Moving: hire a professional mover

Verified 23 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You are about to move to France and you are going to call a professional? Professional movers are subject to strict regulations. We tell you the steps to follow to move in good conditions.

Step-by-step approach

The profession of mover is a regulated profession. A moving company must be entered in National Register of companies (RNE), and the register of carriers and lessors.

Registration guarantees that the company meets the conditions of professional capacity, good repute and financial standing.

Warning  

Some companies use the subcontracting without informing you, which constitutes a deceptive commercial practice and may be illegal if the subcontractor does not have the required qualifications.

You can consult the list of companies entered in the national electronic register of road transport companies and in the register of freight forwarders to check whether the mover you are about to take is included.

Provision of service

The mover must take care of:

  • loading furniture to your old home,
  • the transport of your furniture
  • and unloading it at the new home.

Please note

The mover is not obliged to pack your furniture. This is usually a (paid) option of the contract offered to you.

Display of service rates

The mover must post his prices on the premises of his company, including:

  • the price of labor,
  • the price of traction per volume range with a fixed term and a mileage term,
  • the cost of lost supplies,
  • the price of the rental of small equipment.

It must also provide you with the total price excluding VAT and VATand the duration of validity of the quote and all the general terms and conditions of sale before the signature.

Information on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted to deliver the service

The mover must inform you about the greenhouse gas emissions generated by his trips.

Professional third party liability insurance contract

The mover is liable in case of fault on his part or on the part of his employees resulting in the loss or breakage of an object (for example, a product was poorly packaged).

He must also answer for the delay or failure to deliver and for the damage caused to the common parts of the buildings during the move.

It is for these reasons that the professional must have taken out a contract of professional liability insurance (RCP).

This insurance is intended to cover any damage that the mover may cause to you, or to third parties, in connection with the performance of the moving service.

Expenses arising from damage caused by the mover are covered by the insurance (damages, indemnities,...).

The mover must give you a free quote before the signing of a moving contract.

You do not have to pay for this quote: it is free.

The quotation must be accompanied by the general terms and conditions of the moving contract offered by the company.

The quotation or the general terms and conditions of the contract must contain the following mandatory information:

  • Contact details of the company
  • Customer name and address
  • Expected date or period for the move
  • Place of loading, place of delivery and distance between the two
  • Date of writing of the quote
  • Indication of the volume of furniture
  • Type of trip to be made (tour package or special trip)
  • Precise definition of the chosen service (example: packing by the company or by the customer, disassembly and assembly of furniture...)
  • Steps to be taken if the customer wants to make a reservation in case of loss or breakage of a property
  • Precise information on payment (payment deadline, in 1 or more installments, payment methods accepted)
  • Extent of company liability and steps to seek compensation (amicable, arbitral, judicial proceedings)
  • Amount excluding taxes (HT) and all taxes included (TTC) of the move and mention that this price is final. The mover may not charge any additional costs unless the original quote is modified and with the customer's agreement.

FYI  

In case of absence of one of these mentions, the contract remains valid.

The mover must give you a quote that indicates the total price you have to pay after the move.

The rules for signing the quote vary depending on whether you have been the subject of a canvassing at home or not:

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

You haven't been approached at home

If you sign the quotation, you agree to let the company make the move under the conditions that are mentioned in the quotation and in the general conditions. So you can't change your mind

After signing, the company may ask you to pay an advance or of deposit.

If, after paying this advance, you decide to no longer let the company make the move, you will not be able to recover your money.

Conversely, if the mover renounces the performance of the contract, he will have to reimburse you twice the deposit.

FYI  

You can ask for an additional quote if you want to add a service (for example the assembly of furniture).

You were approached at home

If you have been approached at home and signed the quote on the day of the mover's visit, you benefit from a reflection period of 14 calendar days to change your mind.

This period starts from the day after the signature of the quote.

The company may not demand any payment from you before the expiration of this period.

After the cooling-off period has expired, the company may ask you to pay an advance or of deposit.

If, after paying this advance, you decide to no longer let the company make the move, you will not be able to recover your money.

Conversely, if the mover renounces the performance of the contract, he will have to reimburse you twice the deposit.

FYI  

You can ask for an additional quote if you want to add a service (for example the assembly of furniture).

Moving contract

The mover must submit a moving contract.

The moving contract is made after the quote has been signed.

The contract summarizes the specificities of the service and must include clauses specifying:

  • the nature and purpose of the move,
  • the conditions of performance of the service as regards transport itself,
  • the conditions for the removal and delivery of the transported objects,
  • the respective obligations of the sender, the mover and the consignee,
  • the price of the move and the expected ancillary services.

The contract is accompanied by the general conditions of sale of the move. These define the responsibilities in the event of a dispute, and the obligations of the mover throughout the move. For example, make the move at the agreed dates and times, protect your goods during transport, meet delivery deadlines, compensate in case of loss or damage.

Declaration of value to be completed

The declaration of value is a mandatory document that allows you to notify the amount of your furniture, to declare it to the insurance. It makes it possible to judge the amounts of compensation in the event of damage during the move.

In general, it is the mover who gives you the declaration of value form to fill out.

FYI  

In the absence of a declaration of value, compensation may be severely limited.

Consignment note

The mover must prepare a consignment note. It is a document used to organize the transport of objects by road (furniture, goods).

The document describes the move, as agreed with the mover, and provides for the possibility to indicate reservations.

It must be dated and must mention the following elements:

  • Name, address and Siren number or intra-Community identification number of the moving company
  • Customer name and address
  • Mode of execution of the transport
  • Nature, weight or capacity of the articles to be transported
  • Loading and delivery locations
  • Deadline for loading and delivery operations.

The consignment note shall be drawn up in 4 copies for the following purposes:

  • 1 copy constitutes the strain. It is kept by the company.
  • 1 copy is given to the customer before the move. It is double the strain.
  • 1 copy shall be given to the executing staff or, if not, to an executing company or to a corresponding consignee, together with the furniture during transport. This copy shall constitute the delivery note. You have to put a discharge after the move and if necessary, your reserves. It is kept by the company.
  • 1 copy is the duplicate of the delivery note. It is given to you at the end of the move.

The consignment note can be issued in paper or electronic version (by email).

If the consignment note is made out on paper, at least one copy of this document must be on board the vehicle.

If the consignment note is made out in electronic form, the document must be capable of being transmitted or communicated. It is constituted solely by an electronic support located on board the vehicle, in particular a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Delivery report

The mover must deliver a delivery note. It is a copy of the consignment note that must be presented to you at the end of the move for you to sign it.

Your signature gives a discharge to the moving company for the transport of the transported objects. This does not guarantee that everything went well.

In case of problems (damaged or lost furniture for example), you must put reservations on the delivery note. The document is kept by the moving company, but you must receive a copy.

The delivery note must clearly state the following:

  • Possibility of issuing reservations after delivery
  • Complaint procedures
  • Claim deadlines.

Note

The mover must give you a note.  If the amount is different from the amount of the quote you have accepted, it must state the reasons for the difference precisely and explicitly.

If at the time of delivery you notice damage or missing items, you must make reservations (precisely) on the delivery note before signing it.

In this case, 2 hypotheses are possible:

  • If the mover does not dispute the reservations you have made, you can quantify your damage before making your refund request.
  • If the mover disputes the reservations you have made, you must send a letter of protest to the mover within 10 days from the day of the claim.

If you notice damage or missing items after the removal of the movers, you always have the possibility to make a claim within a time:

  • 10 days following receipt of his property to protest,
  • 3 months if the mover has not clearly indicated the procedure to follow in case of protest.

In the 2 cases, you will have to transmit a reasoned protest by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt for the purpose of claiming compensation within the limits of the guarantee amounts specified in the contract.

For damaged objects, you can contact the company directly to claim compensation.

In case of refusal, you can have recourse to a third party (consumer association, mediation) or to justice.

You can play the guarantee legal protection included in home insurance.

However, the mover's liability may be excluded in the following cases:

  • Force majeure
  • Vice of the thing carried
  • Fault on your part.

Make a claim with the company

You can make a claim to the moving company within 10 days calendar days from the reception (or non-reception) of the objects.

This period is extended to 3 months if the company has not informed you of the 10-day period to make reservations upon receipt.

Your complaint must be made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

You can use a template letter to write your mail:

Make a claim for lost or broken items during a move

You may claim compensation up to the amount of the guarantee specified in the moving contract. This limit corresponds to the total compensation of your furniture or per piece of furniture or object according to the declaration of value that you have completed.

Please note

The mover can however pretend a case of force majeure to refuse to compensate you (for example, a drunk driver who crashed into the moving truck that was properly parked).

Engage a consumer association

You can call on a consumer association to be supported and helped in your approach.

Use an amicable dispute resolution method

In case of persistent dispute with the mover (refusal to establish a quote, refusal to refund a broken object...), you can ask a third party to intervene.

Sometimes, the method of amicable resolution is provided for in the contract (or in the delivery note).

You can contact a mediator of the professional sector (French Federation of Movers or Consumer Ombudsman).

You can also contact a conciliator of justice independent.

Seizing Justice

If mediation or conciliation has failed, you can take the matter to court.

You can ask for damages for the damage suffered. For example, to get a refund for a broken object.

You must take legal action within 1 year from the date of delivery.

The court having jurisdiction depends on the sums at stake in the dispute.

  • For a dispute less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
  • For a dispute greater than €10,000, it's the court of law.
Who shall I contact

You may apply to the court of the location where the moving business has its seat or to the court of the location where the move was made.

Moving overseas or internationally

If you are moving overseas or internationally, it is strongly advised to follow the following steps:

  • Request quotes from several companies
  • Check the company's qualification and experience
  • Ensure that the company is well insured
  • Inquire about the services offered by the company

As regards administrative formalities, these vary according to the country of destination. You can ask the consular services of the country to which you are moving.

Finally, be sure to take out insurance in case of loss or theft of your objects during transport.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • 0809 540 550 DGCCRF - ConsoResponse

    Are you having a problem following a purchase? Do you have a question about a point of law before buying or ordering?

    You can get an answer from an agent of the DGCCRF: titleContent by calling the 0809,540,550.

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