If you’re moving to Louisiana, we recommend American Van Lines and Allied Van Lines as the best moving companies in the state. American Van Lines offers price matching and flat-rate billing to help customers avoid extra fees, while Allied Van Lines can provide both local and long-distance moving in Louisiana with a wide range of practical add-on services.
While researching the best moving companies in Louisiana, we also looked into other details you may need to navigate during your move, like how to file a complaint if your belongings get damaged, how to reserve a parking meter in New Orleans, and how to transfer your out-of-state driver’s license and vehicle title. Read on to learn more about our top-rated moving companies and see which ones line up with your needs.
Key Takeaways
- We picked American Van Lines and Allied Van Lines as the best moving companies in Louisiana. American Van Lines offers price-matching for budget-conscious customers, while Allied Van Lines has more add-on services than almost any other competitor for both local and long-distance moves.
- The average cost of moving in Louisiana is roughly $3,800, based on quotes we averaged for local and long-distance moves across different home sizes.
- Our 2025 survey of 1,000 moving customers nationwide showed that packing was the most popular add-on service choice for Louisiana residents.
Top Moving Companies in Louisiana
Whether you’re moving from Baton Rouge to New Orleans or from Bossier City to Miami, Florida, the right moving company can make all the difference between having a stress-free trip and a moving nightmare. To help get you started on the right foot, here’s our list of the best moving companies in Louisiana:
- American Van Lines: Best for Transparent Pricing
- Allied Van Lines: Best for Industry Experience
- International Van Lines: Best for International Moves
- JK Moving Services: Best Comprehensive Moving Services
- North American Van Lines: Best for Large Moves
Compare the Top Moving Companies in Louisiana
Choosing the right company can feel like one of the most stressful parts of the moving process. To help make your decision easier, we’ve created the table below to give an overview of how each of our top picks compares against each other.
| Provider | Star Ratings | BBB Rating | Average Price | Deposit Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A- | $3,218 | 10%–50% | ||
A+ | $3,520 | None | ||
A+ | $3,112 | Up to 25% | ||
A+ | $2,273 | $250 | ||
A+ | $3,601 | None |
Our Top Picks For Moving Companies In Louisiana
American Van Lines
American Van Lines is one of our top picks for Louisiana movers because of its price-matching policy and flat-rate pricing structure. While most moving companies have some wiggle room on price and will negotiate with customers, not many offer a straightforward price-matching policy. With American Van Lines, if you get a better rate with a different company, it will match it—plain and simple.
American Van Lines also uses flat-rate pricing, which can help Louisiana customers avoid hidden fees. This pricing structure includes loading, unloading, furniture disassembly and reassembly, fine art moving, antique services, and piano moving for one standard rate instead of charging extra for each service. While add-on services like packing and unpacking will still cost extra, flat-rate pricing makes the billing process simpler and easier. American Van Lines’ biggest downside is that it doesn’t offer local moves in Louisiana, but it’s one of our top recommendations if you plan on moving out of the state or across the country.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Offers price matching, unlike most competitors we’ve reviewed
- Uses flat-rate pricing to eliminate hidden fees
- Handles moves to the lower 48 U.S. states
Cons
- Doesn’t offer local moving services in Louisiana
- Doesn’t have shipment tracking online, only over the phone
Cost and Services
Moving with American Van Lines costs $3,218 on average nationwide, which we determined by requesting quotes for local and long-distance moves. The company offers the following services for Louisiana customers:
- Fragile-only packing
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Loading and unloading
- Office moves
- Packing and unpacking
- Piano moving
American Van Lines is also one of the few companies we’ve seen that explicitly offers military moving services, a benefit if you’re moving to or from one of Louisiana’s five major military bases. The company can help military members navigate a variety of different moving needs, including a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or a Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY). American Van Lines representatives can also help customers navigate which documents they need depending on their branch of the military, making the moving process less complicated.
Allied Van Lines
Allied Van Lines is one of the oldest and largest companies in the moving industry, offering more than 3,500 vehicles, 4,200 drivers, and 97 years of experience to Louisiana customers. One of the company’s biggest perks is that it offers local and long-distance moving services in all 50 U.S. states, unlike most other national moving companies. Allied also has convenient features like 24/7 GPS shipment tracking with every move and its own mobile app for customer support and claims.
While Allied Van Lines has a few drawbacks, we don’t consider any of them dealbreakers. For example, although the company advertises 24/7 customer support on its home page, its customer service hours only list availability Monday through Friday during business hours. It also charges fees for oversized items and added labor, which can increase your rate. But we still recommend Allied Van Lines as one of the best moving companies in Louisiana because of its wide range of services, longevity as a company, and customer-friendly mobile app.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Handles both local and long-distance moves in Louisiana
- Offers 24/7 online shipment tracking
- Has 97 years of moving industry experience
Cons
- Doesn’t offer weekend customer service hours
- May charge an additional fee for moving oversized items
Cost and Services
Moving with Allied Van Lines costs $3,520 on average, based on quotes we obtained for both local and long-distance moves nationwide. The company offers the following services for Louisiana movers:
- Appliance and electronics disconnection
- Fragile-only packing
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Junk removal
- Loading and unloading
- Office moves
- Packing and unpacking
- Piano moving
- Vehicle shipping
Allied Van Lines also offers moving container services for smaller Louisiana moves with Allied Express. Allied will transport a portable container to your home along with a crew of three or four movers to help you load it up. When you’re done, you can either ship it to your new home or to an Allied storage facility until you’re ready for your items.
International Van Lines
International Van Lines (IVL) is another big name in the industry because of its worldwide reach to more than 140 countries, making it the best option on our list for international moves. However, the company is also a good choice for domestic moves since it offers long-distance moving services in all 50 U.S. states. Plus, IVL offers a wide range of moving services, like packing, unpacking, vehicle shipping, and more.
IVL’s biggest downside for Louisiana movers is that it only offers local moves in Florida and Texas. If you want to move within Louisiana state lines, you’ll have to hire Allied Van Lines, North American Van Lines, or a local company. Still, IVL can take you just about anywhere in the world, and it offers more discounts than the competition, including savings for American Automobile Association (AAA) members, seniors, and military members. The company also offers general discount codes on its website homepage, including 5% at the time of this review, making it a practical choice for budget-conscious customers.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Offers 24/7 customer service and a helpful online chat feature
- Handles moves to all 50 U.S. states and more than 140 countries
- Offers AAA member, senior, and military discounts
Cons
- No local moving services available in Louisiana
- Doesn’t offer appliance and electronics disconnection services
Cost and Services
Moving with International Van Lines costs $3,112 on average, based on quotes for local and long-distance domestic moves across different home sizes. If you’re moving internationally, it will cost more due to the distance involved. IVL offers the following services for Louisiana moving customers:
- Fragile-only packing
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Junk removal
- Loading and unloading
- Packing and unpacking
- Piano moving
- Office moves
- Vehicle shipping
IVL also ships oversized items and machinery in the U.S., United Kingdom, China, and Australia. If you have farming equipment in Louisiana and need to ship it to your new home, for example, IVL can help. Here’s a list of some of the larger items IVL can ship for you:
- Construction and mining equipment
- Generators and engines
- Boats and yachts
- Turbines
- Reactors
- Cranes
- Rail cars
- Barges
- Steel coils and pipes
- Forest products and plywood
- Graphite electrodes
JK Moving Services
JK Moving Services is a company that specializes in white glove moving services, notably for luxury items. JK Moving has moved multiple presidents in and out of the White House and has even moved museum pieces, like sections of the Berlin Wall, so the company is no stranger to handling high-profile items. The company also trains and certifies its employees in-house so movers can learn how to move items with care before stepping foot in your home.
Like many other national movers, JK Moving doesn’t offer local services in Louisiana. Still, it offers other customer-friendly perks that make it a good choice for long-distance moves to or from the Bayou State. For example, JK Moving partners with Enhancify to offer financing options without hurting customer credit scores, helping customers on a budget move now and pay later. The company also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to run surveys that can give you a moving estimate in as little as 15 minutes, compared to 45 minutes with a standard video call.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Moves high-value items like antiques, artwork, and even museum pieces
- Uses AI-powered surveys to make estimates quicker and easier
- Offers financing options to help reduce the up-front costs of moving
Cons
- Doesn’t offer local moving services in Louisiana
- Only offers climate-controlled storage options in Maryland and Virginia
Cost and Services
Moving with JK Moving Services costs $2,273 on average, which we determined by obtaining local and long-distance moving quotes nationwide. This makes JK Moving the cheapest moving company on our list in terms of average price. The company offers the following services for Louisiana movers:
- Fragile-only packing
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Loading and unloading
- Office moves
- Packing and unpacking
- Piano moving
- Vehicle shipping
While many competitors offer commercial moving services in Louisiana, JK Moving goes above and beyond with more services than any other company on our list. Businesses using JK Moving for an office relocation can choose from the following services:
- Archive services
- Concierge services
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment services
- Laboratories and medical services
- Technology services
- Warehousing and storage services
North American Van Lines
North American Van Lines (NAVL) stands out from the rest of the companies on our list because it acts as both a carrier and a broker, meaning it has its own trucks and employees, but still outsources some moves to third-party contractors. This structure comes with both pros and cons. While NAVL can book local and out-of-state moves across the country, as a broker, it may use less reliable third-party movers for certain jobs. Most customer complaints on online review sites mention issues with third-party contractors, not NAVL itself, which may worry some customers.
Still, NAVL has plenty of perks for customers moving to or from Louisiana, including multiple pricing options. Most companies only offer binding and non-binding estimates, but NAVL can provide bottom-line, not-to-exceed, and customized pricing, so you have more options when paying for your move. NAVL is also one of the few companies we’ve reviewed that offers online estimates through a moving cost calculator, making the shopping process easier if you’re considering multiple moving companies and just want a quick quote. Because of these conveniences, NAVL is one of our top recommendations for Louisiana movers.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Offers local and long-distance moving services in Louisiana
- Provides online estimates with its moving cost calculator
- Has multiple pricing options during the estimate process
Cons
- Uses third-party contractors for some moves
- Charges more than most competitors we’ve reviewed
Cost and Services
Moving with North American Van Lines costs $3,601 on average, including both local and long-distance moves, making it the most expensive company on our list. Louisiana customers can choose from the following moving services:
- Appliance and electronics disconnection
- Fragile-only packing
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Junk removal
- Loading and unloading
- Office moves
- Packing and unpacking
- Piano moving
- Vehicle shipping
If you want to do your own packing but need of packing supplies, NAVL sells the following moving materials:
- Dishpack barrels
- Mattress boxes
- Mirror boxes
- Moving boxes
- Stretch wrap
- Wardrobe boxes
How Much Does a Louisiana Move Cost?
The average cost of moving in Louisiana is roughly $3,800, which we determined by obtaining quotes from various moving companies for local and long-distance moves across different home sizes. However, your individual moving prices could vary by hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on the size of your home and how far you’re traveling for your move.
For example, moving a four-bedroom home from New Orleans to Los Angeles, California, will cost much more than moving a one-bedroom home or apartment across town. Most interstate moving companies charge based on the weight of your shipment and the distance from house to house. Because of this, your home size—which includes the amount of belongings you have—and the location of your new home have a direct effect on your moving costs. Comparatively, local movers usually charge by the hour.
See how your house size can affect your average moving costs using the table below.
| House Size | Average Moving Cost in Louisiana |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | $1,867 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,080 |
| 3 bedrooms | $4,218 |
| 4 bedrooms | $9,283 |
How We Collected Moving Cost Data
To figure out how much it costs to move in Louisiana and nationwide, requested roughly 4,000 real moving quotes from 15 different moving companies, including 49 quotes directly in the state. Our quotes covered New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Madisonville, Lafayette, and other towns throughout the state for local and long-distance moves of different home sizes. Then, we averaged prices by provider, home size, distance, and state to show how these factors can affect your moving costs.
Additional Factors Affecting Move Costs
While home size and distance are the two most significant factors that affect moving costs, they’re not the only ones. Here’s a list of a few more things to keep in mind when booking your Louisiana move:
- Time of year: Summer is the busiest time of year for moving companies, and with higher demand comes higher prices. Try booking your move in the spring, fall, or winter to negotiate a better rate with your movers.
- Services: Some moving companies include services like piano moving and furniture assembly with your standard moving rate, but packing, unpacking, and vehicle shipping will cost extra. To save money, try doing all the packing and unpacking yourself instead of hiring professionals.
- Home layout: Some companies charge additional fees if your moving crew has to use elevators or flights of stairs to get to your front door. If you live in a large apartment building with elevator or stair access, you could end up paying more for moving services.
- Tipping: Tipping costs vary widely depending on the scale of your move, but we recommend tipping $5–$10 per mover per hour for quality service. This could easily add up to $100 or more, so we also recommend setting some cash aside for tips in your moving budget.
Moving Factors To Consider in Louisiana
Moving comes with a lot of details to keep track of, whether you’re moving to Louisiana for the first time or leaving the state. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you plan your move:
Louisiana has a history of experiencing severe hurricanes, which could throw a wrench into your moving plans. The state’s hurricane season runs from June 1 to around November 30. If you have some flexibility with your moving dates and a storm is being forecasted, try to plan your move outside of this time frame.
Most of Louisiana is rural, but if you live in a major city like New Orleans, you may need to reserve street parking for a moving truck outside your home. To rent a parking meter with the City of New Orleans, you can submit a parking meter rental application online.
If you’re moving to Louisiana from another state, you will have to avoid using a local moving company that can’t cross state lines. Instead, you’ll have to hire interstate movers like the ones in our list above.
To transfer your out-of-state license, go to your local Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) with proof of residence, proof of social security number, and proof of insurance.
To register an out-of-state vehicle in Louisiana, you must fill out a vehicle application form (DPSMV1799) and bring your original out-of-state title, Louisiana driver’s license, and proof of insurance to your OMV appointment. Note that you’ll also need to pay titling fees and taxes.
To transport a cat or dog into Louisiana, pets older than three months will need an official health certificate showing they’ve had a rabies vaccination within 12 months prior to moving.
How Does Louisiana Regulate Moving Companies?
Organizations like the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulate interstate moving companies on a federal level, but individual states regulate local movers differently. For example, the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) is in charge of licensing and regulating local movers.
Here are a few tips for navigating with moving company regulations and damage claims:
- To file a complaint about a local Louisiana moving company, you can fill out an LPSC complaint form and submit it by mail, fax, or email.
- For complaints about interstate moving companies, file a complaint with the FMCSA or contact a representative at 888-368-7238 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST from Monday to Friday.
- If you have lost or damaged items from a local move, start by contacting your movers directly and submitting a claim for the damages. If you can’t reach a resolution with your moving company, contact the LPSC and submit a complaint.
Insights from Movers in Louisiana
According to the United Van Lines 2024 National Movers Study, Louisiana had 54.1% outbound moves and 45.9% inbound moves last year, making it more balanced than many other states in the country. People cited job-related reasons as the main cause for both inbound and outbound moves to and from Louisiana.
For additional insights, we conducted a nationwide survey of 1,000 people who have recently moved, including 12 Louisiana residents. Each respondent hired professional movers, and the majority of moves in Louisiana (58%) were long-distance, meaning people traveled across state lines.
Moving costs in Louisiana ranged from $300–$17,500, with the most common rate being $5,000, showing a large variance in price. In terms of moving insurance, most Louisiana residents declined to purchase full-value protection. Of the 42% of state survey respondents who did purchase coverage, costs ranged from $150–$1,250.
Roughly 50% of Louisiana respondents purchased professional packing services, making it the most popular add-on service choice by far. Costs for this service ranged from $50–$5,000. Packing supplies was the second most popular choice at 33%, and another 33% declined to purchase any add-ons whatsoever.
Only 58% of Louisiana movers reported receiving a binding estimate, but 92% said their final bill matched their original quote. Only one resident reported paying more than their initial quote, with a remaining balance of $500—a lower fee compared to customers in other states who paid $5,000–$10,000 more than their estimate. Every Louisiana resident we surveyed said they would hire professional movers again, suggesting moving companies in the state were reliable and customers were satisfied with their service.
FAQs About Moving Companies in Louisiana
How far in advance should I schedule movers?
When in doubt, earlier is always better. Typically, we recommend booking movers two months in advance before your preferred date for long-distance moves. There’s slightly more flexibility with local moves, but you should still book at least a few weeks to a month in advance. The earlier you book, the more likely it is that you secure your ideal moving date and a better price before schedules fill up and rates increase.
What should I know about moving during Louisiana’s hurricane season?
Hurricane season in Louisiana runs from June 1 to November 30, and if you book your move during that time, there’s a chance you could face severe winds and rain. This can create an inconvenience for your movers, and could cause water damage to your belongings. Storms can also cause a move to take longer, increasing your costs if you’re paying by the hour. If you have flexibility, try booking your move outside of the hurricane season to avoid any issues.
What is the best moving company for specialty items in Louisiana?
One of the best companies for moving specialty items is JK Moving Services. JK Moving specializes in moving fragile and valuable pieces like artwork, antiques, and wine collections. It’s even moved museums with priceless historical artifacts, like pieces of the Berlin Wall.
What should I do with my pets on moving day?
We recommend keeping your cat or dog in a room your moving crew doesn’t have to go into often, like a guest bathroom. If you don’t have a similar room in your home, you can use a pet carrier or crate to keep your dog or cat contained. If you’re moving locally, another option is asking a friend or family member to pet sit on your moving day.
How We Ranked the Best Moving Companies in Louisiana
When narrowing down the best moving companies in Louisiana, we focused primarily on long-distance movers that operate throughout the whole country, rather than local providers. We also prioritized full-service moving companies with options for packing, unpacking, and other add-ons instead of partial-service movers or container rental companies. When evaluating each company, we made sure to only include movers with an active USDOT number and registered with the FMCSA.
To fairly and thoroughly evaluate moving companies, we developed a 100-point rating system grounded in real customer feedback, regulatory data, and hands-on testing. We gathered quotes, verified licensing and safety records, analyzed thousands of customer reviews, and even conducted secret shopping to get a full picture of the customer experience. Each company was scored across six essential categories and then given a final rating out of 5 stars.
Here’s how we broke down our review:
- Customer service (18%): We looked at reviews on the BBB and Trustpilot, surveyed 1,000 recent moving customers, and tested each company’s website and support team ourselves. Companies earned higher marks for having clear communication, responsiveness, and a helpful, user-friendly online experience.
- Reputation (14%): We verified that each mover has proper licensing through the USDOT and checked FMCSA safety records, specifically truck maintenance data. We also gave extra credit to companies that publicly commit to background-checking their crews, showing they prioritize customer safety.
- Value (18%): Using real quotes for 3-bedroom moves ranging from 500–800 miles, we compared average prices across providers. We also considered whether companies offer flat-rate or binding estimates and if they have a clear and simple billing process.
- Service offerings (19%): We evaluated the range of services available, from packing and unpacking to piano moving and junk removal. Movers that offer more options, including do-it-yourself (DIY) solutions like portable storage, scored higher for flexibility and convenience.
- Item protection (20%): We reviewed each company’s insurance offerings and how well they prevent damage during the move. Higher scores went to movers that offer full-value protection and use best practices like shrink wrap, padding, and floor guards.
- Scheduling (11%): We assessed how easy it is to request a quote, speak to a representative, and manage a move from start to finish. Companies with multiple contact options, digital tools like apps or customer portals, and streamlined booking processes stood out from the rest.
