Movers in Connecticut charge about $105 to $165 per hour for a two-person crew on local jobs, and a two-bedroom interstate move from Connecticut is estimated at $3,000 to $7,000. Intrastate movers in Connecticut are licensed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit, while any company moving household goods across state lines must hold FMCSA operating authority. Peak demand runs May to August, when quotes sit at the top of those ranges. BestMovers.info compares 182 licensed carriers serving Connecticut, with pricing data as of May 2026.
Key facts
Local rate, two movers
$105 to $165 per hour
2-bedroom interstate
$3,000 to $7,000
Intrastate regulator
Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit
Interstate licensing
FMCSA USDOT and MC authority
Peak season
May–August
Cities covered
1
Carriers compared
182
Pricing data as of
May 2026
Bottom line
Compare moving companies, Federal Records, and moving resources for Connecticut. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order.
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Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Amanda Brooks5 companies analyzed
What moving in Connecticut actually looks like
Connecticut sits in the Northeast with about 3.6 million residents and a peak moving window of May–August. Flexible timelines shift to November–March, where pricing lands 15% to 25% lower and crews are easier to book.
Two crew members at standard rates run roughly $135/hr in most of the state, with downtown high-rise jobs and gated communities pulling toward the upper end. A typical 2-bedroom interstate move out of Connecticut settles around $5,000, though distance and packing services swing that meaningfully.
Local quirks worth pricing in: tight street access, frequent walk-ups, building COIs, and a September lease-turnover spike. None of these are dealbreakers, but they show up in the final bill if you don't ask about them upfront.
Verification in Connecticut runs through the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit. A company moving household goods between two points in Connecticut must hold a Household Goods Carrier Certificate from the Department of Transportation, granted after an application and, where required, a hearing on public convenience and necessity. The authorisation is a Connecticut Household Goods Carrier Certificate. Interstate carriers additionally need active FMCSA authority, which you can check on SAFER by USDOT number.
Confirm valuation coverage in writing. Released-value protection pays 60 cents per pound, which is not insurance on anything worth moving.
Connecticut runs its heaviest volume May–August, and its 1 covered metros feed most of that demand out of and around Hartford. Population sits near 3.6 million, which is what sets how deep the local crew pool actually is in November–March.
How we select movers for this state
Selection for Connecticut starts from licensing, not marketing. A company is listed here when it is headquartered in Connecticut or its record shows coverage of the state, and when we can describe it from sourced fields: federal registration, operating authority, founding year, and service coverage. We publish no numeric score and rank nobody first.
Which company suits your move is a question of scope and date, not of a score: BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order. The pricing model behind the estimates on this page is dated May 2026.
Pricing
Connecticut moving cost snapshot
Two movers, ground-floor access, standard packing. Peak season in Connecticut is May–August.
Home size
Local move
Interstate move
Studio
$315–$825
$1,650–$4,200
1 Bedroom
$420–$990
$2,250–$5,460
2 Bedroom
$630–$1,485
$3,000–$7,000
3 Bedroom
$840–$1,980
$4,350–$10,850
4 Bedroom
$1,155–$2,640
$5,850–$15,050
5+ Bedroom
$1,470–$3,300
$7,200–$18,900
How many licensed moving companies are registered in Connecticut?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 771 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Connecticut, and 336 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Connecticut address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Connecticut. An interstate move into or out of Connecticut can be performed by a carrier registered in any state.
How many households move out of Connecticut each year?
IRS tax return data for filing years 2022 to 2023 records 55,029 returns moving out of Connecticut to another state, and 48,748 moving in, a net loss of 6,281 returns. A return approximates a household rather than a person. The same filings cover 83,943 individuals leaving and 78,479 arriving.
The states receiving the most Connecticut households were New York (10,486 returns), Florida (7,668 returns) and Massachusetts (6,467 returns).
Arrivals came mainly from New York (15,535 returns), Massachusetts (6,006 returns) and Florida (4,519 returns). These figures count all filers who changed address, not only those who hired a moving company.
Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit regulates household goods movers operating inside Connecticut, and sits within the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Movers are licensed under Conn. Gen. Stat. chapter 245c, sections 13b-387 to 13b-414, with the certificate at 13b-389 and rate filing at 13b-393. Moves crossing the Connecticut state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
A mover doing work inside Connecticut must hold the Connecticut Household Goods Carrier Certificate, issued by Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. The requirement sits in Conn. Gen. Stat. chapter 245c, sections 13b-387 to 13b-414, with the certificate at 13b-389 and rate filing at 13b-393. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Connecticut intrastate work by that number alone.
How can I verify a Connecticut mover before booking?
Search the company by name or licence number in the Household goods movers with a certificate to operate from CTDOT, and confirm the record shows an active status. For a move leaving Connecticut, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Connecticut licence lookupConnecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, P.O. Box 317546, Newington CT 06131-7546Verify by phone: 860-594-2868FMCSA SAFER
Does Connecticut regulate what movers can charge?
Connecticut requires each mover to file its own rates rather than setting a ceiling. The mechanism is Schedule of rates and charges filed with the Commissioner of Transportation under Conn. Gen. Stat. 13b-393, which the commissioner may cap or floor by order after a hearing, so the rates are public and enforceable against the mover that filed them, but Connecticut does not cap them. Rates on a move that leaves Connecticut are not set by the state.
How do I file a complaint against a Connecticut mover?
Complaints about a move inside Connecticut go to Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit through 860-594-2868. A complaint about a move that crossed the Connecticut state line goes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration through the National Consumer Complaint Database instead.
Can a Connecticut mover charge whatever it quotes?
No. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 13b-393 every certificated household goods carrier files an exact schedule of its rates and charges with the Commissioner of Transportation, and under 13b-394 it may not charge more or less than the filed figure for the service rendered. A change of rate takes thirty days' notice to the commissioner under 13b-395. The commissioner may also prescribe maximum or minimum rates after a hearing, so the ceiling is a power the state holds rather than a standing tariff.
How does a Connecticut consumer complain about a mover?
In writing only. The Regulatory and Compliance Unit states that taxi, livery and household goods carrier complaints must be filed in writing and that no complaint will be taken over the phone, using the department's Taxi, Livery or Household Goods complaint form. Calling the unit will get an application question answered; it will not open a case.
What does Connecticut require of a permitted mover?
Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Connecticut. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
Connecticut allows a certificated mover to meet the existing rate of a competing carrier, including a carrier outside the chapter, as a stated exception to the just-and-reasonable rate rule at 13b-393.
A Connecticut certificate application is decided on public convenience and necessity, and the department publishes a guide to the application and hearing process alongside the form.
What is different about an interstate move from Connecticut?
Moves crossing a state line are authorised by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under a USDOT number and interstate household goods operating authority. A Connecticut state licence does not cover that work, and the federal record is the one to check: confirm the USDOT number is active and authorised for household goods before paying a deposit.
What should you check before moving out of Connecticut?
A move that leaves Connecticut is an interstate move and falls under federal authority, so the company needs active operating authority for household goods rather than only a Connecticut licence. A move that stays inside Connecticut is different: it is regulated by Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit, and the company needs Connecticut Household Goods Carrier Certificate. Check which kind of move you are booking before you compare quotes, because the two are verified in different places.
Distance — local moves under 50 miles are billed hourly; cross-state jobs are billed by weight + mileage.
Home size — going from a 1-bedroom to a 3-bedroom roughly doubles crew time and truck space.
Stairs and access — every flight above the first commonly adds $25–$100; long carries from truck to door add similarly.
Packing — full-pack service usually adds 30–45% to a base move; partial packing (kitchen + fragiles only) adds 10–20%.
Season — book a Saturday move in late June and expect to pay 20–30% more than the same job mid-week in February.
Specialty items — pianos, gun safes, large aquariums, and oversized art each carry their own line item.
Connecticut season — quotes inside May–August run at the top of the $105–$165 hourly band; November–March quotes sit near the bottom.
Fuel surcharge — interstate quotes float with diesel pricing, so a quote held for weeks may be re-priced.
Connecticut licensing — Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit handles intrastate oversight, which changes what paperwork you can demand before deposit.
Full-service, labor-only, container, or rental truck
For a 1-bedroom apartment moving across town, a labor-only crew (you rent the truck, they load) is the cheapest option that still beats calling friends. In Connecticut metros that runs about $315 to $660 for two movers over three to four hours.
Choose full service when the inventory is large, the access is bad, or the destination is out of state. The cost sits at two to three times labor-only and includes the truck, padding, and fuel that labor-only leaves to you.
The container route splits the difference. Providers such as PODS, U-Pack, and 1-800-PACK-RAT drop a unit at the curb. You load on your schedule, the company drives. On a Connecticut interstate move the container route is usually cheaper than a full-service van line, because you are supplying the loading labor the carrier would otherwise charge for. Bestmovers.info holds no container rates, so price the provider quote for your own lane and dates. The catch is the delivery window, which is set by the provider rather than promised to you, and limited recourse for damage during loading, since you packed it.
Companies
Moving Companies Based in Connecticut
These companies have a verified headquarters or documented company location in Connecticut. Placement is based on documented location information, not a numeric ranking.
We currently do not have a company profile headquartered in Connecticut that meets our documentation requirements.
Companies
Featured Nationwide Movers
These companies publish broad nationwide moving service and are shown separately from companies based in Connecticut.
American Van Lines states first-party that it staffs moves with W2 employees rather than day labour. It requires a deposit to hold a move date, so ask what portion is refundable and by when before you pay it. We publish no BBB grade and hold no complaint dataset, so nothing here rates the company's service.
Why is this company shown here?
American Van Lines publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
USDOT 614506Pompano Beach, FL2BR est. $2,900–$6,800
One of the oldest moving brands in the US, Bekins runs an agent-affiliate model similar to Allied, with interstate shipments booked under the Bekins registration and performed by affiliated agents.
Why is this company shown here?
Bekins Moving Solutions publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
USDOT 2256609Indianapolis, IN2BR est. $3,000–$7,000
North American Van Lines is part of SIRVA and moves interstate household goods through an agent-affiliate network. The federal registration shown here belongs to the van line, not to the local agent that loads the truck.
Why is this company shown here?
North American Van Lines publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
United Van Lines is the largest brand under UniGroup and publishes the annual National Movers Study. It offers shipment tracking and a published claims process; we hold no dataset that compares its claims outcomes with other carriers.
Why is this company shown here?
United Van Lines publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
Wheaton World Wide Moving shares a parent company with Bekins and moves interstate household goods through an agent network under its own federal registration.
Why is this company shown here?
Wheaton World Wide Moving publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
A demand for cash deposit over $100 before move day. Reputable carriers bill on or after delivery.
A quote without a USDOT number on the paperwork. No USDOT means no FMCSA accountability if something goes wrong.
A "binding" estimate with no inventory list attached. Without inventory, the binding part is meaningless.
Refusal to do a video survey or in-home estimate for moves over 5,000 lb.
A blank Bill of Lading on move day. Sign nothing blank. Ever.
A name change in the last 12 months on the FMCSA record. It often signals a previous carrier under a complaint cloud.
No Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit credential on an intrastate Connecticut job. State-licensed work requires it, and the agency publishes the register.
An hourly quote far under $105 in Connecticut. Below-market rates on a local job usually reappear as stair, carry, or materials charges on the invoice.
An eight-week timeline that actually works in Connecticut
Eight weeks out: get three written quotes. Two should be in-home or video surveys. One online quote is fine for comparison only — it will rarely be the binding number.
Six weeks out: book the carrier. Ask for binding-not-to-exceed pricing in writing. Confirm valuation coverage (released vs. full-value protection — there is a real difference if a TV gets dropped).
Four weeks out: order packing supplies if you're self-packing. Boxes go on sale at U-Haul and Home Depot in late winter and late summer.
Two weeks out: confirm parking, building COIs, and elevator reservations at both ends. Connecticut buildings vary wildly here — some need 72 hours notice, some 30 days.
One week out: pack a personal essentials box (medications, chargers, three days of clothes, toilet paper, coffee, scissors, the lease/closing folder) and keep it with you, not on the truck.
Move day: walk the truck before driver pulls away. Sign the Bill of Lading only after the inventory list matches. First week in the new place, file any damage claim within nine months — that's the federal interstate window.
Where in Connecticut you're moving matters
Connecticut pricing varies by metro. Downtown cores with high-rise residential typically run 10–20% above the state median because of COI requirements, freight elevator wait time, and tighter parking. Suburban single-family moves usually land near the median. Rural pickups outside metro service areas often add a per-mile travel fee from the nearest depot.
Local moves in Connecticut are estimated at $315–$2,480 depending on home size, while an interstate move out of Connecticut is estimated at $3,000–$7,000 for a two-bedroom household. Distance, packing services, and the time of year all shift those numbers.
When is the cheapest time to move in Connecticut?
October through April is generally the cheapest window in Connecticut — most movers cut rates 15–25% outside the May-to-September peak. Mid-month, mid-week pickups give the biggest discounts.
Are moving companies in Connecticut licensed and insured?
All interstate moving companies must register with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. Connecticut also requires intrastate movers to register with the state — verify any quote against the FMCSA SAFER tool before signing.
Should I tip movers in Connecticut?
Tipping is customary but not required. A typical tip in Connecticut is $20–$40 per mover for a half-day local job, or $50–$100 per mover for a full day or long-distance move.
How far in advance should I book a mover in Connecticut?
Book 4–6 weeks ahead for moves between May and September. For off-peak fall and winter moves in Connecticut, two weeks is usually enough notice.
What's the difference between binding and non-binding estimates?
A binding estimate locks in your price based on the inventory at the time of the survey — the mover can't charge more on move day for the same items. Non-binding estimates can change based on actual weight or volume. For CT interstate moves, request binding-not-to-exceed quotes whenever possible.
Who licenses movers in Connecticut
Intrastate household-goods movers in Connecticut are licensed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation, Regulatory and Compliance Unit. A company moving household goods between two points in Connecticut must hold a Household Goods Carrier Certificate from the Department of Transportation, granted after an application and, where required, a hearing on public convenience and necessity. The authorisation is a Connecticut Household Goods Carrier Certificate.
How we evaluate moving companies: we verify federal registration and operating authority against FMCSA records, record carrier or broker classification, note state licensing where a state regulator publishes it, and state the limits of what we could source. No numeric score, star rating or ranked order is produced from those checks. Read full methodology
