What to Do on Moving Delivery Day

Delivery day is the moment when most moving disputes either get resolved cleanly or turn into drawn-out claims. The decisions you make in the first 30 minutes after the truck arrives determine how much leverage you have if anything is damaged, lost, or short-delivered. This guide covers what to do before the truck arrives, how to receive the delivery, and what your rights are once the movers leave.

Clear pathways from the entrance to every room where furniture will be placed. Movers work faster and with fewer accidents when they are not navigating around boxes or furniture you moved yourself. Leave a clear path at least 36 inches wide through hallways and doorways.

Protect your floors. Hardwood and laminate floors scratch easily when heavy furniture is dragged. Lay down floor protection film, cardboard runners, or moving blankets in high-traffic areas before the crew arrives. Some movers bring their own floor protection, but many do not. Do not assume.

Know where the truck will park. If you live in a building or neighborhood with parking restrictions, confirm the truck has a legal spot to stage. A long carry fee applies if the truck cannot park within the allowed distance of your entrance. Arranging a parking permit or reserving a spot in advance avoids that charge.

Have your inventory list ready. You should have received a copy of the bill of lading and inventory sheet when your items were loaded. Print or pull up your copy. You will need it during unloading.

Before the crew touches a single item, do two things.

First, verify the driver's identity and the company's operating authority. Ask to see the driver's name and compare it to the name on your paperwork. Ask for the truck's USDOT number, which should be displayed on the door of the cab. Look it up at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov to confirm the company's authority is active. This takes two minutes and is the fastest way to confirm you are dealing with a legitimate carrier, not a rogue broker who handed your load to an unlicensed operation.

Second, check the truck. Walk around the exterior and note any damage to the truck itself. This is mostly informational, but it also gives you a baseline if the mover later claims items were damaged in transit due to a road incident.

Confirm the delivery address on the bill of lading matches your address. Confirm the total piece count on the inventory matches what you expect. If anything looks off before unloading begins, raise it now.

Station yourself at the door as items come off the truck. Have someone else direct placement inside. Trying to do both at once means items get placed wherever the crew decides, and inventory numbers get missed.

As each item or box comes off the truck, match it to your inventory list. Movers use numbered stickers on items. Each number corresponds to a line on the inventory sheet. Check them off as they arrive. If an item arrives with a sticker but without a matching line on the inventory, note it. If a line on your inventory does not arrive, note it.

Do a visual check on each piece of furniture as it comes in. You do not need to do a deep inspection at the door, but look for obvious damage: crushed corners, broken legs, cracked glass, torn upholstery. Set aside anything that looks wrong for a closer look before you sign.

Do not let the crew rush you. Movers are often on a schedule, and some will push to get the paperwork signed quickly. You have the right to take reasonable time to inspect before signing.

This is the most important step on delivery day. Do not sign the delivery receipt until you have documented any damage.

Take photos of every item that shows damage, before you sign anything. The timestamp on those photos matters. If you sign first and then photograph, the mover can argue the damage happened after delivery.

Note exceptions directly on the delivery receipt. The form has a section for exceptions or notations. Write a description of each damaged item by line number (e.g., "Item 14, dresser, cracked top right corner"). Your signature with written exceptions creates a paper record that damage existed at the time of delivery.

If the driver refuses to let you note exceptions on the form, that is a serious red flag. In that case, do not sign, or sign only with a written statement that your signature does not constitute acceptance of undamaged delivery. Document the refusal in writing and photograph it.

For any missing items, write "Item [number] not delivered" on the form before you sign. Do not assume a missing item will show up later without putting it on the record now.

After signing, ask for a copy of the signed delivery receipt. You are entitled to one.

Federal regulations give you nine months from the delivery date to file a damage or loss claim on an interstate move. Do not wait. File as soon as you have documented the damage, because evidence is freshest now and the mover is still legally required to respond.

The mover has 30 days to acknowledge your claim in writing. They then have 120 days to either pay, deny, or make a settlement offer. If they deny or the offer is inadequate, you can pursue arbitration (which most licensed movers are required to offer) or small claims court depending on the amount.

What you need to file a claim: the signed delivery receipt with your noted exceptions, photos taken before signing, the original inventory sheet, any receipts or appraisals that establish the item's value, and a written description of the damage.

For lost items, document their value with purchase receipts, credit card statements, or comparable listings. The mover is liable at whatever coverage level you selected: released value (60 cents per pound) or full value protection.

If the mover does not respond within the required timeframes, file a complaint with the FMCSA at fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move and with your state's consumer protection office. These complaints are on the record and can matter in arbitration.

The truck arrives late or on a different day than scheduled. For interstate moves, the delivery window is specified in your bill of lading. If delivery falls outside that window, you may be entitled to compensation. Ask the mover in writing when delivery will occur and document all communication.

The mover demands payment before unloading. For interstate moves, you are required to pay before unloading, but the amount cannot exceed the binding estimate or 110 percent of a non-binding estimate. If the mover presents an amount significantly higher than your estimate with no valid explanation, request an itemized breakdown before paying. Do not pay cash if you can avoid it.

Items are missing but the driver says they are on a separate truck. Get this in writing, with the expected delivery date. Do not sign a final delivery receipt that implies all items were delivered if they were not.

The truck shows up but the driver claims they cannot access your location. Confirm what access arrangements were made when you booked. If access is genuinely impossible, work with the mover on a redelivery date. Get any redelivery fees in writing before agreeing.