debris pickup is included. |
| Stairs or flight charge | Carrying goods up or down flights of stairs. | Origin or destination, number of flights, inside versus outside stairs, and the mover's definition of a flight. |
| Elevator service | Extra handling or time associated with an elevator move. | Which address, reservation window, loading-dock rules, building certificate requirements, and waiting-time terms. |
| Long carry | Carrying goods beyond the distance included between the truck and residence. | Included distance, measured route, rate increments, and whether the condition exists at pickup, delivery, or both. |
| Shuttle or auxiliary service | A smaller vehicle used when the normal road-haul vehicle cannot reach the residence. | Access restriction, smaller-vehicle and labor rates, minimums, and whether the issue can be avoided with a permit or reserved space. |
| Appliance service | Preparing or reconnecting an appliance, sometimes through a third party. | Exact appliance, disconnect versus reconnect work, third-party responsibility, and any excluded plumbing, gas, or electrical work. |
| Bulky or special item | Additional handling for items such as pianos, safes, boats, large exercise equipment, or unusually bulky pieces. | Item identity, dimensions or weight assumptions, stairs, required equipment, disassembly, crating, and charge basis. |
| Storage in transit | Temporary storage connected with transportation before final delivery. | Included days, warehouse and handling charges, redelivery cost, maximum period, access rules, and what happens when the period ends. |
| Extra stop or waiting time | An additional pickup or delivery, or delay beyond included service time. | Included time, hourly or flat rate, rounding rule, who can authorize it, and which events start and stop the clock. |
FMCSA separately defines flight charges, impracticable operations, line-haul charges, long carries, and shuttle service in its interstate consumer materials. The carrier's tariff and written estimate control the specific terms and rates for a particular interstate shipment. Source: FMCSA General Requirements and definitions.
How interstate estimates should address added services
Before the estimate
The mover must base the written interstate estimate on a physical survey unless the shipper signs a qualifying written waiver. Give the estimator accurate access details at both addresses and show every item that needs special handling.
Before the bill of lading
Federal rules require the mover to determine charges for accessorial services such as elevators and long carries before preparing the bill of lading. If the mover fails to ask you about those charges and fails to determine them before preparing the bill of lading, § 375.401(f) requires the mover to deliver your goods and bill you after 30 days for those additional charges.
When belongings or services change
Tell the mover about added or removed goods or services, and ask whether your written estimate needs to change before loading. The required written agreement depends on whether your interstate estimate is binding or non-binding. Ask the mover to explain and document the agreement for your estimate type before loading.
Source: 49 CFR § 375.401; source: § 375.403; source: § 375.405.
Worked example: the lower total is missing the harder work
These figures are illustrative, not market rates. Imagine two estimates for the same inventory:
| Field | Estimate A | Estimate B |
|---|---|---|
| Displayed total | $5,200 | $4,650 |
| Packing | 20 cartons and materials listed | Customer packed; materials not included |
| Pickup stairs | Two flights listed | Not found |
| Delivery access | Elevator and 180-foot carry listed | Elevator listed; long carry not found |
| Large safe | Special handling listed | Safe appears in inventory; handling charge not found |
Estimate B is not yet the cheaper equivalent. Ask B to price the same packing quantity, stair conditions, carry distance, and safe handling. Then compare the revised written list of belongings and services, estimate type, and total. “Not found” means unresolved, not free.
Walk the access at both addresses
A detailed inventory describes what moves; an access check describes how crews reach it. Record these details for both pickup and delivery:
- Truck parking location, legal restrictions, permits, loading docks, gates, and building hours.
- Distance from the expected truck position to the residence entrance.
- Stair count, flight count, elevator dimensions, reservation windows, and key or fob access.
- Road, bridge, driveway, height, weight, or turning restrictions that could require a smaller vehicle.
- Pieces needing crating, hoisting, disassembly, third-party service, or special equipment.
- Storage, extra-stop, or delayed-delivery requirements.
For a room-by-room list to pair with this access check, use the moving inventory checklist.
Questions to ask before signing
- Which accessorial services are included in the displayed total?
- Which services are excluded, optional, provisional, or marked to be determined?
- What quantity, threshold, unit rate, minimum, or maximum applies to each service?
- What facts could trigger a shuttle, long carry, stair, elevator, waiting-time, or storage charge?
- Who may approve additional work, and how will the approval and price be documented?
- Where can I read the applicable tariff provisions for a non-binding interstate estimate?
FMCSA advises consumers to understand the additional cost before agreeing to special service. Source: FMCSA Service Options Provided.