Movers in Minnesota charge about $95 to $145 per hour for a two-person crew on local jobs, and a two-bedroom interstate move from Minnesota is estimated at $2,800 to $6,600. Intrastate movers in Minnesota are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations, while any company moving household goods across state lines must hold FMCSA operating authority. Peak demand runs May to September, when quotes sit at the top of those ranges. BestMovers.info compares 182 licensed carriers serving Minnesota, with pricing data as of May 2026.
Key facts
Local rate, two movers
$95 to $145 per hour
2-bedroom interstate
$2,800 to $6,600
Intrastate regulator
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations
Interstate licensing
FMCSA USDOT and MC authority
Peak season
May–September
Cities covered
2
Carriers compared
182
Pricing data as of
May 2026
Bottom line
Compare moving companies, Federal Records, and moving resources for Minnesota. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order.
Free quote request
Quotes from movers serving Minnesota
Compare licensed Minnesota movers in one minute.
No obligation. Your quote request may be shared with up to 4 moving companies that may serve your requested route.
Step 1 of 3 · Locations~60 seconds left
Where are you moving?
Get matched with licensed movers based on your route and move details.
ZIP or City
.
ZIP or City
.
Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Amanda Brooks7 companies analyzed
What moving in Minnesota actually looks like
Demand in Minnesota concentrates in May–September, when the state's 5.7 million residents do most of their moving. Booking in November–March instead is the single cheapest change available, worth 15% to 25%.
Two crew members at standard rates run roughly $120/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 Minnesota settles around $4,700, though distance and packing services swing that meaningfully.
Local quirks worth pricing in: winter pickups that can slip a day after snowstorms, and a strong August student-move surge. None of these are dealbreakers, but they show up in the final bill if you don't ask about them upfront.
Verification in Minnesota runs through the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations. A mover operating inside Minnesota must hold a Household Goods Mover Permit issued by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The authorisation is a Household Goods Mover Permit. Interstate carriers additionally need active FMCSA authority, which you can check on SAFER by USDOT number.
Photograph high-value items before load day; claims in Minnesota move faster when the condition record predates the truck.
Minnesota runs its heaviest volume May–September, and its 2 covered metros feed most of that demand out of and around Saint Paul. Population sits near 5.7 million, which is what sets how deep the local crew pool actually is in November–March.
How we select movers for this state
The Minnesota shortlist is filtered before it is listed. A company is listed here when it is headquartered in Minnesota 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
Minnesota moving cost snapshot
Two movers, ground-floor access, standard packing. Peak season in Minnesota is May–September.
Home size
Local move
Interstate move
Studio
$285–$725
$1,540–$3,960
1 Bedroom
$380–$870
$2,100–$5,148
2 Bedroom
$570–$1,305
$2,800–$6,600
3 Bedroom
$760–$1,740
$4,060–$10,230
4 Bedroom
$1,045–$2,320
$5,460–$14,190
5+ Bedroom
$1,330–$2,900
$6,720–$17,820
How many licensed moving companies are registered in Minnesota?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 2,382 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Minnesota, and 456 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Minnesota address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Minnesota. An interstate move into or out of Minnesota can be performed by a carrier registered in any state.
How many households move out of Minnesota each year?
IRS tax return data for filing years 2022 to 2023 records 59,596 returns moving out of Minnesota to another state, and 54,029 moving in, a net loss of 5,567 returns. A return approximates a household rather than a person. The same filings cover 94,325 individuals leaving and 86,200 arriving.
The states receiving the most Minnesota households were Wisconsin (8,003 returns), Florida (4,951 returns) and Texas (4,294 returns).
Arrivals came mainly from Wisconsin (8,321 returns), North Dakota (4,007 returns) and California (3,396 returns). These figures count all filers who changed address, not only those who hired a moving company.
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations regulates household goods movers operating inside Minnesota. Movers are licensed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 221. Moves crossing the Minnesota state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
A mover doing work inside Minnesota must hold the Household Goods Mover Permit, issued by Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. The requirement sits in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 221. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Minnesota intrastate work by that number alone.
How can I verify a Minnesota mover before booking?
Minnesota does not publish a household goods permit lookup we have confirmed. Confirm a Minnesota Household Goods Mover Permit with the Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations on 651-215-6330. For a move leaving Minnesota, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations: 395 John Ireland Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155-1899Verify by phone: 651-215-6330FMCSA SAFER
Why would a Minnesota mover's permit be suspended?
For lapses, not only for misconduct. A Minnesota motor carrier's authority is suspended if the carrier does not maintain and file the required insurance, or does not pay the annual vehicle registration fees and purchase vehicle credentials. A Minnesota mover can therefore lose its permit through an administrative failure alone, which is why the permit is worth confirming close to the move date.
Inside Minnesota, and open to inspection. The Household Goods Mover Permit application requires the applicant to name a location in Minnesota where the company's records are available for inspection and copying, alongside its Minnesota business identification number and any USDOT number. A Minnesota permit holder cannot place its records beyond reach of the state.
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Minnesota. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
The Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations is at 395 John Ireland Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155-1899, and takes permit enquiries on 651-215-6330.
What is different about an interstate move from Minnesota?
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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota?
A move that leaves Minnesota is an interstate move and falls under federal authority, so the company needs active operating authority for household goods rather than only a Minnesota licence. A move that stays inside Minnesota is different: it is regulated by Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations, and the company needs Household Goods Mover Permit. Check which kind of move you are booking before you compare quotes, because the two are verified in different places.
Minnesota publishes no lookup, so a licence is confirmed by calling Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations on 651-215-6330.
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.
Minnesota season — quotes inside May–September run at the top of the $95–$145 hourly band; November–March quotes sit near the bottom.
Truck access — if the truck cannot park within 75 feet of the door, expect a long-carry or shuttle charge.
Minnesota licensing — Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations handles intrastate oversight, which changes what paperwork you can demand before deposit.
Full-service, labor-only, container, or rental truck
A studio or 1-bedroom in Minnesota rarely justifies full service. Book labor-only at $95 to $145 per hour, rent the truck yourself, and expect the loading to take three to four hours.
Full service earns its price on 3+ bedroom homes, stairs at both ends, or any interstate job you are not driving yourself. It runs roughly two to three times labor-only, and that covers blankets, dollies, fuel, and the truck.
Portable containers sit between the two on price. 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota
These companies have a verified headquarters or documented company location in Minnesota. Placement is based on documented location information, not a numeric ranking.
Beltmann Group Incorporated, filed with the DBA Beltmann Relocation Group, holds its own federal registration and files 269 power units from Roseville, Minnesota. It has been trading since 1923 and operates as an agent of North American Van Lines, whose own USDOT number appears on Beltmann's site. The two registrations are separate, and the one that governs a Beltmann-contracted job is the agent's.
Why is this company shown here?
Beltmann Relocation Group is headquartered in Minnesota according to its published company location.
Piepho Moving & Storage, Inc. files from Highway 14 West in Rochester, Minnesota, active on the federal census with household goods and general freight cargo entries, eighteen power units, twenty-one drivers, a current MCS-150 filing and docket MC-133951 on the registration. The filed contact email uses the company's own domain, so registrant and consumer-facing brand agree inside the federal data. The licensing record shows active common carrier authority and active contract carrier authority with property and household goods checked; the roles are reported separately rather than merged, and no broker authority is verified on this docket. The company is an Allied Van Lines agent; Allied holds its own separate federal registration and no Allied identifier is stored here or presented as Piepho's number. FMCSA safety rating on file: Satisfactory, dated 4 February 1997, following a compliance review dated 8 January 1997; that is a dated federal snapshot rather than a current assessment. The company states it has provided professional moving services since 1952.
Why is this company shown here?
Piepho Moving & Storage is headquartered in Minnesota according to its published company location.
International Van Lines services overseas destinations in addition to US interstate work. What it is licensed to do federally is set out in the federal record on this page rather than described here.
Why is this company shown here?
International 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 2293832Coral Springs, FL2BR est. $2,700–$6,400
Mayflower Transit is the second large UniGroup brand alongside United Van Lines and runs full-service interstate moves through an agent network under its own federal registration.
Why is this company shown here?
Mayflower Transit 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.
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 Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations credential on an intrastate Minnesota job. State-licensed work requires it, and the agency publishes the register.
An hourly quote far under $95 in Minnesota. 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 Minnesota
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. Minnesota 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 Minnesota you're moving matters
Minnesota pricing varies city by city. 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 Minnesota are estimated at $315–$2,480 depending on home size, while an interstate move out of Minnesota 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 Minnesota?
October through April is generally the cheapest window in Minnesota — 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 Minnesota licensed and insured?
All interstate moving companies must register with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. Minnesota also requires intrastate movers to register with the state — verify any quote against the FMCSA SAFER tool before signing.
Should I tip movers in Minnesota?
Tipping is customary but not required. A typical tip in Minnesota 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 Minnesota?
Book 4–6 weeks ahead for moves between May and September. For off-peak fall and winter moves in Minnesota, 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 MN interstate moves, request binding-not-to-exceed quotes whenever possible.
Who licenses movers in Minnesota
Intrastate household-goods movers in Minnesota are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations. A mover operating inside Minnesota must hold a Household Goods Mover Permit issued by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The authorisation is a Household Goods Mover Permit.
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
