Items movers won't move
A refusal is usually about safety or about insurance the carrier does not hold, not about the size of the item. The rules below come from federal hazardous-materials regulation and from state consumer rules on what a carrier must disclose before the move.
Hazardous materials
- Federal — Federal interstate moving rules say federal law forbids shipping hazardous materials in household goods without informing the mover, and doing so can limit the mover's liability.
- Federal — Federal hazardous-materials classes include explosives, gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidizers and organic peroxides, poisonous and infectious substances, radioactive material, and corrosives.
- Federal — EPA lists paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides as household products that can contain hazardous ingredients.
- Washington — Washington's commission says movers will not accept explosives, dangerous goods, or items liable to damage the mover's equipment or other property.
Items a mover may carry but won't cover
- Washington — In Washington, movers are not responsible for valuable papers and currency, jewelry and precious metals, items of extraordinary value, temperature-controlled items, pets, live plants, perishables, or pressed-board furniture.
- North Carolina — North Carolina defines items of extraordinary value as worth more than $100 per pound; unlisted items may be limited to $100 per pound per article.
- North Carolina — North Carolina caps mover liability on ready-to-assemble particle-board furniture at $0.60 per pound per article or $50 per article, whichever is greater, regardless of valuation.
What to move yourself
- North Carolina — North Carolina's commission recommends transporting jewelry, collections, cash, guns, documents, tax records, and other irreplaceable items yourself.
Getting rid of what you won't move
- Federal — EPA describes pouring household hazardous waste down drains, on the ground, or into storm sewers, and sometimes trashing it, as improper disposal.
- Federal — EPA says many communities run household hazardous waste collections and advises contacting the local environmental, health, or solid waste agency.
- Federal — EPA advises keeping hazardous products in their original, labeled containers.
Tell the mover early
- Washington — Washington's commission says items left off the estimate add to the cost, and the mover must have you sign a supplemental estimate before extra services.
Where these rules come from
- Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission consumer guide to moving
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 49 CFR Part 375 Appendix A (Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move)
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 49 CFR 173.2 (hazardous material classes)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- North Carolina Utilities Commission
Each rule above applies inside the state named beside it. Other states regulate intrastate moves differently, so confirm the rule where you are moving before you rely on it.