The order for service

The order for service (OFS) is the customer's signed request for the move, before moving day. It confirms what was agreed when they booked: the dates, the addresses, the services, the estimate and its type, the valuation and the payment terms.

Why it matters

• It turns a quote into a commitment on both sides, with the customer's signature and the date.
• It records the estimate type — binding, non-binding or flat rate — and the price.
• It is where the customer accepts your terms and policies (cancellation, deposit, payment methods).
• On the day, it is the crew's reference for what was sold.

Interstate moves

For interstate household goods, the federal rules used to require a separate order for service (49 CFR 375.501). Its contents now sit in the bill of lading (49 CFR 375.505), which is to be signed at least three days before loading. Many movers still send a signed order for service as the booking document, and say it becomes part of the bill of lading.

Local moves

For local moves, the order for service (or "estimate signature" or "booking confirmation") is usually the customer's signed acceptance of the hourly or flat price and your policies. Your state may require particular wording.

In MoveBoard

• The customer signs the estimate or order for service online from their portal when they book. See Order for Service and estimate signing.
• The documents and their words are set in Settings › Documents & bill of lading › Estimate & order for service.
• MoveBoard's long-distance default follows the federal rules — the estimate type and its meaning, the required notices and booklets, the valuation choice and the pickup and delivery windows.
• If the job changes on the day, the crew can show the order for service on site and write a change order — see Order for Service on site and Change orders in moving.