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2023 Florida Statutes (including 2023C)

Title XXXIII REGULATION OF TRADE, COMMERCE, INVESTMENTS, AND SOLICITATIONS
Chapter 507 HOUSEHOLD MOVING SERVICES Entire Chapter
SECTION 01
Definitions.
F.S. 507.01
507.01 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
(1) “Accessorial services” means any service performed by a mover which results in a charge to the shipper and is incidental to the transportation or shipment of household goods, including, but not limited to, valuation coverage; preparation of written inventory; equipment, including dollies, hand trucks, pads, blankets, and straps; storage, packing, unpacking, or crating of articles; hoisting or lowering; waiting time; carrying articles excessive distances to or from the mover’s vehicle, which may be cited as “long carry”; overtime loading and unloading; reweighing; disassembly or reassembly; elevator or stair carrying; boxing or servicing of appliances; and furnishing of packing or crating materials. The term includes services not performed by the mover but performed by a third party at the request of the shipper or mover, if the charges for these services are to be paid to the mover by the shipper at or before the time of delivery.
(2) “Advertise” means to advise, announce, give notice of, publish, or call attention by use of oral, written, or graphic statement made in a newspaper or other publication or on radio or television, any electronic medium, or contained in any notice, handbill, sign, including signage on vehicle, flyer, catalog or letter, or printed on or contained in any tag or label attached to or accompanying any good.
(3) “Compensation” means money, fee, emolument, quid pro quo, barter, remuneration, pay, reward, indemnification, or satisfaction.
(4) “Contract for service” or “bill of lading” means a written document approved by the shipper in writing before the performance of any service which authorizes services from the named mover and lists the services and all costs associated with the household move and accessorial services to be performed.
(5) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(6) “Estimate” means a written document that sets forth the total costs and describes the basis of those costs, relating to a shipper’s household move, including, but not limited to, the loading, transportation or shipment, and unloading of household goods and accessorial services.
(7) “Household goods” or “goods” means personal effects or other personal property commonly found in a home, personal residence, or other dwelling, including, but not limited to, household furniture. The term does not include freight or personal property moving to or from a factory, store, or other place of business.
(8) “Household move” or “move” means the loading of household goods into a vehicle, moving container, or other mode of transportation or shipment; the transportation or shipment of those household goods; and the unloading of those household goods, when the transportation or shipment originates and terminates at one of the following ultimate locations, regardless of whether the mover temporarily stores the goods while en route between the originating and terminating locations:
(a) From one dwelling to another dwelling;
(b) From a dwelling to a storehouse or warehouse that is owned or rented by the shipper or the shipper’s agent; or
(c) From a storehouse or warehouse that is owned or rented by the shipper or the shipper’s agent to a dwelling.
(9) “Mover” means a person who, for compensation, contracts for or engages in the loading, transportation or shipment, or unloading of household goods as part of a household move. The term does not include a postal, courier, envelope, or package service that does not advertise itself as a mover or moving service.
(10) “Moving broker” or “broker” means a person who, for compensation, arranges for another person to load, transport or ship, or unload household goods as part of a household move or who, for compensation, refers a shipper to a mover by telephone, postal or electronic mail, Internet website, or other means.
(11) “Moving container” means a receptacle holding at least 200 cubic feet of volume which is used to transport or ship household goods as part of a household move.
(12) “Shipper” means a person who uses the services of a mover to transport or ship household goods as part of a household move.
(13) “Storage” means the temporary warehousing of a shipper’s goods while under the care, custody, and control of the mover.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2002-53; s. 3, ch. 2006-4; s. 1, ch. 2011-121.