Movers in South Carolina charge about $85 to $135 per hour for a two-person crew on local jobs, and a two-bedroom interstate move from South Carolina is estimated at $2,600 to $6,100. Intrastate movers in South Carolina are licensed by the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department, while any company moving household goods across state lines must hold FMCSA operating authority. Peak demand runs April to September, when quotes sit at the top of those ranges. BestMovers.info compares 182 licensed carriers serving South Carolina, with pricing data as of May 2026.
Key facts
Local rate, two movers
$85 to $135 per hour
2-bedroom interstate
$2,600 to $6,100
Intrastate regulator
South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department
Interstate licensing
FMCSA USDOT and MC authority
Peak season
April–September
Cities covered
0
Carriers compared
182
Pricing data as of
May 2026
Bottom line
Compare moving companies, Federal Records, and moving resources for South Carolina. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order.
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Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Amanda Brooks7 companies analyzed
What moving in South Carolina actually looks like
The South calendar sets South Carolina pricing: April–September is peak, November–March is the discount window, and the gap between them is 15% to 25% on an identical job.
Two crew members at standard rates run roughly $110/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 South Carolina settles around $4,350, though distance and packing services swing that meaningfully.
Local quirks worth pricing in: summer heat, hurricane-season reschedules along the coast, and a heavier flow of inbound retirees. None of these are dealbreakers, but they show up in the final bill if you don't ask about them upfront.
Verification in South Carolina runs through the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department. A household goods mover in South Carolina is a Class E motor carrier and must obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the ORS after approval by the Public Service Commission. A carrier operating exclusively inside one municipality holds a Certificate of Fitness, Willingness and Ability instead. The authorisation is a Class E Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. 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.
South Carolina runs its heaviest volume April–September, and its metro areas feed most of that demand out of and around Columbia. Population sits near 5.4 million, which is what sets how deep the local crew pool actually is in November–March.
How we select movers for this state
Nothing appears on this South Carolina page without a public record behind it. A company is listed here when it is headquartered in South Carolina 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
South Carolina moving cost snapshot
Two movers, ground-floor access, standard packing. Peak season in South Carolina is April–September.
Home size
Local move
Interstate move
Studio
$255–$675
$1,430–$3,660
1 Bedroom
$340–$810
$1,950–$4,758
2 Bedroom
$510–$1,215
$2,600–$6,100
3 Bedroom
$680–$1,620
$3,770–$9,455
4 Bedroom
$935–$2,160
$5,070–$13,115
5+ Bedroom
$1,190–$2,700
$6,240–$16,470
How many licensed moving companies are registered in South Carolina?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 954 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in South Carolina, and 387 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a South Carolina address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in South Carolina. An interstate move into or out of South Carolina can be performed by a carrier registered in any state.
How many households move out of South Carolina each year?
IRS tax return data for filing years 2022 to 2023 records 71,893 returns moving out of South Carolina to another state, and 100,946 moving in, a net gain of 29,053 returns. A return approximates a household rather than a person. The same filings cover 121,615 individuals leaving and 180,652 arriving.
The states receiving the most South Carolina households were North Carolina (15,305 returns), Georgia (8,328 returns) and Florida (7,188 returns).
Arrivals came mainly from North Carolina (18,026 returns), Florida (9,651 returns) and Georgia (9,309 returns). These figures count all filers who changed address, not only those who hired a moving company.
South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department regulates household goods movers operating inside South Carolina, and sits within the South Carolina Public Service Commission and Office of Regulatory Staff. Movers are licensed under South Carolina motor carrier regulation administered by the ORS and the Public Service Commission. Moves crossing the South Carolina state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
What authorisation must a South Carolina mover hold?
A mover doing work inside South Carolina must hold the Class E Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, issued by South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. The requirement sits in South Carolina motor carrier regulation administered by the ORS and the Public Service Commission. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for South Carolina intrastate work by that number alone.
How can I verify a South Carolina mover before booking?
South Carolina tells consumers to ask the mover for its PSC/ORS certificate number, which must also appear on both sides of the vehicle, and then to ring ORS to confirm it. Complaint history is held by ORS Consumer Services on 803-737-5230. For a move leaving South Carolina, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Verify by phone: 803-737-5230, or 1-800-922-1531 within South CarolinaFMCSA SAFER
Does South Carolina regulate what movers can charge?
Yes, for moves inside the state. South Carolina sets a ceiling through Approved tariff, which the consumer may request a copy of from the carrier to check the rates and charges on an estimate, and a mover may charge less than the prescribed rates but may not exceed them. Rates on a move that leaves South Carolina are not set by the state.
How do I file a complaint against a South Carolina mover?
Complaints about a move inside South Carolina go to South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department through 803-737-5230, 1-800-922-1531. A complaint about a move that crossed the South Carolina state line goes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration through the National Consumer Complaint Database instead.
Can you check what a South Carolina mover is allowed to charge?
Yes, against the tariff. The Office of Regulatory Staff tells consumers they can verify the rates and charges listed on an estimate by requesting a copy of the approved tariff from the household goods carrier and comparing the two. That makes the estimate checkable against a document the state has approved, rather than against the mover's own price list alone.
What should be on a South Carolina bill of lading before the move starts?
An insurance valuation block. ORS advises asking to see the bill of lading before loading begins, because the uniform bill of lading carries a valuation block the shipper must complete and sign, and that block fixes how much cargo insurance applies and whether you buy more. ORS also requires the carrier to issue a fully completed bill of lading once the move is finished.
What does South Carolina require of a permitted mover?
South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in South Carolina. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
South Carolina splits the credential by territory: a Class E certificate of public convenience and necessity for a statewide household goods carrier, and a certificate of fitness, willingness and ability for one operating only inside a municipality.
South Carolina household goods movers file annual reports, which are public records obtainable by Freedom of Information Act request.
What is different about an interstate move from South Carolina?
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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
A move that leaves South Carolina is an interstate move and falls under federal authority, so the company needs active operating authority for household goods rather than only a South Carolina licence. A move that stays inside South Carolina is different: it is regulated by South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department, and the company needs Class E Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Check which kind of move you are booking before you compare quotes, because the two are verified in different places.
South Carolina publishes no lookup, so a licence is confirmed by calling South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department on 803-737-5230, or 1-800-922-1531 within South Carolina.
What drives South Carolina moving prices up or down
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.
South Carolina season — quotes inside April–September run at the top of the $85–$135 hourly band; November–March quotes sit near the bottom.
Storage-in-transit — holding goods between closings is billed monthly plus a second handling fee at delivery.
South Carolina licensing — South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department 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 South Carolina rarely justifies full service. Book labor-only at $85 to $135 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.
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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina
These companies have a verified headquarters or documented company location in South Carolina. Placement is based on documented location information, not a numeric ranking.
Nilson Van & Storage has filed under that exact legal name since the census began and operates from 6821 N Main Street in Columbia, South Carolina, the address published on its own site, with 43 power units and 36 drivers and both general freight and household goods cargo entries. The licensing record carries common and contract authority active with household goods authority. The company states it was founded in 1938 on a small personal stake and remains single-family owned. Interstate shipments move through the Mayflower Transit network, whose registration is Mayflower's own. An unrelated Utah company sharing part of the Nilson name is recorded as a rejected match so it cannot be attached to this profile later.
Why is this company shown here?
Nilson Van & Storage is headquartered in South Carolina according to its published company location.
Smith Dray Line & Storage Co Inc files from Park Commerce Road in Greenville, South Carolina, active on the federal census with a household goods cargo entry, fifty-six power units, fifty-two drivers, a current MCS-150 filing and docket MC-6774 on the registration. The federal contact address uses the company's own domain, so registrant and consumer-facing brand are tied inside the federal data rather than by the site's own claim. No licensing row was returned for this registration in the federal authority mirror read for this profile, so authority is described from the census entry and the docket rather than from a licensing status this project did not see. The company is an Atlas Van Lines agent; Atlas holds its own separate federal registration and no Atlas identifier is stored here or presented as Smith Dray Line's number. The federal file carries a Satisfactory safety rating dated 15 May 1987, which is reported as the dated snapshot it is and not as a current evaluation. The company states it has traded since 1888.
Why is this company shown here?
Smith Dray Line is headquartered in South Carolina 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 South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department credential on an intrastate South Carolina job. State-licensed work requires it, and the agency publishes the register.
An hourly quote far under $85 in South Carolina. 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 South Carolina
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. South Carolina 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 South Carolina you're moving matters
South Carolina 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 South Carolina are estimated at $315–$2,480 depending on home size, while an interstate move out of South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
October through April is generally the cheapest window in South Carolina — 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 South Carolina licensed and insured?
All interstate moving companies must register with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. South Carolina also requires intrastate movers to register with the state — verify any quote against the FMCSA SAFER tool before signing.
Should I tip movers in South Carolina?
Tipping is customary but not required. A typical tip in South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
Book 4–6 weeks ahead for moves between May and September. For off-peak fall and winter moves in South Carolina, 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 SC interstate moves, request binding-not-to-exceed quotes whenever possible.
Who licenses movers in South Carolina
Intrastate household-goods movers in South Carolina are licensed by the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, Transportation Department. A household goods mover in South Carolina is a Class E motor carrier and must obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the ORS after approval by the Public Service Commission. A carrier operating exclusively inside one municipality holds a Certificate of Fitness, Willingness and Ability instead. The authorisation is a Class E Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.
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
