The high value inventory form is a document your mover asks you to complete to list any item in your shipment worth more than $100 per pound. Listing an item does not by itself raise your coverage, but leaving it off can limit what the mover owes you if it is lost or damaged. A cube sheet is a different document: it is the mover's estimate of your shipment's volume, not a record of your valuables. This guide covers both, with the steps to complete the form correctly.
TL;DR
- The high value inventory form lists items of extraordinary value: under the federal definition, anything worth more than $100 per pound.
- Under Full Value Protection, a mover may limit its liability for such items unless you list them on the shipping documents.
- Listing an item is not a guarantee of full reimbursement. Ask for the coverage terms in writing before moving day.
- A cube sheet estimates how much space your belongings take up. It does not record value or condition.
- Jewelry, important papers and sentimental items are often safer traveling with you than on the truck.
Table of Contents
- What the high value inventory form is
- Which belongings belong on it
- Why listing matters: coverage and liability
- How to complete the form step by step
- What is a cube sheet, and how is it different?
- Protecting fragile and sentimental items
- What to do at delivery
- Our perspective
- Getting a mover who takes this seriously
- FAQ
- Sources
What the high value inventory form is
When you move interstate, the mover prepares an inventory listing your items and their condition. The high value inventory form is a separate, shorter list for the articles that carry unusual value. Its purpose is to make the carrier aware of those items, so they are identified, handled and accounted for differently from ordinary boxes and furniture.
The federal definition is simple. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) defines a high-value article as an item in a shipment valued at more than $100 per pound ($220 per kilogram). Many movers print that threshold directly on their form, and you may see it called an "items of extraordinary value" inventory.
The form usually asks for a description of each item, its approximate value, and sometimes a serial number or a note about its condition. Requirements differ by company, so ask your mover for its version early, not on the morning the truck arrives.
Does the $100-per-pound threshold apply to every mover?
The $100 figure is the one used in the federal rules for household goods moves, and it is the figure most interstate carriers repeat. Still, the form's layout, the way it is titled and the extra detail it requests are the mover's own. Treat the threshold as the baseline and read your mover's form and tariff for anything stricter. If a mover asks you to list items below that threshold, do it. A longer list costs you nothing.
Which belongings belong on it
The $100-per-pound test is about value relative to weight, not just price. A 50-pound television worth $800 is $16 per pound and does not meet it. A one-pound watch worth $2,500 does, and so does a 3-pound piece of jewelry worth far less than you might expect. Items that commonly qualify:
- Fine jewelry, watches and loose gemstones
- Coins, stamps and other collectibles
- Small original artwork, signed prints and antiques
- Furs and designer items of small weight
- Silver, sterling flatware and crystal that is valuable per pound
- Firearms where legal to ship, along with other high-value small electronics
- Irreplaceable items such as manuscripts or heirlooms with a documented appraisal
Heavy items usually fall below the threshold even when they are expensive. A grand piano or large dining set may need special handling and separate coverage, but they typically are not what this form is built for. If you are unsure, list it and note your reasoning.
Items better kept with you
The Surface Transportation Board says that customers may wish to personally transport high-value items such as jewelry, and sentimental pieces such as family albums, rather than include them in the mover's shipment. That is practical advice. Cash, jewelry, medications, passports, deeds and a laptop with irreplaceable files are easier to protect in your car or carry-on than in a truck that will be loaded, stored or transferred between vehicles over several days.
Essential Tip: Decide which items travel with you before the mover's survey. Anything you carry yourself does not need to be on the form, and it removes the highest-risk items from the shipment.
Why listing matters: coverage and liability
This is the part many people misunderstand. The form is a disclosure, not an insurance policy.
Interstate movers must offer two liability options: Full Value Protection and Released Value. According to the FMCSA's Rights and Responsibilities booklet, Full Value Protection is more comprehensive but increases the move's cost. Released Value is the basic, lower-cost option with much more limited reimbursement.
Where the high value form comes in: the FMCSA explains that under Full Value Protection, movers may limit their liability for items of extraordinary value unless you specifically list them on the shipping documents. The same page advises customers to ask the mover for a written explanation before the move.
In practice that means:
- If you list the item, the mover is on notice that it exists and is of high value, and your coverage applies to it under the terms of your agreement.
- If you do not list it, the mover may legitimately cap what it pays at a much lower amount, even if you chose Full Value Protection.
- Listing does not promise full reimbursement. Claims are still settled under the mover's tariff and the valuation you selected, and the claim usually requires proof of value and condition.
Ask these questions in writing before you sign:
- What is the maximum the mover will pay for a listed item?
- Does the valuation I selected cover the total declared value on the form?
- Is there a deductible or an additional charge for declaring a higher value?
- Do I need a separate third-party insurance policy for fine art, collections or jewelry?
For items worth thousands of dollars, a standalone policy from an insurer, or a rider on your homeowners or renters policy, is worth checking. Your insurance agent can tell you what your current policy covers during a move.
How to complete the form step by step
- Request the form early. Ask your mover for it when you receive the estimate, ideally several weeks before the pickup date.
- Gather your items in one place. Put them in a single room so you can describe each one and show it to the crew.
- Describe each item specifically. "Gold necklace" is weak. "18-inch 14-karat gold chain with pendant, approx. 12 grams" is useful.
- Record a value you can support. Use appraisals, receipts or recent replacement-cost quotes. Do not guess high or low.
- Note condition. Existing scratches, chips or repairs belong on the form so that new damage can be identified later.
- Photograph everything. Take dated photos and short video from several angles. Include serial numbers and any maker's marks.
- Read before you sign. The FMCSA booklet tells customers to read all moving documents, check that the inventory lists every item and its condition accurately, and not to sign incomplete documents except for information that cannot yet be determined.
- Keep your copy. You need it at delivery and in the event of a claim.
If you want a clean template for the general household list before you tackle the high value one, our moving inventory list guide walks through the fields worth copying.
A worked example
Say you are moving a one-pound wristwatch worth $3,000, a 2-pound set of sterling flatware worth $900, and a 20-pound framed original painting worth $1,500. The watch is $3,000 per pound and the flatware is $450 per pound, so both exceed the threshold. The painting is $75 per pound, which falls below $100, but a prudent shipper would still mention it, because it is irreplaceable and the form is a convenient place to record its condition. Each of these gets its own line, with a description, value and photo reference.
What is a cube sheet, and how is it different?
People searching for one document often meet the other, so here is the distinction.
A cube sheet is an itemized list that records how much space each item takes up, measured in cubic feet. According to a moving-software guide, a surveyor walks through the home, lists the furniture and boxes, assigns each a cube value, and adds them up to get the shipment's total volume. That volume is then converted to an estimated weight, using an industry rule of thumb of about 7 pounds per cubic foot. On that basis, 1,000 cubic feet would weigh roughly 7,000 pounds.
| High value inventory form | Cube sheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Identifies items of extraordinary value | Estimates volume, weight and price |
| Who prepares it | You, with the mover's form | The mover's estimator or surveyor |
| What it records | Description, value, condition | Cubic feet per item and total |
| Affects | Liability and claims | Size of the truck, crew and quote |
| Your action | Complete accurately and keep a copy | Review for missing or extra items |
Because the estimate is built from the cube sheet, an incomplete list can produce a quote that is too low, and then a higher bill when the real shipment is larger. Review it line by line: if the sheet counts a sofa you are selling or leaves out the garage, tell the estimator before you accept the quote. Our guide on professional inventory auditing for long-distance moves explains how a second check on the list protects you from that gap.
Protecting fragile and sentimental items
Not every precious item meets the weight-based definition, and not every risk is about reimbursement. A broken heirloom cannot be replaced by a check. For glassware, antiques and framed pieces, careful packing matters as much as paperwork. Our guides on transporting heirloom antiques and glassware and packing fragile items with proper cushioning cover the materials and methods. For one-of-a-kind items, consider professional packing, and ask the mover whether crates are available.
What to do at delivery
The form earns its value at the other end of the move.
- Before the crew leaves, compare your delivered items against the inventory and the high value form.
- Open and inspect the listed items first, while the crew is still there.
- If you find new damage, the FMCSA says to record it on the inventory, call it to the mover's attention, and make sure it is noted before you sign.
- Photograph the damage and the packaging.
- File your claim in writing following the process in your mover's documents, and attach your copy of the form, photos and any appraisals.
Signing the delivery paperwork as clean when it is not can make a later claim harder. If an item is missing, say so before signing, and ask the driver to note it.
For more on the paperwork around the move, see our overview of mandatory documents for interstate moves and the full interstate documentation list.
Our perspective
We see the same mistake repeatedly: customers treat the high value form as an afterthought, filled out in a hurry while the crew waits. By then the choices that matter, such as the valuation level, what travels with you and what needs separate insurance, are already made.
Our view is that the form is a diligence step, and diligence starts before you pick a mover. Verify that any company you consider is licensed and insured, ask how it handles items of extraordinary value, and get the answer in writing. Because we work with pre-screened, licensed and insured movers and negotiate binding estimates, our coordinators can help you ask for the right documents up front so there are no surprises about what is covered. A dedicated coordinator also means one person to call if a listed item needs attention.
The simplest approach: carry what you cannot replace, list what you cannot carry, and keep proof of everything.
— Victor
Getting a mover who takes this seriously
If you are comparing movers for a long-distance move, we can match you with pre-screened, licensed and insured companies and help you review the estimate, the valuation options and the paperwork before you commit. Start with our long distance moving quote page, or see how full-service movers and packers handle packing, loading and delivery.
If your move is still in the planning stage, our cross-country moving timeline shows when to request forms and estimates.
FAQ
Is the high value inventory form required?
Movers generally ask for it whenever a shipment includes items of extraordinary value, and the FMCSA says that listing such items on the shipping documents is what keeps a mover from limiting its liability for them. If you have nothing above the threshold, you may not need to complete one. Ask your mover what it requires.
Does listing an item guarantee I will be reimbursed in full?
No. The form identifies the item and puts the mover on notice, but any payment follows the valuation you selected and the mover's terms. Ask for the coverage explanation in writing, and consider separate insurance for items of significant value.
What counts as an item of extraordinary value?
Under the federal definition, it is an article valued at more than $100 per pound. Jewelry, watches, collectibles and small artwork usually qualify, while large furniture normally does not.
Is a cube sheet the same as an inventory?
Not quite. A cube sheet lists items by the cubic feet they occupy to estimate shipment volume, weight and price. An inventory records each item and its condition for loading and delivery, and the high value form singles out the most valuable articles.
Should I let the movers pack my jewelry?
Most people are better off carrying jewelry, cash, key documents and sentimental items themselves. The Surface Transportation Board notes customers may wish to transport such items personally rather than include them in the shipment.
Sources
- General Requirements (Subpart A), FMCSA
- Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, FMCSA
- Liability & Protection, FMCSA
- Lost or damaged items, Surface Transportation Board
- What Is a Cube Sheet in Moving?