How Much Does a Long-Distance Move Cost in 2026?

Licensing and protection

Licensed, Insured, and Accountable

Any company moving household goods across a state line is regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and must hold an active USDOT number and operating authority. LD Movers holds both, carries cargo and liability coverage, and provides certificates of insurance for buildings that require one before move day.

How valuation coverage works

Valuation is not the same thing as insurance, and the difference surprises people at claim time. Every interstate shipment includes released value protection at no charge, which pays 60 cents per pound per article. On a 40-pound flat-screen television that comes to $24 regardless of what you paid for it.

Full value protection is the alternative. Under it, the carrier is liable for the replacement value of a lost or damaged item, and repairs, replaces, or pays out accordingly. It costs more and usually carries a deductible option, and on a full household shipment it is almost always the right call. Your coordinator walks through both options before you sign anything.

If something goes wrong

Note any damage on the inventory sheet at delivery before the driver leaves - that document is the basis of a claim. You have nine months from delivery to file, and carriers must acknowledge a claim within 30 days and resolve it within 120. We would rather fix a problem than argue about one, and our claims contact is the same coordinator you have worked with from the start.

Choosing a mover

How to Vet Long-Distance Movers for Your Destination

Searching for movers near me returns a mix of licensed carriers, brokers who resell your job, and outright scams. A few checks separate them quickly.

• Verify the license. Every interstate mover must hold an active USDOT and MC number. Look it up on the FMCSA site and confirm the company name matches the one on your estimate.
• Ask carrier or broker. Brokers sell your move to whichever carrier bids lowest, which is how people end up with a crew they never vetted. LD Movers operates its own trucks and crews.
• Insist on an inventory. A written estimate without a walkthrough is a guess, and guesses get revised upward on move day once your goods are already on the truck.
• Read the valuation terms. Released value coverage is included by default and pays only 60 cents per pound - about $60 for a 100-pound television. Full value protection costs more and is worth it on a household shipment.
• Refuse large cash deposits. A reasonable deposit is a small percentage. Demands for a large sum up front, especially in cash or by wire, are the most reliable warning sign there is.
• Get the delivery window in writing. Reputable carriers commit to a spread of days and explain what happens if they miss it.

LD Movers is licensed and insured for interstate household moves, holds a 4.9-star average across 212 verified reviews, and quotes from a real inventory every time. You will speak to the same coordinator from estimate through delivery.

Planning timeline

Your Your New City Moving Timeline

Long-distance moves reward early planning. This is the schedule our coordinators use for households relocating from the Chicago area to Your New City.

Eight weeks out

Request estimates and compare at least three licensed long-distance moving companies. Verify each one has an active USDOT number rather than relying on review scores alone. Book earlier for a summer move - the window between Memorial Day and Labor Day accounts for roughly half of all annual interstate moves and capacity tightens fast.

Six weeks out

Complete your inventory walkthrough so your estimate is binding. Start decluttering in earnest: on an interstate move you pay by weight, so every box you do not ship is money saved. Begin collecting medical, dental, school, and veterinary records.

Four weeks out

File your change of address with USPS, transfer utilities to your new Your New City address, and confirm any building requirements at both ends - elevator reservations and certificates of insurance often need a week or more of lead time. Start packing rooms you rarely use.

Two weeks out

Confirm your pickup window in writing. Arrange care for pets and children on move day. Use up frozen and perishable food. Service any vehicle you plan to drive to Your New City.

Move week

Pack a first-night essentials box that travels with you: medications, chargers, basic tools, a change of clothes, and important documents. Photograph high-value items before they are wrapped. Walk the empty home with the crew lead before the truck departs.