Written by

Kristen Cramer

May 15, 2025

Edited by

Tamatha Hazen

Fact-checked by

Jennifer Carlson

How to start a moving company

Starting a moving company can be a lucrative business venture with relatively low barriers to entry and consistently high demand. However, long-term success requires careful planning, proper licensing, appropriate trucks and equipment, quality customer service, and effective marketing strategies.

Whether you're looking to create a local residential moving service or expand into commercial or long-distance moving, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to start a moving company that is profitable and successful.

Why start a moving business?

The moving industry offers numerous advantages for entrepreneurs:

• Steady demand: People move year-round for various reasons, from job relocations to downsizing, creating consistent business opportunities.

• Low startup costs: Compared to many other businesses, starting a moving company requires a minimal investment—initially, you might only need a truck, basic equipment, and insurance.

• Scalability: You can start small with local residential moves and gradually expand to commercial relocations, long-distance moving, or specialized services like piano moving or storage solutions.

• Repeat business and referrals: Satisfied customers often recommend moving services to friends and family, creating a snowball effect for growth.

• Multiple revenue streams: Beyond moving services, you can offer packing, unpacking, storage, furniture assembly, and other complementary services.

Step 1: Research & plan

Before drafting a business plan and launching your moving company, conduct thorough research to identify opportunities and avoid pitfalls. Follow these important steps:

• Analyze your local market: Identify competitors in your area, their pricing structures, services offered, and customer reviews. Determine what sets your services apart from other companies.

• Identify your target audience: Determine whether you'll focus on residential moves, commercial relocations, long-distance moving, senior downsizing moves, or specialty services like moving pianos, hot tubs, pool tables, and other fragile or valuable items. Specializing can help distinguish your business from competitors and justify premium pricing.

• Assess startup costs: Calculate expenses for vehicles, equipment, insurance, licensing, marketing, and initial operating costs.

• Understand regulations: Research federal, state, and local requirements for operating a moving company, including DOT (Department of Transportation) regulations if you plan to operate across state lines.

Complementary services

Consider offering complementary services. This can attract more customers, increase your revenue per customer, and help to differentiate your moving company from others in the area. Some options include:

• Packing and unpacking services

• Selling packing materials

• Temporary storage solutions

• Furniture assembly/disassembly

• Junk removal

• Specialty item crating

Create a business plan

A comprehensive business plan serves as your roadmap and is crucial when seeking financing. Your plan should begin with an executive summary that provides an overview of your moving company concept and goals. Include a company description that details your business structure, mission statement, and vision.

The market analysis section should include information about your target market, competition, and industry trends. Outline the specific moving services you'll provide and your pricing strategy in the service offerings section. Your marketing strategy should describe how you'll attract and retain customers.

In the operational plan, detail your daily operations, equipment needs, and staffing requirements.

Financial projections should include startup costs, expected revenue, break-even analysis, and profit forecasts for the first three to five years. Finally, specify how much capital you need and how you plan to secure it in the funding requirements section.

Step 2: Choose a company name

Your company name is a crucial element of your brand identity. Make it memorable and relevant by choosing a name that's easy for customers to remember and clearly communicates that you're a moving company. Consider including relevant keywords like "moving," "movers," or "relocation" to improve online searchability.

Check availability by confirming your desired name isn't already in use. Search your state's business registry, the federal trademark database, domain name availability, and social media handles. This prevents potential legal issues and confusion with existing businesses.

Once you've settled on a name, register your business name by filing a DBA ("doing business as") if necessary, and secure your domain name and social media handles.

Step 3: Choose your business structure

Your business structure affects taxes, liability, and operational flexibility. Consult with an attorney or business advisor to determine the most advantageous structure for your specific circumstances. Common business structures include:

• Sole proprietorship: Simplest structure with minimal paperwork but offers no personal liability protection

• Partnership: Suitable if you're starting with co-owners, but your personal assets remain at risk

• Limited Liability Company (LLC): Provides personal asset protection while maintaining operational flexibility; a popular choice for moving companies

• Corporation: Offers the strongest liability protection but involves more complex regulatory requirements and potentially higher taxes

Step 4: Business licenses & taxes

When starting a moving company, you must obtain proper licenses and register for specific tax accounts to ensure you comply with all regulations:

Business licenses and permits:

• Local business license from the city or county

• State business license

• DOT (Department of Transportation) number for interstate movers

• MC (Motor Carrier) number for interstate movers

• Commercial driver's licenses for drivers

• State-specific moving licenses (in some states)

Tax requirements:

• Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS

• State tax ID number

• Sales tax collection (for selling packing materials and some services)

• Payroll taxes if you have employees

• Estimated quarterly tax payments

Step 5: Vehicles & equipment

Investing in the right equipment is crucial for a new moving company. Compare the benefits and disadvantages of buying or leasing moving trucks. Starting with one truck is reasonable, with plans to expand as the business grows. Renting a truck from U-Haul or another rental company for the first few moves is a great way to ease into the business and minimize your initial investment.

You'll also need essential equipment, including:

• Furniture dollies and hand trucks

• Moving blankets and furniture pads

• Ratchet straps and rope

• Furniture sliders

• Packing materials (boxes, tape, bubble wrap, packing paper)

• Ramps and lifting equipment

• Basic tools for furniture disassembly and reassembly

Technology plays an important role in running a moving company. Consider investing in scheduling and dispatch software, GPS systems for route optimization, a customer relationship management (CRM) system, accounting software, and mobile devices for drivers.

Step 6: Business insurance

Comprehensive insurance coverage protects your business, employees, and customers. To operate a moving company, you’ll need several different types of insurance:

• General liability insurance covers third-party injuries and property damage.

• Commercial auto insurance is essential for your moving trucks.

• Cargo insurance protects customers' belongings during transport.

• Workers' compensation insurance covers medical care for workers who are injured on the job.

• Business property insurance covers your equipment, office, and storage facilities.

• Valuation coverage options offer customers different levels of protection for their belongings. For movers transporting goods across state lines, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires moving companies to provide two types of valuation coverage: Full Value Protection and Released Value Protection.

Step 7: Hiring & training staff

Your staff represents your company to customers, and the quality of your team directly impacts customer satisfaction and your company's reputation.

Hiring considerations should include experience in moving or related physical work, clean driving records for drivers, background checks for all employees, physical capability for demanding work, and customer service skills.

Required positions typically include:

• Movers / packers

• Drivers with appropriate licenses

• Dispatcher / scheduler

• Customer service representative

• Sales staff as you grow

Develop a comprehensive employee training program that covers proper lifting techniques to prevent injuries, furniture handling and protection procedures, loading/unloading efficiency, customer service protocols, paperwork completion, and emergency procedures.

Step 8: Set your prices

Developing an effective pricing structure is crucial to ensure your moving company is profitable and competitive. Research your competitors' prices before setting yours. Most successful moving businesses use one of three main pricing models, each with its own advantages.

• Hourly rate model: The hourly rate approach is most common for local moves. Remember to factor in travel time.

• Flat rate model: Flat rate pricing offers customers price certainty and eliminates concerns about movers working slowly. To calculate effective flat rates, develop a formula based on:

  • Home square footage (studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, etc.)

  • Estimated volume of belongings

  • Distance between locations

  • Access challenges (stairs, elevators, long carries)

• Weight-based pricing: For long-distance moves, weight-based pricing is standard. Invest in portable scales or develop reliable weight estimation techniques based on inventory lists. Always conduct in-home assessments for weight-based quotes to improve accuracy.

Establish clear deposit requirements to secure bookings and reduce cancellations. Define payment terms for the remaining balance, with most companies requiring payment upon completion of the move.

Additional fee considerations

Create transparent policies for supplemental charges or additional services. Examples include:

• Stair fees for flights beyond the first

• Long carry fees for distances beyond 75 feet from truck parking

• Hoisting fees for items that won't fit through doorways

• Heavy item fees for pianos, gun safes, pool tables, and similar items

• Packing material costs (if providing boxes and supplies)

• Storage fees (if offering overnight or temporary storage)

• Weekend and holiday surcharges

Step 9: Marketing strategies

Effective marketing is essential for attracting customers in the competitive moving industry. Follow a multi-pronged approach that incorporates online marketing, traditional marketing, partnerships with local professionals in related industries, customer referrals, and more:

Digital marketing:

• Professional website optimized for local SEO

• Membership on HomeGuide to get leads for local customers

• Google Business Profile with customer reviews

• Social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)

• Email marketing campaigns

• Content marketing (blog posts about moving tips, packing tips, and more)

Traditional marketing:

• Vehicle branding

• Local print advertising

• Direct mail campaigns

• Neighborhood flyers and door hangers

• Business cards and brochures

• Branded uniforms or T-shirts

Partnership marketing:

• Real estate agent referral programs

• Apartment complex partnerships

• Collaboration with home improvement stores

• Networking with property managers

• Advertising on college campuses

Customer referrals and reviews:

• Encourage satisfied customers to refer friends and family.

• Actively solicit reviews and respond professionally to all feedback.

Step 10: Client & operations management

Efficient operations and excellent customer service create the foundation for a successful moving business. Customer journey management should include:

• A streamlined inquiry, quoting, and booking process

• Clear communication before, during, and after moves

• Thorough inventory and condition documentation

• Post-move follow-up and feedback collection

Customer communication should include pre-move preparation guides, day-of-move expectations, clear points of contact, and transparent policies regarding cancellations, delays, and other potential issues.

Quality control measures should include move checklists, final walkthrough procedures, damage prevention protocols, and a clearly defined issue resolution process.

To ensure your business runs smoothly, you’ll also need to develop effective quoting, scheduling, and dispatching processes. Establish a system for providing estimates. Plan the most efficient routes, allocate appropriate time for each job and a buffer time between jobs, and remember to take seasonal busy periods into account.

Step 11: Managing finances

To ensure your moving company remains profitable and viable for the long term, follow these sound financial management practices:

• Open a business bank account to keep your company’s finances separate from your personal finances.

• Use professional accounting software like QuickBooks to track the company’s income and expenses.

• Track expenses meticulously, including vehicle maintenance and fuel, equipment replacement, insurance premiums, marketing expenditures, and staff costs.

• Conduct regular profit and loss reviews that include cost-per-move calculations, revenue by service type analysis, and seasonal performance comparisons.

• Plan for growth investment by establishing timelines and criteria for equipment upgrades, fleet expansion, marketing budget allocation, and staff development.

Follow the steps in this comprehensive guide to build a solid plan to get your moving company off the ground. Stay flexible, keep learning, and never underestimate the power of a happy customer. Now, put these steps into action and build something great!