Cities
An interstate move involves more paperwork than a local one, but almost all of it is straightforward if you know what to expect. Here's what matters, split into what your mover should provide and what you need to arrange yourself.
From your mover, the key document is the Lorry Receipt (LR, also called a bilty) — issued when your goods are loaded, it's the legal record of the consignment: what's being carried, from where to where, and on which vehicle. Keep your copy accessible during transit; it's what you'd reference in any dispute or insurance claim.
Alongside the LR, you should have a signed inventory list of everything loaded (checked again at delivery), the itemised quotation or contract you accepted, and — if you've taken transit insurance — the policy document stating the declared value and what's covered. Ask for all of these before the truck departs, not after.
Carry your own identity documents (Aadhaar, PAN) where you can produce them — for used personal household goods, movers generally carry a declaration that the shipment is used household effects, and checkpoints may want the owner's ID to match the consignment paperwork.
If a car or bike is moving with you, its paperwork is separate: the vehicle's RC, valid insurance, and PUC certificate travel with the vehicle. If you're relocating permanently to another state, plan for re-registration — most states require a locally registered vehicle after a defined period, which involves an NOC from your current RTO. Your mover transports the vehicle; the RTO process is yours, so start the NOC early if you know the move is permanent.
For rented homes on either end, two non-transport documents save headaches: a written handover/inspection note with your outgoing landlord (protects your deposit), and your new rental agreement or proof of address at the destination — useful for everything from updating your bank to school admissions.
Keep one folder — physical or on your phone — with the LR, inventory, quote, insurance policy and both addresses. Every question that comes up mid-move is answered by one of those five documents, and having them in one place turns a checkpoint query or a delivery discrepancy from a crisis into a two-minute conversation.