When the truck reaches the new address, the driver may hand you a delivery receipt, a copy of the inventory, and a bill. These papers can look familiar without being the same versions you saw at pickup. Use the pickup copies as your reference. Check that the shipment number, carrier, inventory pages, item descriptions, and previously noted exceptions still match. Then record what actually arrived before signing a receipt that says the shipment was delivered.
For an interstate household move, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says the inventory made at pickup records the existence and condition of each item. At delivery, you should check the delivered goods against that inventory and note missing or newly damaged items. FMCSA’s delivery guidance says a mover will normally expect a signed receipt and inventory pages, but a delivery document must not purport to release the mover from liability. A careful comparison lets you acknowledge what was received without stating more than you know.
Set out the pickup file before unloading
Find the complete signed inventory from origin, including continuation pages and any handwritten or digital exceptions. Add the pickup bill of lading, order for service, written changes, and any notice that a shipment was split or stored. Do this before the truck arrives if possible. Searching a phone while the crew waits at the door invites a rushed signature.
Read the bill-of-lading or shipment number on the delivery papers first. The legal carrier name, shipper name, and destination should match the shipment you gave the mover. A warehouse or agent name might also appear, but ask why if the delivering company differs from the carrier that accepted the goods. Record who is delivering and the vehicle identification when the paperwork calls for it. A different driver is common; an unexplained different shipment identity is not something to ignore.
Count the inventory pages. A page missing from a packet can hide an item even when the last page shows a total. Check page sequence, revision date or timestamp, and whether the pickup exceptions are carried forward. Do not rely on the delivery crew’s summary number alone. If the driver has a digital version, ask to see all pages and obtain a copy you can retain. The fact that an app says “complete” does not show which item lines it marked complete.
If the mover says a newer copy replaced the pickup inventory, ask what changed and when. A corrected item description or reboxed carton may have a sensible explanation. Compare both versions and preserve the earlier one. Do not let the carrier overwrite the only copy showing a disagreement you noted before loading. For an interstate move, FMCSA’s pickup guidance says the complete mover-prepared inventory is attached to the bill of lading as an integral part; keep that original relationship visible in your records.
Compare pieces as they come through the door
Have one person mark each numbered item on the pickup inventory as it is unloaded. Another person can direct furniture to rooms. If you are alone, ask the crew to slow briefly enough for you to identify pieces. Use the mover’s inventory number when it is visible. If a tag fell off, use the description, room, dimensions, or another identifying feature. Do not mark a line received merely because a similar carton is in the room.
Pay attention to grouped entries. “Four dining chairs” should yield four chairs; a bed described as a set should include the identified frame, rails, and hardware if the paperwork says so. If a carton was repacked after pickup, ask which original number it replaces. A surplus box may be yours, but confirm before treating a missing numbered carton as delivered under another number.
Keep separate marks for “seen,” “not yet seen,” and “problem.” An unchecked line while unloading is still underway is not necessarily a loss. When the truck is empty, revisit every unresolved line with the driver. Ask the crew to search the vehicle, blankets, and any separated load if appropriate. If the shipment traveled on multiple vehicles, confirm in writing which items are on the other vehicle and when they are expected. Do not write “all received” when part of the shipment remains elsewhere.
The same principle applies when the mover uses a scan-based delivery system. Ask to see the item list behind the scanned total. A scan may prove a tag was read, but it may not establish the condition of the item under wrapping or the contents of a carton. If the system groups several pieces under one code, have the crew explain the group and reconcile the actual count.
Compare condition with the pickup notation
A pickup entry may say “small scuff on rear leg.” At delivery, check that leg and the rest of the item. If the leg is now broken, do not let the old scuff entry stand as the whole condition story. Note the newly observed break, the item number, and the location. If there is no new damage, do not mark damage merely because the old scuff is visible. The two columns should tell a chronological story.
Inspect before protective wrap is discarded when possible, but do not let the crew remove heavy furniture or glass unsafely for a photograph. Ask them to place the item where it can be viewed. If an item remains boxed and you cannot inspect its contents at the door, record that limitation. “Carton 68 received, contents not yet inspected” says what you know. It is different from a statement that all contents are intact.
Bring a previously disputed pickup exception to the driver’s attention. If you noted that a mirror frame had no crack before loading but the pickup form claimed it did, compare that exact area at delivery and add the delivery observation. The driver may not have been at origin. Show the dated pickup copy rather than reciting the disagreement from memory. Keep the discussion about the item and the record, not about accusing the delivery crew of causing damage it may not have witnessed.
FMCSA’s rights booklet says new damage discovered at delivery should be recorded on the inventory and brought to the mover’s attention so the mover’s copy also reflects it. Ask to see the notation on both copies or in the final digital export. If the driver types a comment that does not appear on your copy, request a corrected version before signing. A note kept only on your own scratch pad may be harder to connect to the carrier’s delivery record.
Read the receipt before you sign
A delivery receipt can acknowledge that goods arrived, but read every sentence. FMCSA says an interstate mover’s delivery receipt or shipping document must not contain language that purports to release or discharge the mover or its agents from liability. The agency advises striking out such language before signing or refusing delivery if the mover will not provide a proper receipt. Do not confuse a simple acknowledgment of apparent condition, subject to your notations, with a release of all claims. If unsure, ask the carrier to explain the clause and get a copy.
Look for a preprinted phrase such as “received in apparent good condition except as noted.” If missing or damaged items are apparent, note them on the document and make sure the exception remains visible in the version you sign. A bare signature on an unmarked “all received” form may conflict with what you saw. If you have not finished counting, tell the driver what remains unresolved and write that down. Do not rely on a verbal promise that the office will add it later.
On paper, write legibly, identify item numbers, and have the driver acknowledge the note. In a digital app, ask where the exception appears and view the final screen or PDF. Save it before the crew leaves. If the system offers only a signature box and no way to review or annotate the delivered item list, ask for another way to record the exception on the carrier’s document. Send a dated follow-up to the carrier if a technical limitation remains, with the same item numbers and observations.
Do not sign a blank receipt or a form with missing pages. If the driver says an absent page will be attached later, mark the missing page or refuse to confirm the entire inventory until it is available. You can acknowledge the portion you received without asserting that the unseen portion was complete. Keep a photograph or copy of what was actually presented.
Keep payment and delivery acknowledgment distinct
A driver may need payment under the written agreement before unloading. That question is separate from whether every item arrived. Compare the bill with the binding or nonbinding estimate, order for service, bill of lading, and authorized additional services. Do not make an inventory correction by scribbling on a payment receipt, and do not treat payment as proof the shipment was complete.
For interstate moves, FMCSA’s delivery guidance sets limits on the amount a mover may demand at delivery under binding and nonbinding estimates, with rules for requested additional services and impracticable operations. Those amounts depend on the contract. If a charge surprises you, see the unexpected-payment response guide before deciding how to proceed. Keep a dated copy of any invoice and payment receipt with the delivery packet.
A split shipment complicates both records. If part of the load arrives later, ask for a separate receipt or clear notation showing which numbers arrived today. FMCSA’s delivery guidance addresses charges when a shipment is carried on more than one vehicle. Your own tally should distinguish “not on this vehicle” from “missing after all vehicles have delivered.” Do not permit a single clean signature to erase that difference.
After the crew leaves
Make a clean copy of the delivery paperwork and your marked pickup inventory. Put the documents in one folder, with the original and final versions labeled by date. Photograph newly discovered damage before repair, cleaning, or disposal, and note the inventory number and when you found it. Keep cartons and packing material when they may help show how an item was handled. Do not delay reporting a problem merely because you are still unpacking the rest of the home.
For an interstate move, FMCSA says a written loss-or-damage claim must be filed with the mover within nine months of delivery. A delivery notation is useful, but it is not necessarily a formal written claim. FMCSA’s problem guidance says to ask the mover for its claim form and complete it, though a written claim need not be on the company form. Keep proof of submission and the carrier’s response. The pickup and delivery records help describe what was tendered, what was returned, and when a discrepancy was first recorded.
A photograph of a broken item is not a substitute for the item’s place on the inventory. Conversely, a missing inventory line does not mean you should abandon a concern. Collect the purchase or ownership evidence, relevant photos, messages, and any witness account you have, and explain the gap in the written claim. The documents may not answer every question, but they can narrow it.
If the carrier disputes the loss or will not provide documents, identify the proper channel. FMCSA can take complaints about interstate movers, but it says it cannot resolve individual loss-and-damage claims. Its dispute settlement information and the mover’s claim process may matter, and state consumer agencies may have roles in other cases. The help-channel guide separates those paths. Keep your copies even if the first person you contact cannot resolve the issue.
Common mismatches to catch
A changed address or unit number may be a clerical error, but it can also mean a delivery page belongs to the wrong stop. Ask for correction and check the shipment number. A missing continuation page can conceal a portion of the load. A new item number may reflect repacking; ask for the old-to-new mapping. A blank condition box at delivery does not undo a specific pickup exception. A printed “all received” statement should be qualified when numbered items are not present. Each mismatch has a different fix, so write what you observed instead of calling every difference “wrong paperwork.”
Check dates as well. The actual delivery date belongs on the receipt; it should not be silently backdated to the original promised date. If the schedule changed, keep the notice or amendment with the packet. A date mismatch may affect a billing or delay question even if the goods are complete. Ask the driver to correct it before signing, and keep the original if a revised version is issued.
If a building manager, relative, or other representative accepts the goods for you, give that person the pickup file and a clear way to reach you. Tell them which items or notes need attention. A representative should not sign “all received in good condition” just to release the elevator if they cannot compare the shipment. FMCSA advises being present or having someone trusted for loading and unloading. The representative’s record should state the observations they actually made.
For a move entirely within one state, federal interstate document and claim rules may not control. Check the state agency that regulates household movers, the mover’s contract, and its required forms. You can still use the same practical comparison: identify the shipment, match the pickup list to each delivered piece, record new problems on the carrier’s delivery copy, and retain both versions. A paper trail built at the door is much easier to use than a summary written after the boxes have been unpacked.
A five-minute final review at the truck
Before the driver leaves, compare the first and last pages of your pickup inventory with the delivery packet. Confirm the shipment number, the page count, and the signatures or electronic acknowledgments. Scan your own tally for unchecked item numbers. If any remain, ask the crew lead to identify where each one went. A piece may be in a back room, on a later vehicle, or genuinely unaccounted for. Do not choose one explanation without checking.
Read every handwritten or digital exception you entered during unloading. Make sure a cracked table leg or a missing carton is described on the mover's final copy with the correct item number. If the driver adds a note such as “customer alleges,” preserve that wording and add your own factual observation if the form permits. You need not settle responsibility at the curb. You do need a record of what was visible and disputed there.
Finally, ask how and when the final signed packet will reach you. If it is emailed, confirm the address and wait for the message if practical. Open the attachment and make sure it contains the pages you just reviewed. A photograph of the signed paper pages is a useful backup when a scanner is unavailable. Keep the final packet even when the delivery appears uneventful; it can answer later questions about a carton or a charge.
Sources
- FMCSA, Delivery of My Shipment (Subpart G)
- FMCSA, Pickup of My Shipment (Subpart E)
- FMCSA, Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move
- FMCSA, What if there are problems?