How to Start a Moving Company (Licensing, Trucks, and Booking Your First Job)

The moving industry generates $20 billion annually in the U.S., and demand grows every year as 31 million Americans move annually. Unlike most trades, moving does not require specialized skills or certifications. It requires strong backs, a truck, and excellent customer service.

Andre, a personal trainer in Nashville, started a moving company in 2024 with a rented truck and two friends. "We did our first move on a Saturday for $400," he said. "By the end of that month we had done 8 moves and earned $5,600." Within six months he had his own truck, three employees, and was grossing $25,000 per month.

Moving is also one of the most scalable trades. Each additional truck and crew multiplies your revenue linearly. A two-truck operation can easily hit $500,000 to $800,000 in annual revenue.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Moving Company?

Plan for $10,000 to $40,000:

Truck: $8,000 to $25,000 (used box truck or cargo van; or $100 to $200/day rental initially)
Moving equipment: $1,000 to $3,000 (dollies, straps, blankets, tool kit)
Insurance: $2,000 to $5,000 per year
Licensing: $300 to $1,000 (USDOT number if doing interstate moves)
Marketing: $500 to $2,000
Working capital: $2,000 to $5,000

The lean start: rent a truck for your first 10 to 15 moves. This lets you validate demand and build revenue before committing to a truck purchase. A 16-foot box truck rents for $100 to $200 per day, and you can pass part of this cost to the customer.

What Licenses and Certifications Do You Need?

Moving company licensing depends on whether you do local (intrastate) or long-distance (interstate) moves:

Local/intrastate moves (within one state):

Requirements vary by state. Some states (like California, Florida, Texas) require registration with the state PUC (Public Utilities Commission) or equivalent agency.
Business registration and EIN
General liability insurance (typically $750,000 to $1,000,000 minimum)
Commercial auto insurance
Cargo/goods-in-transit insurance ($50,000 to $100,000)
Workers' compensation insurance (required in most states)

Interstate moves (across state lines):

USDOT number from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
MC (Motor Carrier) number
BOC-3 filing (process agent designation)
$750,000 minimum liability insurance
Cargo insurance
Compliance with FMCSA regulations (hours of service, vehicle maintenance, etc.)

Start with local moves only. Interstate licensing is complex and expensive. Build your business with local moves first, then add interstate capability once you have revenue and systems in place.

Essential Equipment and Tools

Moving equipment ($1,000 to $3,000):

Furniture dollies (at least 4)
Appliance dolly (hand truck with straps)
Moving straps/shoulder dollies
Moving blankets (at least 24)
Shrink wrap (for securing blankets and protecting furniture)
Mattress bags
Box inventory (small, medium, large, wardrobe boxes)
Tape guns and packing tape
Tool kit (screwdrivers, Allen keys for furniture disassembly)

Vehicle requirements:

Box truck (16-foot for apartments, 26-foot for houses)
Loading ramp
Tie-down straps and E-track system
Dolly storage hooks

Administrative tools:

Booking and scheduling software (MovingPro, Supermove, or Google Calendar to start)
Invoice and payment processing (Square, Stripe)
Customer communication system (texts and email)

How to Get Your First 10 Customers

Facebook Marketplace and local Facebook groups. Post your moving services in local buy/sell/trade groups. Moving posts get strong engagement because people are actively looking for movers.

Google Business Profile is essential. "Movers near me" is a high-intent search. Set up your GBP with photos of your truck, crew, and completed moves. Reviews are critical. Ask every customer to review you.

Partner with real estate agents. Every home sale involves a move. Agents love recommending reliable movers to their clients. Drop off business cards at 10 real estate offices and follow up monthly.

Apartment complexes. Introduce yourself to leasing managers. Residents move in and out constantly. Ask if you can leave flyers in the leasing office or mail room.

Offer a "first move" discount. 10% to 15% off the first booking. This lowers the barrier for new customers to try you. The repeat and referral business from happy customers more than makes up for the initial discount.

How to Price Your Services for Profit

Hourly rate pricing (most common for local moves):

2 movers + truck: $100 to $180 per hour
3 movers + truck: $140 to $220 per hour
4 movers + truck: $180 to $280 per hour

Flat-rate pricing (growing in popularity):

Studio/1-bedroom apartment: $300 to $600
2-bedroom apartment: $500 to $900
3-bedroom house: $800 to $1,500
4-bedroom house: $1,200 to $2,500

Additional charges:

Long carry fee (if no elevator/long walkway): $50 to $150
Stairs fee (per flight): $50 to $75
Piano or heavy item fee: $150 to $400
Packing service: $30 to $50 per hour per packer
Storage: $100 to $300 per month

Target 40% to 50% gross margin. Your main costs are labor ($15 to $22 per hour per mover), fuel, truck payment/rental, and insurance. On a $1,200 local move with 3 movers working 5 hours, your labor cost is about $300, fuel is $50, and truck allocation is $100. Gross profit: $750 (62%).

Mistakes That Kill New Moving Companies

Underpricing to win business. Moving is physically brutal work. If you charge too little, you will burn out your crew, attract bad customers (who are the most likely to damage claims and complaints), and have no margin for overhead and growth.

Not having proper insurance. Goods-in-transit insurance is essential. You are transporting someone's entire life in your truck. One damaged antique or broken TV without insurance could cost you thousands out of pocket.

Hiring unreliable workers. Moving companies live and die by their crews. One no-show on moving day means canceling a customer's move or working shorthanded. Build a roster of 2 to 3 backup movers for every shift.

Not doing a pre-move walkthrough. Always do an in-person or video walkthrough before quoting. Customers underestimate their belongings. A "small 2-bedroom move" might have a garage full of heavy items, a third-floor walkup, and a piano.

Ignoring damage prevention. Use blankets on every piece of furniture. Wrap corners. Protect door frames. Lay floor runners. The 5 minutes you spend protecting items saves hours of damage claims and bad reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a CDL to drive a moving truck?

In most states, no CDL is required for trucks under 26,000 GVWR (which includes most 16-foot and 26-foot box trucks). If you operate a larger truck or trailer combination exceeding 26,000 GVWR, a CDL is required.

How much do moving company owners make?

Solo operators with one truck earn $50,000 to $100,000 per year. Two-truck operations earn $100,000 to $200,000 in owner profit. Larger companies with 3 to 5 trucks can generate $200,000 to $400,000 in owner compensation.

How many moves can one truck do per day?

Typically 1 to 2 local moves per day per truck. Small apartment moves (2 to 3 hours) allow for 2 moves per day. Full house moves (5 to 8 hours) are one move per day. Efficient scheduling maximizes truck utilization.

What is the busiest season for moving companies?

May through September accounts for 60% to 70% of annual moving volume. Weekends and month-end dates are the busiest days. January and February are the slowest months. Plan your hiring and marketing around these cycles.

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