When every mover is promising a smooth experience, choosing a moving company can feel overwhelming. When you book the right moving company for a long distance move, that mover should be able to speak clearly about your home size, your timing and your specific route. They’ll be able to answer any questions you have along the way, too.
What to Know Before You Book a Moving Company
Before you book, use these questions to understand whether a mover is licensed, detail-oriented, and prepared for your specific move.
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Is the mover DOT and MC licensed? | Confirms they’re federally authorized for long distance moves. |
| How does home size affect the quote? | A mover who skips this step is guessing at your price. |
| Does timing or route taken change cost and delivery? | Peak season and high-volume corridors can affect both. |
| What’s included, and who do I call if plans change? | This prevents surprise costs and shows whether there’s a real process behind the promises. |
These questions give you a quick preview of what to look for before booking. As you start comparing movers, the real difference often comes through in how clearly each company explains the details behind your quote, schedule and route.
1. What Is the Mover’s DOT and MC Numbers?
Any company handling a long distance move must be licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. That license comes with a USDOT number, which you can look up for free through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
National Van Lines’ USDOT number is 76628 and our MC number is MC-42866. We are also proudly accredited with the BBB, and maintain an A+ rating.
2. What Moving Services Are Included in Your Estimate?
Not every mover offers the same range of services. Some limit themselves to loading, driving and unloading, and treat everything else as your responsibility. Others, including National Van Lines, take a full-service moving approach that covers different services and resources to help with your unique circumstances.
Get a detailed list of included moving services in writing before you hire a mover, so nothing is a surprise on moving day. Here are a few moving services to ask about.
- Packing and unpacking services
- Custom crating services
- Long-term and short-term storage needs
- Specialty item handling (i.e. safes, antiques)
By asking about these services now, your crew can fully prepare for any additional work they’ll need to do to get the job done right. This also means you’ll have a much better understanding of what you’ll end up paying come moving day.
You should also ask whether your estimate is binding or non-binding. A binding estimate guarantees a cost based on the specific services and items listed when it is written. A non-binding estimate is only an approximation, and the final price can change once your actual shipment weight and services are confirmed.
Understanding how to compare long distance moving quotes can also help you review the estimate you receive, and know what to look for before signing.
3. Does Home Size Affect Your Final Move Price?
Long distance moving prices are mostly driven by the weight (also known as tonnage) of your belongings. For many people, it can be more handy to think about it in terms of the number of rooms you have, so here’s a convenient table that breaks down some average prices.
Average Long Distance Moving Cost by Home Size
| Home Size | Estimated Weight | Average Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1-Bedroom | Under 3,500 lbs | $3,543 |
| 2-Bedroom | 3,500 to 5,000 lbs | $5,773 |
| 3-Bedroom | 5,000 to 9,000 lbs | $7,666 |
| 4-Bedroom | 9,000 to 13,000 lbs | $12,421 |
| 5+ Bedroom | Over 13,000 lbs | $18,132 |
The above values are based on National Van Lines’ 2025 average cost per move by shipment weight. Your actual price will depend on your belongings, distance, timing, and any additional services you select.
Make sure you provide your moving company as much information as you can about what’s in your home, omitting the items that you will be selling, giving away or disposing of. This way your moving company can most accurately calculate a weight to bring you the best price possible.
For example, perhaps you’ve lived in a smaller 1-or-2-bedroom space for many years, and you’ve accumulated many items over that time. In such a case, your shipment’s actual weight may be higher than you expect. Knowing this reality well in advance will let you make decisions and budget more effectively.
4. Can Timing Affect the Moving Service’s Availability and Price?
Long distance movers see planning and search activity rise well before the busiest moving months kick in, typically peaking in the spring, 2–3 months ahead of the busiest move season in early summer. If at all possible, we recommend hiring your moving company as soon as you know where you’re moving. By being proactive, you can avoid scheduling delays or issues down the road.
National Van Lines’ internal data shows that moves loaded in June carry the highest demand of the year, along with the highest average cost. If your move date has any flexibility, ask your mover whether shifting it even a few weeks could change your price or the mover’s availability.
5. Will the Route Affect the Delivery Window?
Long distance moves are rarely a straight line from your old home to your new one. Depending on the route, your mover may consolidate your shipment with those of other customers heading in the same general direction. This can affect how many stops your belongings make, and how long delivery actually takes. In some cases deliveries may fall within a range of days, rather than being confirmed for an absolute specific day.
- For instance, if you’re taking a high-volume route (such as California to Texas), you may be sharing that same route (and truck) with a few other individuals or families.
- If you and/or your movers are going through a region that has special geographical or weather features (such as mountains, desert, or spring storms), they may give you a range of dates to cover for any possible delays along the way.
- Are you moving into a big city like New York or Chicago? Your route and move might require special logistics to prepare for different street layouts, tighter turns, and even building access rules. These factors can affect the timing of your move.
When you know the delivery timing in advance, you can plan your transition more effectively. This will help you plan temporary lodging, travel timing and storage needs.
6. Who Should You Call if Something Changes With the Move?
Plans change, even on well-planned moves. And if that happens, you don’t want to hear a scripted line that sounds reassuring but says nothing specific. A good moving company should have a real answer for what comes next if your dates shift, your new address changes, or something unexpected comes up mid-move.
“The customers that end up feeling the best about their move afterwards are the ones who understand exactly what they’re getting, and why. We encourage every customer to ask us as many questions as they need to understand the process. It helps empower everyone involved to have a great move.”
– Danielle Perri, Director of Contact Sales Development
When you choose National Van Lines as your moving company, you’ll get a MovePro coordinator that can answer all the questions and concerns you have along the way. They’ll be your main point of contact and can easily inform you of any changes that might occur along the way. You can also give them a call to update information about anything that shifts on your end. We’re here to work with you to get the job done right.
Get Answers Before You Book Your Long Distance Move
At National Van Lines, we believe in honesty and transparency each step of the way. If you have any other specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask your MovePro coordinator. We’re happy to share the facts so you have more peace of mind.
Ready to get real answers instead of guesses? Call 800-323-1962 or request your free long distance moving quote from National Van Lines, and see what a transparent estimate looks like.