Applying the appropriate allometric equation to accurately estimate biomass is vital for the regional carbon budget. Previous studies have focused on plant biomass at a given time, and few have been conducted on biomass estimates throughout the entire lifespan of a plant. Here we used field data measured from Moso bamboo stands to validate three common allometric equations used for biomass estimates and compared their goodness of fit using Akaike’s information criterion to develop the best allometric model for Moso bamboo. Then the non-stage and staged biomass were respectively estimated using the best-fitted model, and their corresponding coefficients (or scalings) were compared to examine whether the allometric equation developed for non-stage biomass estimates were suitable for staged biomass estimates. As a result, w = aD^bH^c was fitted well for both total and component biomass estimates of Moso bamboo. Comparisons in allometric coefficients showed that most coefficients for staged biomass estimates exceeded the confidence interval of non-stage allometric coefficients, indicating that the staged coefficients varied as the bamboo developed. This result suggested that using a uniform allometric equation (with the same coefficients) without consideration of the variations with stage might be inadequate to accurately estimate the biomass of Moso bamboo forests throughout the entire lifespan. It can be suggested that differential allometric coefficients by stage should be applied to estimate the biomass of Moso bamboo so as to improve the accuracy of biomass estimates. These findings provide insights into the use of allometry theory for biomass estimates.