Sometimes your new home is not ready when your goods arrive. Storage-in-transit (SIT) bridges the gap — but it has rules.
What SIT is
SIT is temporary warehouse storage of your shipment when you cannot accept delivery on the agreed date. Your mover holds the goods and delivers them once you are ready.
Time limits matter
SIT is time-limited. Federal rules cap how long a shipment can sit in SIT before it converts to permanent storage under a separate contract — which changes your liability coverage and billing. Ask your mover exactly how many days you have and what happens at the limit.
What it costs
Expect charges for the storage itself plus handling in and out of the warehouse, and a second delivery leg. Get these quoted up front so a timing slip does not become a surprise bill.
Short-term vs long-term storage
- Short-term bridges a few days or weeks between move-out and move-in.
- Long-term is a longer arrangement, often in a dedicated storage facility, and may warrant climate control for sensitive items.
Protect yourself
- Confirm in writing whether storage is included or extra.
- Ask how valuation/coverage changes once goods are in storage.
- Keep your inventory — you will check against it at final delivery.
Understanding SIT limits and costs keeps a delayed move-in from turning into a billing or coverage problem.