Understanding moving company tariffs
Updated September 5, 2026
A "tariff" is a moving company's published rate structure and rules — the underlying rulebook their estimates are calculated from. You'll probably never read one in full, but knowing it exists, and that you have a right to ask about it, is useful.
On this page
- What a moving company tariff actually contains
- Tariff vs. your specific estimate
- Why understanding your mover's tariff matters even if you never read one
- Your right to ask about the tariff
- What a compliant tariff is actually required to include
- The federal government's own definition of a tariff
- The specific notice movers must give you about the tariff
- Frequently asked questions
What a moving company tariff actually contains
- Base rates for weight and distance (linehaul charges)
- Accessorial fees — charges for stairs, long carries, shuttle service, storage-in-transit, and similar add-ons
- Rules governing estimate types, cancellation policies, and claims procedures
- Valuation coverage terms and pricing
Tariff vs. your specific estimate
The tariff is the general rate structure; your estimate is that structure applied to your specific move — your weight, your distance, and the specific services you are requesting. A binding or binding-not-to-exceed estimate locks in a number regardless of the underlying tariff math, but that number was still generated from it. Think of the tariff as the formula and your estimate as the solved equation. The mover still ran your particulars through their published rates to arrive at that bottom-line figure, even if the final quote is frozen. Understanding this distinction matters because it tells you where to look if something seems off later. The tariff remains the source document, and your estimate is simply its application to one customer's circumstances.
Why understanding your mover's tariff matters even if you never read one
Understanding that accessorial fees (stairs, long carries, shuttle service) come from a published fee schedule — not an arbitrary number the crew makes up on moving day — helps you ask sharper questions upfront: "What are your accessorial fees for stairs and long carries?" is a more useful question than assuming your quote already covers every possible scenario. See our full list of common fees movers add on.
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Your right to ask about the tariff
Movers are generally required to make tariff information available to customers on request, even though it is not automatically provided. If a specific charge on your bill does not match what you expected, you can ask the company to explain exactly where in their rate structure it comes from. This is not an unusual or aggressive request — it is a standard consumer protection built into how the industry is regulated. Many customers never think to ask, assuming the paperwork they receive upfront tells the whole story. In reality, the full tariff may run dozens of pages and cover scenarios that do not appear on your one-page estimate. Getting comfortable with asking for this documentation can save you from discovering unexpected charges after your goods are already on the truck.
What a compliant tariff is actually required to include
Regulatory guidance from the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which oversees moving tariff rules, spells out what a tariff should contain:
- The company's name, address, contact information, and FMCSA licensing number
- A table of contents and definitions section
- Rate tables covering full-value liability, released rates, binding estimates, accessorial charges, and fuel surcharges
- Clear statements of liability for loss and damage
- Claims-filing instructions and arbitration details
- Bill of lading terms and conditions
Tariffs are also required to be written so a customer can actually understand them — regulations call for them to be "clear and easy to follow" rather than dense legal boilerplate. The STB specifically discourages padding a tariff out to an unreadable length, recommending it run only a few dozen pages, ideally with sample calculations showing how the rates apply in practice. (Source: Surface Transportation Board)
The federal government's own definition of a tariff
Beyond the STB's guidance on format, federal regulation actually defines the term. Under FMCSA's consumer protection rules for household goods movers, a tariff is legally defined as "an issuance...containing rates, rules, regulations, classifications or other provisions related to a motor carrier's transportation services," arranged so the exact rate and terms applicable to any given shipment can be determined. (Source: 49 CFR § 375.103)
That same regulation is where the terms binding estimate and non-binding estimate get their legal footing — both are built into the definition of what a household goods motor carrier is required to offer. In other words, the estimate you are handed is not just a company's internal paperwork; it is a document with specific federal rules behind its structure and its relationship to the underlying tariff. This has practical consequences. A mover cannot simply make up estimate formats or refuse to offer one type in favor of another. The rules define what these documents must include, how they relate to the tariff, and what happens when actual charges diverge from the estimate. Knowing this gives you firmer ground when you review paperwork and spot something that looks nonstandard.
The specific notice movers must give you about the tariff
Separate from the tariff's legal definition, federal rules require movers to actually flag its existence to you at a specific point in the process: before you sign the bill of lading, the mover must give you a notice of the availability of the applicable tariff sections used to calculate your estimate of charges. That notice has to arrive alongside a concise, accurate summary of the arbitration program and the company's complaint-handling procedure — all bundled into the same pre-signing disclosure package as your written estimate. (Source: 49 CFR § 375.213)
In practice, this is the rule that gives you standing to actually ask for the tariff sections behind your estimate before you sign anything — not just after a dispute arises. If a mover never mentioned tariff availability before you signed, that is a compliance gap worth asking about. You are within your rights to request this documentation during the shopping phase, and a company that handles many interstate moves should be accustomed to the question. Some movers will provide tariff excerpts proactively; others may hesitate or deflect. Either reaction tells you something useful. Raising the issue early also establishes a paper trail and signals that you understand how the pricing system works, which tends to focus attention on getting the details right from the start.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes — movers are generally required to make their tariff (or a summary of relevant rates and rules) available to customers on request, even though it's not typically handed over automatically.
No — your estimate is a specific price quote for your move, generated using the company's tariff as the underlying rate structure. The tariff itself is the general rulebook; your estimate is the application of it to your specific shipment.
Some effectively do, especially binding or binding-not-to-exceed estimates, which lock in a number regardless of the underlying tariff math. But that number is still calculated from their tariff-based rates and accessorial fee schedule.
For most household moves, asking specific questions about what's included and how the final price is calculated gets you more useful information faster than requesting the full tariff document — but you're within your rights to ask for it if something in your estimate doesn't make sense.