# Moving company

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Business that provides packing and moving services for relocation

"Removalist" redirects here. For the 1970s Australian play and movie, see [The Removalists](/source/The_Removalists).

"Removals" redirects here. For the Polish TV series, see [Removals (TV series)](/source/Removals_(TV_series)).

This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Moving company" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Early movers in [Montréal, Québec](/source/Montr%C3%A9al%2C_Qu%C3%A9bec) 1876

Movers in [Salt Lake City](/source/Salt_Lake_City), 1911

Removalists in [England](/source/England), 1930

Moving van and lift, [Germany](/source/Germany), 2007

A **moving company**, also known as a **removalist** or **van line**, is a company that specializes in assisting individuals and businesses with relocating their goods from one location to another. Moving companies may offer additional or all-inclusive services for relocations, like packing, loading, moving, unloading, unpacking, and arranging of items to be shifted. Additional services may include cleaning services for houses, offices or warehousing facilities.

## Overview

According to the [U.S. Census Bureau](/source/U.S._Census_Bureau), in 2007, 40 million United States citizens had moved annually over the previous decade.[1] Of these movers, 84.5% relocated within their own state, 12.5% moved to another state, and 2.3% moved to another country.[2]

The U.S. Department of Defense is the largest household goods shipper in the world, with the Personal Property Program accounting for 20% of all moves.[3]

A 2020 OnePoll survey showed that 64% of participants consider their recent move to be one of the most stressful events they have ever encountered.[4]

## Pricing and services

### United States and Canada

In the U.S. and Canada, the cost for long-distance moves is generally determined by several factors:

- Weight of the items to be moved

- Distance between the original and new location

- Speed of the move

- Timing of the move, including the specific time of year or month

Some movers also offer consolidated shipping, which reduces costs by transporting several clients' items in the same shipment.

### United Kingdom and Australia

In the United Kingdom and Australia, the price is based on the volume of the items rather than their weight. Some movers may offer [flat rate](/source/Flat_rate) pricing based on the number of rooms or bedrooms.[5]

## DIY moving

The use of truck rental services, or simply borrowing similar hardware, is referred to as [DIY](/source/Do-it-yourself) moving. Individuals or families may rent a [truck](/source/Truck) or [trailer](/source/Trailer_(vehicle)) large enough to transport their household goods. They may also acquire moving equipment such as dollies, furniture pads, and cargo belts to facilitate the move and protect their belongings.

## Packing and materials

The moving process also involves finding or buying materials such as boxes, paper, tape, and bubble wrap with which to pack boxable and/or protect fragile household goods and to consolidate the carrying and stacking on moving day. Self-service moving companies offer another viable option: the person moving buys space on one or more trailers or [shipping containers](/source/Shipping_container). These containers are then driven by professionals to the new location.

## Legal regulations

The moving industry is governed by a dual framework of jurisdictional oversight designed to prevent [unlicensed operations](/source/Moving_scam) and ensure consumer safety. These regulations vary significantly based on whether a move is performed within a single state consider Intra-state , not to be confused with Interstate which is considered across state lines (interstate), or internationally.[6]

### United States

In the United States, oversight is divided between federal and state agencies. Interstate moves are regulated by the [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration](/source/Federal_Motor_Carrier_Safety_Administration) (FMCSA), which mandates that carriers obtain a unique [USDOT number](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/do-i-need-usdot-number#:~:text=Between%20a%20place%20in%20a%20State%20and%20a%20place%20outside%20of%20such%20State%20(including%20a%20place%20outside%20of%20the%20United%20States)%3B) and provide consumers with standardized documentation, such as the "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" booklet.[7]

#### State-level oversight

Intrastate moves are governed by state-specific agencies, such as a Department of Transportation or a Public Utility Commission. While specific requirements vary by jurisdiction, most states utilize a standardized model for household goods (HHG) carriers:

- **Licensing:** Most jurisdictions require a "Common Carrier Certificate" or a state-specific permit. For example, in [Louisiana](/source/Louisiana), the [Louisiana Public Service Commission](/source/Louisiana_Public_Service_Commission) (LPSC) requires a certificate under La. R.S. 45:164(E), while in [Texas](/source/Texas), movers must register with the [Texas Department of Motor Vehicles](/source/Texas_Department_of_Motor_Vehicles).[8]

- **Financial Security:** Regulators typically mandate public liability (Form E) and cargo insurance (Form H). Minimum requirements often include specific liability thresholds and a mandatory [surety bond](/source/Surety_bond), such as the $5,000 bond enforced in Louisiana to protect against [unfair trade practices](/source/Unfair_business_practice).[9]

- **Advertising Compliance:** To assist in identifying "rogue movers," many states require the display of license credentials in all marketing. Under LPSC General Order R-30507, carriers must list their legal name and certificate number on all websites and invoices.[10]

### International variations

In **Canada**, moving services are regulated at the provincial level through consumer protection acts to prohibit "hostage load" tactics. In the **United Kingdom** and **Australia**, movers (often called "removalists") must adhere to national fair trading laws and transport safety standards.[11]

## See also

- [Manual handling of loads](/source/Manual_handling_of_loads)

- [Moving scam](/source/Moving_scam)

- [Relocation service](/source/Relocation_service)

- [Structure relocation](/source/Structure_relocation)

- [Relocation (personal)](/source/Relocation_(personal))

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Stellin, Susan (2007-07-29). ["The Movers Are Here. Have You Done Your Homework?"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/business/yourmoney/29move.html). *New York Times*. Retrieved 2008-12-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["American Moving & Storage Association -- Industry Fact Sheet"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160307162615/http://www.promover.org/files/forms/industry_fact_sheet.pdf) (PDF). *[American Moving & Storage Association](/source/American_Moving_%26_Storage_Association)*. American Moving & Storage Association. 2012. Archived from [the original](http://www.promover.org/files/forms/industry_fact_sheet.pdf) (PDF) on 2016-03-07. Retrieved May 9, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Gresik, Dylan; Shane III, Leo (2020-03-20). ["Sudden halt on military moves due to coronavirus could cripple industry, officials warn"](https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/03/20/sudden-halt-on-military-moves-due-to-coronavirus-could-cripple-industry-officials-warn/). *Military Times*. Retrieved 2020-12-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Americans say moving is more stressful than divorce, having children, survey claims"](https://www.foxnews.com/real-estate/americans-moving-more-stressful-survey). *foxnews.com*. 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2024-06-14.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["How much does it cost for removals"](https://www.britannia-movers.co.uk/faqs/how-much-does-it-cost-for-removals). *Britannia Movers International*. BMI. Retrieved 26 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["What is the difference between interstate commerce and intrastate commerce?"](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/faq/what-difference-between-interstate-commerce-and-intrastate-commerce). *Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration*. FMCSA. Retrieved 26 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Protect Your Move"](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move). FMCSA. Retrieved 2026-01-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Louisiana Revised Statute 45:164"](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=99915). Louisiana State Legislature. Retrieved 2026-01-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Application for Household Goods Carriers (Form T-77)"](https://www.lpsc.louisiana.gov/docs/trans/T-77-Household-Goods-Carrier-Packet-Sept-2019.pdf) (PDF). Louisiana Public Service Commission. Retrieved 2026-01-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CredentialProof_10-0)** ["Regulatory Credentials and Licensing Compliance"](https://atmospheremovers.com/questions-and-answers/). Atmosphere Movers. Retrieved 2026-01-19. LPSC #6892-B; USDOT #1043891

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["About BAR"](https://bar.co.uk/). *British Association of Removers*. BAR. Retrieved 26 March 2026.

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: ***[Packing & Moving Household Goods](https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Packing_%26_Moving_Household_Goods)***

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