Movers in Pennsylvania charge about $95 to $145 per hour for a two-person crew on local jobs, and a two-bedroom interstate move from Pennsylvania is estimated at $2,700 to $6,400. Intrastate movers in Pennsylvania are licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, 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 Pennsylvania, with pricing data as of May 2026.
Key facts
Local rate, two movers
$95 to $145 per hour
2-bedroom interstate
$2,700 to $6,400
Intrastate regulator
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement
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 Pennsylvania. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order.
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Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Amanda Brooks8 companies analyzed
What moving in Pennsylvania actually looks like
Demand in Pennsylvania concentrates in May–September, when the state's 13 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 Pennsylvania settles around $4,550, 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 Pennsylvania runs through the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement. A Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Certificate of Public Convenience is required to move household goods within Pennsylvania, with proof of insurance on file. The authorisation is a Certificate of Public Convenience. 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 Pennsylvania move faster when the condition record predates the truck.
Pennsylvania runs its heaviest volume May–September, and its 2 covered metros feed most of that demand out of and around Harrisburg. Population sits near 13 million, which is what sets how deep the local crew pool actually is in November–March.
How we select movers for this state
The Pennsylvania shortlist is filtered before it is listed. A company is listed here when it is headquartered in Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania moving cost snapshot
Two movers, ground-floor access, standard packing. Peak season in Pennsylvania is May–September.
Home size
Local move
Interstate move
Studio
$285–$725
$1,485–$3,840
1 Bedroom
$380–$870
$2,025–$4,992
2 Bedroom
$570–$1,305
$2,700–$6,400
3 Bedroom
$760–$1,740
$3,915–$9,920
4 Bedroom
$1,045–$2,320
$5,265–$13,760
5+ Bedroom
$1,330–$2,900
$6,480–$17,280
How many licensed moving companies are registered in Pennsylvania?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 2,522 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Pennsylvania, and 990 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Pennsylvania address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Pennsylvania. An interstate move into or out of Pennsylvania can be performed by a carrier registered in any state.
How many households move out of Pennsylvania each year?
IRS tax return data for filing years 2022 to 2023 records 138,742 returns moving out of Pennsylvania to another state, and 125,616 moving in, a net loss of 13,126 returns. A return approximates a household rather than a person. The same filings cover 219,077 individuals leaving and 203,138 arriving.
The states receiving the most Pennsylvania households were Florida (16,395 returns), New Jersey (16,075 returns) and New York (14,412 returns).
Arrivals came mainly from New York (20,643 returns), New Jersey (18,767 returns) and Florida (11,056 returns). These figures count all filers who changed address, not only those who hired a moving company.
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement regulates household goods movers operating inside Pennsylvania, and sits within the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Movers are licensed under Pennsylvania Public Utility Code, 66 Pa.C.S., with penalties at 66 Pa.C.S. section 3310. The operating rules sit in 52 Pa. Code Chapter 31, Motor Carrier Property and Household Goods Transportation. Moves crossing the Pennsylvania state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
What authorisation must a Pennsylvania mover hold?
A mover doing work inside Pennsylvania must hold the Certificate of Public Convenience, issued by Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. The requirement sits in Pennsylvania Public Utility Code, 66 Pa.C.S., with penalties at 66 Pa.C.S. section 3310. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Pennsylvania intrastate work by that number alone.
How can I verify a Pennsylvania mover before booking?
Pennsylvania publishes its list of carriers holding PUC operating authority on the commission website. The confirmed route to verify a specific Pennsylvania mover is the Public Utility Commission on 717-783-5010. For a move leaving Pennsylvania, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement: 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120Verify by phone: 717-783-5010FMCSA SAFER
Does Pennsylvania regulate what movers can charge?
Pennsylvania requires each mover to file its own rates rather than setting a ceiling. The mechanism is Rates on file with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which movers are required by law to charge, so the rates are public and enforceable against the mover that filed them, but Pennsylvania does not cap them. Rates on a move that leaves Pennsylvania are not set by the state.
How do I file a complaint against a Pennsylvania mover?
Complaints about a move inside Pennsylvania go to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement through Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission consumer line, 1-800-692-7380. A complaint about a move that crossed the Pennsylvania state line goes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration through the National Consumer Complaint Database instead.
What is the penalty for moving in Pennsylvania without a certificate?
Pennsylvania sets the penalty in statute. Under 66 Pa.C.S. section 3310, the administrative penalty for providing household goods moving service within Pennsylvania without a Certificate of Public Convenience from the Public Utility Commission is $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 for a second or subsequent violation. The certificate is the authority the commission issues to move household goods between points inside Pennsylvania.
Does a Pennsylvania mover have to inventory my belongings?
A Pennsylvania mover must inventory everything, unless the move is short. The carrier must complete a detailed inventory listing all items to be moved and the condition of each. A consumer moving within Pennsylvania may waive that inventory requirement only for a move of 40 miles or less, so on a longer Pennsylvania move the inventory is not optional.
What does Pennsylvania require of a permitted mover?
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Pennsylvania. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
Every mover operating within Pennsylvania must display its PUC number in advertising, and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission publishes a complete list of carriers holding PUC operating authority.
A Pennsylvania household goods mover must charge the rates it has on file with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is located at 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120, and takes consumer complaints on 1-800-692-7380.
What is different about an interstate move from Pennsylvania?
Moves crossing a state line are authorised by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission regulates movers operating between points within Pennsylvania. A Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
A move that leaves Pennsylvania is an interstate move and falls under federal authority, so the company needs active operating authority for household goods rather than only a Pennsylvania licence. A move that stays inside Pennsylvania is different: it is regulated by Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, and the company needs Certificate of Public Convenience. Check which kind of move you are booking before you compare quotes, because the two are verified in different places.
Pennsylvania publishes no lookup, so a licence is confirmed by calling Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement on 717-783-5010.
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.
Pennsylvania season — quotes inside May–September run at the top of the $95–$145 hourly band; November–March quotes sit near the bottom.
Deposit terms — a refundable deposit under $100 is normal; anything larger deserves a written cancellation policy.
Pennsylvania licensing — Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement 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 Pennsylvania 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.
Once a household passes three bedrooms, full service is usually the cheaper mistake to avoid. Budget two to three times the labor-only figure; the premium buys equipment, insurance, and a crew that does this daily.
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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
These companies have a verified headquarters or documented company location in Pennsylvania. Placement is based on documented location information, not a numeric ranking.
George Moving & Storage, Inc. files from Tri County Drive in Freedom, Pennsylvania, active on the federal census with household goods and general freight cargo entries, thirty-two power units, twenty-three drivers, a current MCS-150 filing and docket MC-158885 on the registration. The filed contact email uses the company's own domain and the company's own site publishes the same USDOT and docket numbers, so registrant and brand agree from two directions. The licensing record shows active common carrier authority with property and household goods checked; broker and contract carrier authority are not carried on this docket. A second Pennsylvania registration under a near-identical name carries the same docket number on its census row; it is disclosed separately as a related registration with the relationship recorded as unresolved, and it is not called a predecessor, a former registration, a superseded filing or a sibling. The company is a northAmerican Van Lines agent; the van line holds its own separate registration and no van-line identifier is stored on this record. The Ohio PUCO number and the Pennsylvania PUC number the site publishes are state identifiers and are not recorded as federal registrations. No federal safety rating was located for this registration in the records reviewed. The company states it has operated since 1975.
Why is this company shown here?
George Moving & Storage is headquartered in Pennsylvania according to its published company location.
Penske rents one-way and local moving trucks. It is a truck rental provider rather than a household goods carrier, so no household goods operating authority applies to it.
Why is this company shown here?
Penske Truck Rental is headquartered in Pennsylvania according to its published company location.
Weleski Transfer, Inc. of Tarentum, Pennsylvania is the carrier registration this profile describes: active on the federal census with household goods and general property cargo entries, a fleet in the mid-thirties, and common authority on the licensing file. Two further registrations sit around it. A second active registration at the same Tarentum address carries broker authority under a separate USDOT, and a Cleveland registration filed under a related company name carries a census record whose licensing row was not located. Neither is folded into the carrier record and neither is described as a sibling, a predecessor, a successor or a superseded registration, because the corporate relationship between them has not been established. The company is an Atlas Van Lines agent and no Atlas corporate identifier is stored here. The business dates itself to 1909.
Why is this company shown here?
Weleski Transfer is headquartered in Pennsylvania according to its published company location.
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 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement credential on an intrastate Pennsylvania job. State-licensed work requires it, and the agency publishes the register.
An hourly quote far under $95 in Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania
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. Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania you're moving matters
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania are estimated at $315–$2,480 depending on home size, while an interstate move out of Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
October through April is generally the cheapest window in Pennsylvania — 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 Pennsylvania licensed and insured?
All interstate moving companies must register with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. Pennsylvania also requires intrastate movers to register with the state — verify any quote against the FMCSA SAFER tool before signing.
Should I tip movers in Pennsylvania?
Tipping is customary but not required. A typical tip in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Book 4–6 weeks ahead for moves between May and September. For off-peak fall and winter moves in Pennsylvania, 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 PA interstate moves, request binding-not-to-exceed quotes whenever possible.
Who licenses movers in Pennsylvania
Intrastate household-goods movers in Pennsylvania are licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement. A Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Certificate of Public Convenience is required to move household goods within Pennsylvania, with proof of insurance on file. The authorisation is a Certificate of Public Convenience.
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
