Whether you’re going from California to South Carolina or New York to New Jersey, interstate moves can be stressful. You must find time to prepare your home and pack your belongings. You also need to consider logistical challenges such as transporting vehicles or large household items.
Moving companies assist with interstate moves to help ease the burden, but choosing one is a challenge. The This Old House Reviews Team has conducted in-depth reviews of 23 of the nation’s top moving companies, analyzed thousands of customer reviews, and ranked them for the best interstate moving companies on the market today.
9 Best Interstate Moving Companies
Based on our rigorous methodology and research, we named the following companies as the best interstate moving companies:
- International Van Lines: Best Overall Full-Service Mover
- Interstate Moving & Relocation Group: Most Efficient
- American Van Lines: Most Experienced Moving Labor
- JK Moving Services: Most Customizable Full-service Mover
- Allied Van Lines: Best for Vehicle Relocation
- North American Van Lines: Best for Claims
- First National Van Lines: Best for Responsiveness
- Coleman Worldwide Moving: Best for International Moves
- Safeway Moving Inc.: Most Customer-oriented
International Van Lines
- Our Take: Best Overall Full-service Mover
- State Availability: 50
International Van Lines (IVL) is our top pick for best interstate movers. The company is a full-service mover that helps with packing, loading, delivery, unpacking, and unloading. International Van Lines can add various other services and protection plans to these full-service options.
This company is ideal for someone who wants an all-inclusive moving experience in which the company handles every part of the interstate move. The company is available nationwide, provides flexibility in its services, and coordinates interstate moves of any size. Among its full-service offerings, IVL specializes in packing and moving fragile items for your peace of mind. Read more about IVL services.
Pros and Cons
✔ Offers a moving calculator and checklist
✔ Provides multiple protection plan options
✔ Offers specialty services, such as vehicle shipping and piano moving
✘ Receives mixed customer reviews depending on location
✘ Requires a 25% deposit when booking a move
Cost
We received an estimate for moving a two-bedroom home from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco for $2,015–$3,445. This includes having workers from the company load and drive the moving truck for you. Get your free IVL quote now.
Learn More: International Van Lines Review
Interstate Moving & Relocation Group
- Our Take: Most Efficient
- State Availability: 50
Interstate Moving & Relocation Group (IMRG) is a good fit for anyone who wants to take some of the legwork out of finding the right mover for their needs. Unlike many companies in this guide, IMRG is a broker. This means that IMRG does not directly provide moving services but helps coordinate relocations through its network of independent local, long-distance, and international movers.
Customers fill out a detailed inventory of their household items and identify any special moving services they need online. From there, the company will match you with a fully vetted moving company suited to your specific relocation. In most cases, IMRG can email you a recommendation and an accurate moving quote within one business day of making your online request. IMRG provides information on its website about top-rated moving companies, along with helpful moving tips and checklists.
Pros and Cons
✔ Offers in-house financing options
✔ Can negotiate lower prices with movers in its network
✔Accommodates full- and partial-service moving requests through its extensive network of independent movers
✘ Is not available for customer support on Saturdays or Sundays
✘ Charges a 4% fee for any cancellations made after 72 hours from the booking date
Cost
According to IMRG’s online moving calculator, it would cost approximately $4,450 to move a three-bedroom home from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon, in mid-April. Get your free IMRG quote now.
Learn More: Interstate Moving & Relocation Group Review
American Van Lines
- Our Take: Most Experienced Moving Labor
- State Availability: 48 (not available in Alaska or Hawaii)
American Van Lines (AVL) offers full-service residential, military, and corporate relocation services. Its movers average 10 years in the moving industry and receive comprehensive training. For customers with concerns about a long-distance moving company’s reliability, AVL’s experienced crews make the company a great choice.
American Van Lines furthers its commitment to reliability by hiring full-time long-distance movers, a departure from the popular choice of contractual workers. This approach allows the company’s movers to be ready for any difficult, challenging, or odd items you need relocated.
Pros and Cons
✔ Employs full-time movers who hold averages of 10 years of experience
✔ Offers price-matching
✔ Provides fixed-rate estimates rather than online quotes, meaning you get more accurate price up-front
✘ Includes an up-front deposit that can range from 10%–50% of total cost
✘ Tends to charge higher prices than some competitors
Cost
Because American Van Lines uses binding estimates, it does not provide detailed sample quotes. However, there are some ballpark prices for moves between major cities listed on its moving cost page. AVL’s up-front, flat-rate pricing structure means there will be no surprise expenses on moving day. The company estimates that moving from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon, would cost around $3,910 for a two-bedroom apartment (or 6,000 pounds). Get your personalized American Van Lines quote.
Learn More: American Van Lines Review
JK Moving Services
- Our Take: Most Customizable Full-service Mover
- State Availability: 50
JK Moving is a full-service mover with greater flexibility than many competitors. The company not only customizes each moving package to each customer’s moving needs and budget, but it can provide financing for interstate moves. This is a rare option in the moving market. JK Moving can even provide rates as low as 0% same-as-cash. This means you can receive a full-service moving experience while not having to worry about expensive, up-front payments. Read more about JK Moving services.
Pros and Cons
✔ Provides financing options through Enhancify
✔ Offers GPS shipment tracking
✔ Features 24/7 customer service
✘ Has received some customer reviews that mention difficult communication at times
✘ Doesn’t offer sample pricing online
Cost
We received a ballpark estimate from JK Moving for a two-bedroom home (or 10,400 pounds) going from Atlanta to Chicago for $7,521. This includes furniture disassembly, wrapping and padding, loading, unloading, and full-value protection. Because JK Moving tailors each of its moving packages for each customer’s needs, the company does not feature sample pricing on its website. Get your personalized JK Moving quote.
Learn More: JK Moving Review
Allied Van Lines
- Our Take: Best for Vehicle Relocation
- State Availability: 50, as well as 130 countries
Allied Van Lines is a full-service mover with more than 90 years of experience in the moving industry. The company provides a majority of its services in-house, including packing services, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking. This also includes providing in-house vehicle relocation services, which is a rare perk in the moving industry.
We recently conducted a survey of 1,000 consumers who have moved within the last five years. We found that 47% of them needed assistance to move a personal vehicle, and 64% of those respondents were trying to move their personal car. If you are looking to transport an additional vehicle with your interstate move, Allied Van Lines is an excellent choice. Learn more about Allied Van Lines services.
Pros and Cons
✔ Offers in-house vehicle relocation services
✔ Provides GPS tracking on all shipments
✔ Partners with the Salvation Army to help donate unwanted items
✘ Has received customer reviews that mention the claims department is hard to reach
✘ May charge prices higher than some competitors
Cost
Allied quoted us to move a two-bedroom home from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco with an average amount of belongings for a total of $5,091–$5,798. Get your personalized Allied quote.
Learn More: Allied Van Lines Review
North American Van Lines
- Our Take: Best for Claims
- State Availability: 50, plus helps with international moves in 130 countries
North American Van Lines (NAVL) is a full-service mover that provides comprehensive insurance coverage for your belongings in transit and an easy claims process if something goes wrong. This makes the company a great choice for those looking to transport expensive belongings during interstate or cross-country moves.
In our survey of homeowners who had recently moved, we found that a majority of them opted for an add-on contents protection plan above what is required by law. Unfortunately, more than 65% needed to file a claim for damaged belongings. NAVL helps movers who find themselves in this situation by providing custom contents protection plans that cover the actual value of your belongings. In addition, the company has an easy and transparent claims process with separate claims forms for domestic and international moves across its website. Read more about NAVL services.
Pros and Cons
✔ Provides a detailed and transparent damage claims process
✔ Has more than 500 agents locations across all 50 states
✔ Offers a wide assortment of online tools and resources
✘ May have limited available agents based on your location
✘ May have limited storage options based on your location
Cost
North American Van Lines quoted us to move a two-bedroom home from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco for a total of $5,067–$5,770. This is for a medium-sized load. Get your personalized NAVL quote.
Learn More: North American Van Lines Review
First National Van Lines
- Our Take: Best for Responsiveness
- State Availability: 48 (except Alaska and Hawaii)
First National Van Lines oversees full-service moves as an authorized broker. It tackles the common challenges of interstate moving, connecting customers to licensed and insured carriers that are trained to transport your household goods across state lines.
The moving process starts with getting a quote and booking a move date, and First National acts fast to communicate the necessary information to its customers. Your agent can often provide you with a ballpark moving estimate within hours of your request. For last-minute plans, the company will work to find a carrier that can book your move as soon as possible. First National offers free storage for 30 days in many destination cities.
Pros and Cons
✔ Offers interstate moving services for residential and commercial moves
✔ Centers its business around out-of-state moves, providing full-service packing and transport of your belongings
✔ Has competitive pricing for full-service moves
✘ Is not a motor carrier, meaning that it will outsource each moving service you request to a provider in its network
✘ May add fees to the final bill if the move date is rescheduled after booking
Cost
For a long-distance move spanning approximately 700 miles, First National quotes us around $4,000. The estimate is for a three-bedroom residence and includes full-service packing and furniture disassembly and reassembly. Get your free First National quote.
Coleman Worldwide Moving
- Our Take: Best for International Moves
- State Availability: 22*
Coleman Worldwide Moving helps individuals and families plan their move to a new home, whether it’s in a neighboring state or in a different country. Coleman maintains its own trucks and moving crews, conducting interstate moves with trained in-house teams and specialized equipment. Because Coleman operates with van line authority and serves 22 states, you will benefit from a more stress-free move by not having to work with unvetted third parties.
For international moves, Coleman stands out for its destination services. Company representatives have detailed knowledge about 175 different countries, helping you navigate through any red tape that you may encounter during your move and upon arrival of your shipment. Coleman’s crews can help with every step of the moving process before the shipping company transports your freight, including custom crating for fragile items.
Pros and Cons
✔ Provides access to an online GPS tracking system that allows you to check status updates for your shipment
✔ Is registered as a moving carrier, using in-house teams to handle moves throughout its service area
✔ Offers numerous full-service options, including fragile-only packing and custom crating
✘ Doesn’t serve every state as a carrier, referring clients to other Allied agents for some moves
✘ Doesn’t have an online move calculator
Cost
Coleman’s move coordinators conduct in-home consultations or a virtual survey before providing an official quote. However, you can call to request a ballpark estimate. Get your free Coleman moving quote.
*State availability: Coleman provides moving services to Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington
Safeway Moving Inc.
- Our Take: Most Customer-oriented
- State Availability: 50
Safeway Moving Inc. is a moving broker that works to connect you with an interstate moving company that fulfills your move’s criteria. Safeway puts a premium on customer service, keeping customers up to date throughout a move and providing prompt responses to questions and concerns. You can contact the company seven days a week.
Safeway provides flat-rate estimates and backs its services with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The company also donates a percentage of its moving fees to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Pros and Cons
✔ Includes a 100% service guarantee on its services
✔ Donates regularly to foundations such as St. Jude Children’s Hospital
✔ Provides binding estimates
✘ Does not mention having as many services as other full-service movers
✘ Has little information on its website about pricing or deposit requirements
Cost
Safeway provides binding estimates for its moves. Because of this, the company does not provide exact cost information online. Safeway requires a detailed evaluation of each move to provide fixed-rate pricing that does not change once it is quoted to you. The following factors influence your overall cost with Safeway:
- The services you purchase
- The total weight of your move
- The distance of your move
- Additional insurance purchased through a carrier
Summary of the Top Interstate Moving Companies
Here are the most reputable interstate moving companies on the market today:
- International Van Lines: Best Overall Full-service Mover
- Interstate Moving & Relocation Group: Most Efficient
- American Van Lines: Most Experienced Moving Labor
- JK Moving Services: Most Customizable Full-service Mover
- Allied Van Lines: Best for Vehicle Relocation
- North American Van Lines: Best for Claims
- First National Van Lines: Best for Responsiveness
- Coleman Worldwide Moving: Best for International Moves
- Safeway Moving Inc.: Best Moving BrokerMost Customer-oriented
Provider |
Get Quote |
Our Rating |
Availability |
Local Moves |
Interstate Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IVL |
86 out of 100 |
50 States |
✔ |
✔ |
|
IMRG |
66 out of 100 |
50 States |
✔ |
✔ |
|
AVL |
86 out of 100 |
48 States |
✔ |
✔ |
|
JK Moving |
91 out of 100 |
50 States |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Allied |
94 out of 100 |
50 States |
✔ |
✔ |
|
NAVL |
92 out of 100 |
50 States |
✔ |
✔ |
|
First National |
85 out of 100 |
48 States |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Coleman |
82 out of 100 |
22 states |
✔ |
✔ |
What Impacts the Cost of an Interstate Move?
A variety of factors can affect your overall cost on an interstate move. The average cost of interstate movers varies slightly from in-state or local movers due to regulations that moving companies are subject to in order to receive proper licenses to conduct interstate moves. Because of these regulations, some moving companies may require a fee for crossing state lines, even if the move is less than 100 miles.
Some of these regulations include the following:
- Safety regulations from national and state agencies
- Mover’s tariffs
- Vehicle insurance regulations
- Required released-value protection of 60 cents per pound per item
- Required full-value replacement coverage with different deductible options
Other factors may also impact your cost. Many of these factors are shared by most moving companies, but some will vary according to the services offered by a company.
These common factors impact the overall cost of your moving package:
- Location of your original residence
- Date and time of your move
- Overall distance of the move
- Truck parking access
- Truck size used
- Truck driver’s hours
- Hours worked by moving labor
- Fuel costs
- Number of portable storage containers used
- Size or weight of your move
- Additional protection plans you purchase
- Additional services you purchase
How To Prepare for an Interstate Move
An interstate moving company helps with certain aspects of your move, but there are some steps that might slip past their moving checklists and processes. Read over some of the major steps and precautions you may want to take to make your interstate move go smoothly:
1. Determine What Type of Move You Need
Before you schedule with an interstate moving company, decide whether you want a full-service move or a self-service move. If you are looking to have a professional moving company handle practically every part of your move, then we recommend a full-service moving company like International Van Lines.
If you want to save money and do not mind dealing with steps like packing and loading, then we suggest you look more into self-service moving company, such as PODS.
2. Condense Your Belongings
Moving is a great time to cut down on any unwanted or underused belongings. We recommend you make two piles as you prepare for moving day. One of your piles should be dedicated to items you can donate, and the other pile should be dedicated to items you want to throw away. A few days before your movers arrive, you should spend some time taking each pile to its respective drop-off location.
3. Gather Packing Supplies
Begin gathering packing supplies such as boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape several weeks before your upcoming move.
4. Notify Important People
You will most likely be telling all your close friends and family about your move, but there are some other individuals and institutions that you need to notify as well. Some significant ones to keep in mind are your internet provider, your electricity and water companies, other utility companies, insurance companies, tax agencies, the post office, and the Social Security Administration.
5. Check That Your Moving Company Is Properly Licensed
If you choose a company from this list, then you do not have to worry about this. All our recommended professional movers are licensed, bonded, and insured. If you decide to use another moving company, you want to make sure it is properly licensed, insured, and bonded. To do so, you obtain the company’s USDOT number and visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website to search for the company.
6. Create an Inventory
An important step to take when making your inventory is to make note of the condition of your items and take photos of them. These photos and notes will come in handy if you have to file a damage claim for reimbursement.
Learn More: Moving Checklist — Your Guide to Moving
Frequently Asked Questions
Other Resources When Moving
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews team is committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. This means earning your trust through transparent reviews and having the data to back up our ratings and recommendations.
Our rating system for moving service providers is on a 100-point scale based on seven factors:
- Moving Services (30 points): Does the company offer its services for local moving, long-distance, and or international moves?
- Additional Services (29 points): What additional services does the company provide, such as packing and unpacking or loading and unloading?
- Coverage (10 points): Does the company offer any additional insurance plans, such as full-value coverage?
- Scheduling (7 points): Are customers able to schedule online, over the phone, or on both platforms?
- Trailers/containers (7 points): How many trailer or container sizes does the company offer?
- Additional Benefits (12 points): What additional benefits does the company provide, such as short-term and long-term storage services, moving truck rentals, and financing?
- Reputation (5 points): What rating does the company feature on popular review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB)?
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.