Frequently Asked Questions

According to our 2021 data, the average cost of a local move with a National Van Lines Agent is around $1,400. This price ranges from $700 to $3000. Your true price depends on the services you choose, the amount of movers in your crew, the distance of your move, the items you are moving, and when you need your move completed.

If you’re looking to save money, September to April is the best time to schedule a move. The summer is considered peak season for movers because the weather is nice and the kids are out of school. Because summer is the busiest time of the year, expect higher costs. If you need to move during the summer, book months ahead to get a good price.

To find a reputable local mover, we suggest getting referrals from your friends and family. We also suggest checking out referral sources for any moving companies you are considering. Seeing their ratings on Yelp or the BBB is a good way to see their public opinion. Next, make sure your movers are licensed and insured, read the section below to learn more.

All legitimate local moving companies (intrastate movers) must have a license with their state’s Department of Transportation. Having a license with the DOT means the company has to offer liability protection. If they do not have a license with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, they cannot move outside the state lines.

The best time to move locally depends on where you live! This usually means the spring and summer months in the United States. However, there are states where the weather is nice all year-round. Moving demand slows down during the winter and fall because of the colder weather and changes in precipitation. If the weather is nice during your fall and winter, we suggest scheduling your move during this time. Because there is less demand to move during this time, there’s a chance for savings.

• For a studio or one bedroom apartment, expect the move to take 2 to 4 hours.
• For a two-bedroom house or apartment, expect the move to take 4-6 hours.
• For a three-bedroom move, expect the move to take 6-8 hours.
• Bigger homes can take 12-24 hours, depending on what you’re moving and where you’re moving.

A long-distance move is when goods are moved across state lines. Long-distance moves are also often referred to as interstate moves or cross-country moves. It is important to note that only movers with special authority can provide interstate or long-distance moving services. National Van Lines is fully licensed and legally authorized to provide long-distance moving services.

There are many variables that impact the cost of long-distance moves. These variables include the weight and volume of your household goods and the distance of the move. If you require additional services to serve your long-distance moving needs, it will also need to be factored into your cost. For example, packing/unpacking services, storage services or specialty moving services for valuable items that require special packing, shipping and handling all are additional costs. You should also consider the cost of securing valuation protection for your belongings in transit. Every long-distance move is different so the easiest way to find out how much your move will cost is to contact us for a free moving quote. For more moving tips on this subject check out our article on “Items You Should Leave Behind When Moving”.

If you’re looking to save money, September to April is the best time to schedule most moves. The summer is considered peak season for the moving industry because the weather is nice and the kids are out of school. Because summer is the busiest time of the year, expect increased costs. If you need to move during the summer, book 2-3 months ahead to get a good price.

To find a reputable long distance mover, we suggest getting referrals from your friends and family. We also suggest checking out online sources for any moving companies you are considering. Utilizing Yelp or the BBB to view ratings is a good way to see their public opinion. Next, make sure your movers are licensed and insured, read the section below to learn more. Or check out our article on moving scams.

All legitimate moving companies must have a license with their state’s Department of Transportation. Having a license with the DOT means the company has to offer some type of liability protection. If they don’t have a license with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, they cannot service relocations outside their state lines.

The best time to move long distance depends on a couple different variables. These variables include: where you live and how the weather is year round. Usually, the best weather for moving in the United States is during the spring and summer months in the United States. Yet, there are states where the weather is nice all year-round. Moving demand decreases during the winter and fall because of the colder weather and changes in precipitation. If the weather is nice during your fall and winter, schedule your move during this time. Because there is less demand to move during the fall and winter, there’s a chance for savings.

1. For a studio or one bedroom apartment, expect the move to take 2 to 4 hours for labor and anywhere from 2-3 days for your items to travel to your destination.
2. For a two-bedroom house or apartment, expect the move to take 4-6 hours and anywhere from 2-3 days for your items to travel to your destination.
3. For a three-bedroom move, expect the move to take 6-8 hours and anywhere from 2-3 days for your items to travel to your destination.
4. Bigger homes can take 12-24 hours, depending on what you’re moving and where you’re moving and anywhere from 2-3 days for your items to travel to your destination.

You should contact your international moving company about 6 weeks prior to your move to schedule an in-house visual survey. This survey is a detailed walk through of your home and will usually take about a hour. The survey allows us to examine what will be moved and gives us the opportunity to suggest the best services available to meet your specific needs.

As soon as you know that you are going to be moving overseas, you should contact the local embassy or consulate of the country you are moving to. They will have all of the updated information regarding the formal entry requirements for you and your family, and can give you an idea of what you can and cannot take in your shipment. Our customs information page will list certain items that are restricted/prohibited by virtually all countries. If you are being relocated overseas by your company, check to see if they have a policy about what can or cannot be shipped under their guidelines.

Generally speaking, we do not allow “PBO” or packed by owner items. While you may wish to pack some items yourself prior to the arrival of the moving crew, you should be aware that customs officers in most overseas countries will be looking for inventories that show owner packed items. This will lead to an increased likelihood that your shipment would be called for a full examination. We recommend that if you do wish to organize certain items, then leave the packing cartons open for the crew to inspect the contents, verify the condition and make the proper entry on the packing inventory which is reviewed by customs officers. In addition, owner packed goods will not receive full insurance protection.

International household goods shipments travel over great distances using many different means of transportation. Considering the circumstances regarding the transit of international shipments, the extended protection program will provide peace of mind. We have a very low claims ratio based on the quality of our packing materials, our trained and experienced labor, and the utilization of the best transportation services for your shipment. We offer an extended protection program based on Full Replacement Value Coverage in the country of your destination. Full Replacement Value coverage can only be obtained if a valued inventory is submitted. A valued inventory is a list of each item to be moved and its value in your destination country. Your International move coordinator will provide additional assistance with the completion of your valued inventory.

National has developed a large network of business partners throughout the world who adhere to our high quality standards of service. We will assign one of our partners as your service provider at destination to clear your shipment through customs and arrange final delivery to your new residence.

Your responsibilities revolve around compliance with the regulations regarding you and your family’s entry into the country of destination and the documentation supporting your household goods move. We will be able to advise you on the necessary documentation, but you should contact the embassy or consulate personally to verify all of the requirements. Regarding the move itself, you should be present throughout the packing and loading process, and sign the packing inventory, shipping documents and insurance paperwork. Your move coordinator will be able to answer any specific questions you might have about your role in the process.

There are three methods for shipping international household goods: sea freight, air freight or the combination of the two. For sea freight shipments, we load your possessions into lift vans or a steamship container. A lift van is a large wooden crate made specifically to move household goods overseas. These are used if you’ll need storage at your destination or if your shipment will not fill a steamship container. A steamship container is a large rigid steel container that can be loaded on and off an ocean going vessel with ease. These large containers come in either 20 foot or 40 foot lengths and can hold up to 1,100 cubic feet or 2,200 cubic feet respectively. An air freight container is much smaller than the typical sea containers and is generally used for small, time sensitive shipments. A variety of sizes are available and they are normally constructed of industrial cardboard. Again your move coordinator will be able to explain the most appropriate container for your specific shipment.

Household goods are not as dense as steel bars, they fill the same area with much different weights. The density of a shipment is a mathematical ratio between size (volume or cubic feet) and the net weight of a shipment. Density is established by how well your shipment was packed. Normal density, for household goods, should fall in the 5 to 7 pound per cubic foot range. The higher the number the more dense, or heavier per cubic foot, the shipment is.

Depending upon the quantity and type of items that are to be moved overseas, an average home will require 1 to 2 days for packing, wrapping and preparation. An international crew will consist of 2 – 3 members throughout the duration of your move.

When shipping to or from the United States an average delivery time for sea freight shipments is between 4 and 6 weeks. Some locations along popular trade routes such as Europe or Asia may have shorter transit times, while locations, in more remote destinations may consume the entire transit window. For air shipments, you should allow about 1 to 2 weeks for door-to-door delivery. Air shipments do not always travel the same way as a passenger flight. Air shipments are routed differently and can be subject to delays due to a shortage in volume to a specific destination. Your move coordinator will be able to give you a more accurate transit time based on your specific shipment requirements.

Permanent storage is long term storage and SIT is an acronym for storage-in-transit. If you are transferring overseas for a predetermined amount of time, you may choose to leave some of your household goods at origin in long term storage. If your belongings arrive at your destination city before you are ready for delivery, we can arrange to have your shipment placed in SIT as temporary storage.

If you’ve never relocated before and even if you have, the overload of terminology used can sometimes be overwhelming. Please view our glossary of terminology defining the main terms used by National Van Lines and international relocation providers worldwide. If there are other terms we can help clarify please contact us.

A lift van is a standard wooden shipping crate that is between 192 – 210 cuft in size. A lift van can hold up to approx. 1200 lbs.

An “LDN” container is 105 cuft and can hold up to approx. 750 lbs.

A “D” container is 63 cuft and can hold up to approx. 450 lbs.

An “E” container is 18 cuft and can hold up to approx. 130 lbs

All crates mentioned above should be heat treated and have a visible stamp or they may be rejected in the destination country.

There are 4 sizes of ocean containers used in the household goods industry:

• 20’ Standard 19.5”x 7.8” x 7.6” This container can hold up to 7000 lbs of household goods.
• 40’ Standard 39.6” x 7.8” x 7.9” This container can hold up to 15000 lbs of household goods.
• 40’ High Cube 39.6” x 7.8” x 8.9” This container can hold up to 17000 lbs of household goods.
• 45’ Standard 44.6” x 7.8” x 7.9” This container can hold up to 18000 lbs of household goods (but is rarer to come by).

*Liquids, Prescription medication, illegal drugs, live plants, soil, seeds, fresh food (eg sausages, meat, cheese, etc), liquid cleaning supplies (eg bleach, ammonia, etc), weapons (including swords, air rifles, bb guns), firearms, ammunition, hazardous articles (eg car batteries, fire extinguishers, propane tanks), taxidermied animals, ivory (piano keys included), animal hides/bones, paint, paint thinner, nail polish remover, fireworks.

**Hawaii and Alaska are the exception to the firearm ban. Shippers may ship semi-automatics and firearms. No ammunition allowed.

Yes. The rates are as follows:

• $0 deductible                                  $25 per $1000 of valuation
• $250 deductible                             $20 per $1000 of valuation
• $500 deductible                             $17 per $1000 of valuation

Yes. This is possible but a special rail and ocean rate must be requested before shipping.

Yes. Depending on the destination, the vehicle may either be shipped Ro/Ro (Roll on/ Roll off) with a car carrier or in an ocean container. If with a car carrier, the vehicle will be picked up from residence or from an agent’s warehouse. No items may be inside of the vehicle (eg boxes, first aid kit, etc); only factory-installed items (eg jack, spare tire). The gas tank must be less than ¼ full.

If the vehicle is shipped in a container on its own or with household goods the gas tank must still be less than ¼ full. It must be blocked and braced inside of the container in order to limit movement during transit. This may be done either with nylon straps or with chocks (no wood, aluminum, rubber or plastic).

Any vehicle that is sent overseas will need to submit an original title to U.S. customs as well as to the customs of the destination country. If there is a lien against the vehicle it is up to the owner to request a lien release from the lien holder provide a copy of the title.

The total amount is due at the time that the container or lift van is packed/loaded at origin.

Yes. All of our agents offer warehouse handling and storage facilities.

A good estimate is 7-10 days for air shipments, 4-5 weeks for smaller crated shipments and 5-6 weeks for shipments in ocean containers.