By the Templateez Team · Licensed Attorney · June 2026

Moving Services Intake Forms: What Moving Companies Need to Capture at Client Intake

A moving company that shows up on move day without knowing the client has a third-floor walkup, a 600-pound gun safe in the basement, and a building that requires a certificate of insurance 48 hours in advance is going to burn through its schedule, lose money on the job, and start the customer relationship with a crisis. Most of that damage is preventable. The intake form is where you prevent it.

Too many moving companies collect a name, a pickup address, a delivery address, and a preferred date. That is a lead form, not an intake form. A real moving services intake form captures everything your crew needs to estimate accurately, staff correctly, show up prepared, and protect the company when something goes wrong. Here is what belongs on it.

Move type: the job profile drives everything else

The single most important field on a moving intake form is move type, because it determines your pricing model, your staffing, your equipment, your insurance requirements, and in some cases your regulatory obligations. Your intake should capture the specific category:

• Local move — same city or metropolitan area, typically billed hourly. The simplest profile from a regulatory standpoint, but the one where accurate time estimation matters most because the client is watching the clock.
• Long-distance move — intrastate but beyond your local radius. Pricing usually shifts from hourly to a weight-based or cubic-foot flat rate. Requires a written estimate under most state regulations.
• Interstate move — crossing state lines. This triggers federal regulation. Your company must hold an active USDOT number and be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Your intake form should capture your DOT number and MC number, because every document you produce for an interstate move — estimate, bill of lading, inventory sheet — needs them.
• Commercial or office move — businesses, medical offices, law firms. These moves involve cubicle disassembly, server racks, file cabinets full of confidential records, and hard deadlines tied to lease terms. They almost always happen on weekends or overnight. Your intake needs to capture building management requirements, loading dock availability, freight elevator reservations, and after-hours access procedures.
• Specialty move — pianos, hot tubs, antiques, gun safes, artwork, pool tables, grandfather clocks. These items require specialized equipment (piano boards, custom crating, climate-controlled transport) and often separate pricing. Your intake should have a dedicated specialty-item section rather than burying these in a general inventory list.
• Labor-only — the client has the truck, they just need bodies to load and unload. Different liability profile, different pricing model, and your crew needs to know the truck dimensions and loading height before they arrive.
• Packing services — full-service packing, partial packing (fragiles only), or unpacking at destination. Each level has different material costs and time requirements. Full-service packing can add an entire day to the job.

Origin and destination: more than two addresses

Every moving company captures addresses. Very few capture the logistical details at each address that actually determine how the move day unfolds. Your intake needs both sides of the move in equal detail:

At the origin:

• Full address — including unit or apartment number, building name, and cross streets if the location is difficult to find.
• Floor level — ground floor, second floor, tenth floor. For multi-story buildings: is there an elevator? What are the elevator dimensions? Can it fit a mattress standing upright? If no elevator, how many flights of stairs?
• Parking and driveway access — can a 26-foot truck park in the driveway, or does the crew need to double-park on a city street? Is there a loading zone that requires a permit? How far is the walk from the truck to the front door? Long carries — anything over 75 feet — add time and often trigger surcharges that should be disclosed at intake, not invoiced as a surprise.
• Loading dock — for commercial moves, is there a dock? What are the dock hours? Does the building require advance scheduling?
• Building rules — does the building or HOA require a certificate of insurance (COI)? Is there a move-in/move-out window (e.g., 9 AM to 5 PM weekdays only)? Does the building require elevator padding or floor protection? Is there a refundable deposit? These requirements can block the entire move if your team discovers them on move day.

At the destination: Capture all the same fields. The destination often has stricter requirements than the origin, especially in managed buildings, gated communities, and commercial properties where the client is a new tenant and has not yet learned all the building's rules. If your client is moving into a Manhattan co-op that requires COI naming the building as additional insured, elevator reservation two weeks in advance, and move-in only between 9 AM and 4 PM on weekdays, you need to know that before you quote a Saturday move.

Inventory: room by room, item by item

The accuracy of your estimate lives or dies on the inventory. A client who says "it's a two-bedroom apartment, not much stuff" and then has a fully loaded garage, a storage unit, and a shed full of power tools is a job that is going to run over on time, over on weight, and into overtime on labor. Your intake should capture inventory systematically:

Room-by-room item list. Walk through each room: living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, additional bedrooms, bathrooms, home office, garage, basement, attic, outdoor areas, storage unit. For each room, capture furniture pieces, box estimates, and any items requiring special handling.

High-value items. These need their own section with declared values. Electronics — large-screen TVs, desktop computers, home theater systems. Artwork — framed paintings, sculptures, gallery pieces. Antiques — heirloom furniture, vintage collections. Jewelry and small valuables — these typically should travel with the client, not on the truck, and your intake form is where you make that recommendation. For every high-value item, capture the declared value. This number drives the insurance conversation and establishes the baseline for any future claim.

Disassembly and reassembly. Beds (platform beds, bunk beds, four-poster frames), desks, bookshelves, entertainment centers, dining tables with removable leaves, sectional sofas. Your crew needs to know what is coming apart and going back together so they bring the right tools and allocate the right time. A king-sized platform bed with twelve bolts and a headboard is thirty minutes of disassembly and thirty minutes of reassembly — an hour of labor that does not appear in any inventory count.

Appliance disconnect and reconnect. Washer, dryer, refrigerator (ice maker water line), gas stove (requires a licensed plumber or gas fitter to disconnect and reconnect), dishwasher. Some of these your crew can handle. Some require a third-party tradesperson. Your intake should identify which appliances are moving so you can coordinate accordingly.

Items movers will not move. Every reputable moving company has a prohibited items list, and the intake form is where you disclose it. Hazardous materials — paint, solvents, propane tanks, gasoline, aerosol cans. Ammunition and firearms (some companies move firearms in locked cases; others refuse entirely). Live plants (most long-distance carriers will not transport them because they cannot survive in a sealed trailer). Perishable food. Flammable liquids. Personal documents and irreplaceable items the client should transport personally. List these on the intake form so the client has time to make alternative arrangements, not on move morning when they are standing in the driveway holding a can of paint thinner.

Move date and logistics

Moving is one of the few service industries where the date is not just a preference — it is often a contractual obligation tied to a lease end date, a closing date, or an employer relocation deadline. Your intake should capture the scheduling picture fully:

• Preferred move date — the client's first choice.
• Flexibility window — can the client move a day earlier or later if your schedule is tight? Weekend vs. weekday flexibility? This is where you manage peak-season demand. A client willing to move on a Tuesday in July saves you a crew on the Saturday that is already triple-booked.
• Estimated load time — based on the inventory, how long will loading take? This sets the client's expectation for when the truck leaves the origin.
• Estimated drive time — for long-distance and interstate moves. Does the route include tolls? Multiple-day drives? Overnight stops?
• Storage requirements — does the client need storage between the origin move-out and the destination move-in? Short-term (a few days to bridge a gap between closing dates), long-term (months, for a client relocating before their new home is ready), or climate-controlled (for temperature-sensitive items like electronics, leather furniture, wine collections, or artwork). Storage adds a second handling — load into storage, then load out of storage — which doubles the labor on those items and should be quoted separately.

Insurance and valuation: the field most movers underexplain

Insurance is the area where moving companies face the most disputes, the most complaints, and the most regulatory scrutiny. It is also the area where most intake forms do the least work. Your intake needs to explain the options clearly and capture the client's selection:

• Released value protection — this is the default coverage that interstate movers must provide at no additional charge. It covers your belongings at $0.60 per pound per article. That means a 50-pound flat-screen TV worth $2,000 is covered for $30. Most clients do not understand this until after something breaks. Your intake form is where you make it clear.
• Full replacement value protection — the client's items are covered at their current replacement value, subject to a deductible. This costs more and is optional, but it is the coverage most clients actually want once they understand the alternative. Capture the deductible amount the client selects (typically $250, $500, or $1,000 — higher deductibles lower the premium).
• Third-party moving insurance — some clients purchase separate moving insurance from a third-party provider. Your intake should ask whether the client has obtained outside coverage and, if so, capture the provider name and policy number. This matters if a claim is filed, because the adjuster needs to know which policies are in play.
• Declared value for high-value items — items worth more than $100 per pound (jewelry, electronics, fine art) should be declared individually with their value. Under FMCSA regulations for interstate moves, the mover's liability for any single article cannot exceed the declared value unless the client provides a specific written declaration.

This is not a section to rush through. A client who selected released value because the intake form presented it as "standard coverage" without explaining what $0.60 per pound means in practice is a client who will file a complaint with the FMCSA, leave a one-star review, and pursue a claim in small claims court when their $4,000 dining table arrives with a cracked leg and the settlement offer is $36.

Pricing: binding vs. non-binding and the surcharge landscape

Moving pricing is more complex than most service industries because of the number of variables and because federal regulations govern how estimates are structured for interstate moves. Your intake form should establish the pricing framework clearly:

• Binding estimate vs. non-binding estimate — a binding estimate guarantees the price will not exceed the quoted amount, even if the actual weight or time exceeds the estimate. A non-binding estimate is the mover's best guess, and the final price can be higher. For interstate moves, FMCSA regulations require that binding estimates be in writing and that non-binding estimates cannot exceed 110% of the original estimate at delivery (the balance is due within 30 days). Your intake should identify which type of estimate the client is receiving.
• Hourly rate vs. flat rate — local moves are typically hourly (per crew member, per hour). Long-distance moves are typically flat rate based on weight or cubic footage. Your intake should state the model and the rate.
• Minimum hours — most local movers have a 2-hour or 3-hour minimum. Disclose it on the intake form.
• Travel time charges — many companies charge for the crew's travel time from the warehouse to the origin and from the destination back to the warehouse. This is a legitimate cost, but clients who discover it on the invoice feel deceived. Put it on the intake form.
• Surcharges — stair carry (per flight), elevator wait time, long carry (distance from truck to door), shuttle service (if the truck cannot reach the building and items must be transferred to a smaller vehicle), bulky or overweight items, weekend or holiday rates, peak season premiums (June through August). Each of these should be listed with its rate so the client can see the full cost picture before signing.
• Packing material costs — boxes, tape, bubble wrap, wardrobe boxes, dish packing kits, mattress covers, furniture pads. Are these included in the quote or itemized separately? If separately, provide estimated quantities and per-unit costs.
• Fuel surcharge — a percentage or flat fee added for fuel costs, especially on long-distance moves. Common and legitimate, but must be disclosed.
• Tip policy — your company does not set the tip, but many clients ask about it. A brief note on the intake form that tipping is at the client's discretion saves your office staff from fielding this question on every call.

Payment terms: deposit, balance, and accepted methods

Moving is one of the few industries where the customer pays the majority of the bill at the moment of delivery — often in the driveway, with all of their belongings still on the truck. This creates a unique power dynamic and a legitimate source of anxiety for clients. Your intake form should lay out the payment structure transparently:

• Deposit or booking fee — how much is due to reserve the date? Is it refundable if the client cancels before a certain deadline? Is it applied to the final balance?
• Payment schedule — typically deposit at booking, balance due at delivery before unloading begins. For large or multi-day moves, some companies collect a partial payment at origin (after loading) and the remainder at destination. Whatever your structure, document it.
• Accepted payment methods — cash, certified check, credit card, money order. For interstate moves, FMCSA requires that movers accept at least one form of payment other than cash or certified check at delivery. If you accept credit cards, note any processing fees.
• Cancellation and reschedule policy — how much notice is required for a full refund of the deposit? Is there a cancellation fee? Can the client reschedule without penalty if done more than a certain number of days in advance? Moving dates shift constantly — closing dates get pushed, leases get extended, relocations get delayed. Your cancellation policy should be clear and fair, and the intake form is where the client first sees it.

Liability: pre-move documentation and the claims process

Damage claims are an unavoidable part of the moving business. Furniture gets scratched. Boxes get crushed. Items disappear between origin and destination. Your intake form should establish the documentation and claims framework before any of that happens:

Pre-move condition documentation. Your crew should document the condition of the client's property (walls, floors, doorframes, elevators) and high-value items before loading begins. Your intake form should notify the client that this documentation will happen and encourage them to take their own photographs as well. A time-stamped photo of a hardwood floor before the move is worth more than any amount of argument about whether the scratch was pre-existing.

Claims process. How does the client file a damage claim? In writing? Through an online portal? Within what time frame? Your intake should outline the process so the client knows what to do if something goes wrong, rather than defaulting to a Google review or a credit card chargeback.

Filing deadline. For interstate moves, FMCSA regulations give the client nine months from the date of delivery to file a written claim. The mover then has 30 days to acknowledge the claim and 120 days to pay, deny, or make a settlement offer. Your intake form should reference these deadlines — they protect the client and they protect you by establishing a clear timeline.

Dispute resolution. Does your company use arbitration? Mediation? For interstate moves, FMCSA requires that movers participate in an arbitration program and offer it to the shipper for disputes. Your intake form should disclose your dispute resolution process and, if applicable, identify the arbitration program you use.

Customer responsibilities: the pre-move checklist

The client has obligations too, and your intake form is where you establish them. A crew that arrives to a home where nothing is packed, the pathways are cluttered, drawers are full, and there is no parking within 200 feet is going to take twice as long as estimated. Set expectations at intake:

• Fragile items packed or flagged — if the client is self-packing, fragile items must be wrapped and boxed before the crew arrives. Loose items in dresser drawers should be removed. Liquids must be sealed and packed upright.
• Drawers emptied — heavy dressers with full drawers are a back injury and a damage claim waiting to happen. Drawers should be emptied of heavy items (books, tools, small appliances) before the crew arrives.
• Pathways cleared — hallways, doorways, and staircases should be clear of obstacles. Rugs that could cause a trip hazard should be rolled up. Exterior walkways should be shoveled and salted in winter.
• Parking reserved — if the client is in a city or a managed building, they may need to reserve a loading zone, obtain a parking permit for the truck, or arrange for cones to block a space. This can take days to arrange through a city permitting office — not something to discover on move morning.
• Building notification — the client should notify their building management, HOA, or landlord of the move date and comply with any requirements (COI, elevator reservation, deposit, move hours). Your intake form should remind them and provide a deadline for when this needs to be done.
• Appliance preparation — refrigerators should be defrosted 24 hours before the move. Washing machines should be drained and have transit bolts installed. Gas appliances should be disconnected by a licensed professional before the crew arrives.
• Valuables and essentials removed — medications, important documents, jewelry, car keys, laptop, phone chargers, and one change of clothes should travel with the client, not on the truck. Your intake form should include this as an explicit reminder.

Putting it together: the intake form as your operating system

A moving company that captures all of this at intake — move type, both locations in detail, a real inventory, insurance selections, transparent pricing, clear payment terms, documented liability procedures, and a client responsibility checklist — has eliminated most of the surprises that cause moves to go sideways. The intake form becomes the single document that your estimator references when quoting, your dispatcher references when scheduling, your crew chief references when loading, and your office references when a client calls with a question or a complaint.

If your intake is a name, an address, and a date, you are flying blind on every job. If your intake captures what actually matters, you are running a moving company that quotes accurately, performs professionally, and protects itself when things go wrong. Every move has friction. The intake form is where you identify it before it becomes a problem.

For companies that handle home-related services beyond moving, see our guide on home remodeling intake forms — the project scoping and property documentation overlap is significant, especially for clients who are renovating before or after a move.

If you are building documentation across a multi-trade operation, the Trade Services Bundle includes moving services alongside 51 other service categories, each with trade-specific intake fields.