Movers in Washington charge about $105 to $160 per hour for a two-person crew on local jobs, and a two-bedroom interstate move from Washington is estimated at $3,100 to $7,300. Intrastate movers in Washington are licensed by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, 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 Washington, with pricing data as of May 2026.
Key facts
Local rate, two movers
$105 to $160 per hour
2-bedroom interstate
$3,100 to $7,300
Intrastate regulator
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Interstate licensing
FMCSA USDOT and MC authority
Peak season
May–September
Cities covered
3
Carriers compared
182
Pricing data as of
May 2026
Bottom line
Compare moving companies, Federal Records, and moving resources for Washington. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order.
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Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Amanda Brooks10 companies analyzed
Local hourly (2 movers)
$105–$160/hr
Typical 2BR interstate
$3,100–$7,300
Peak season
May–September
Market context
What's different about the washington moving market
Washington regulates intrastate household-goods movers through the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) under WAC 480-15. Every licensed WA intrastate mover holds a UTC permit (HG number), files a tariff with the UTC, and must price within the published schedule. The UTC tariff floor makes WA one of the most consistent licensed-market pricing environments in the country.
Seattle's hilly geography, narrow downtown streets, and high-rise/walk-up stock create real building-access dynamics. The same 2BR job that bills 5 hours in suburban Bellevue routinely bills 6–7 hours in Capitol Hill or Queen Anne — that's not markup, it's grade and parking.
Tech-driven inbound migration to Seattle is a real lane. Carriers serving WA to CA, WA to TX, and inbound from CA, NY, and IL routinely run at high utilization, especially in the May–September window when corporate-relocation budgets time their fiscal-year cycles.
State-specific pricing notes
UTC tariff filings are public — reputable carriers will reference their HG number and tariff page on request. Quotes that don't are usually unlicensed.
Most reputable Seattle carriers price at a 3- or 4-hour minimum with a flat travel/fuel fee in the $75–$125 range.
Wet-weather window (October–April) brings real floor-protection and pad-handling overhead — confirm in writing.
How we'd pick
A framework for choosing a mover here
For interstate out of WA
Top-tier van lines (Allied, Mayflower, North American, United) win on long lanes. For 2BR+ loads going more than 1,000 miles, binding-not-to-exceed pricing protects against pickup-window slippage that brokers can't control.
For local hourly in Seattle
UTC-licensed regional carriers with a real warehouse address and 5+ years on the road beat van-line pricing on local jobs. Crews of 3 are usually the right answer for a 2BR with elevator; crews of 4 for hilly walk-up neighborhoods.
For corporate / tech relocations
Seattle has the deepest corporate-relocation market on the West Coast outside of CA. Look for carriers with published Worldwide ERC partnerships if your company has a relocation policy.
Metros
Metro-by-metro notes
Seattle — Downtown / Capitol Hill
Hill grades and narrow streets add billable time vs. flat metros — confirm crew size accordingly.
Bellevue / Eastside
Suburban access cuts effective hourly cost 10–15% below Seattle proper for the same crew composition.
Tacoma
Most price-competitive metro in the state for local hourly; deeper pool of mid-sized regional carriers.
Spokane
Eastern WA market — separate from coastal-WA carriers; book Spokane-local carriers for in-region jobs.
Verify before you book
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC): Transportation Safety Section
Verify any WA intrastate mover's HG permit through the UTC carrier search. UTC tariff filings are public and useful for cross-checking quotes. For interstate moves, cross-check the carrier's USDOT and MC numbers in FMCSA SAFER.
In depth
What to know before you book
Washington's UTC tariff regime makes the licensed-mover market unusually consistent. Within the licensed pool, hourly rates differ by 10–15% at most — meaningfully less spread than in TX or FL where the licensing floor is looser. That means the right shopping question in WA is rarely "who's cheapest?" and almost always "who's most reliable on my building, my lane, and my date?" Reputation, claims process, and crew quality are the variables that move; headline rate is mostly fixed.
Seattle's geography matters more than its weather. Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and West Seattle have grade and parking dynamics that add 1–2 billable hours to the same load that would breeze through suburban Bellevue. When you shop quotes, ask each carrier what crew size and truck size they're assuming for your specific origin and destination — the productivity assumption is where bids actually diverge, not the published hourly rate.
On interstate, Washington is a strong outbound consumer position. Backhaul into the Pacific Northwest is reasonable from CA and the Mountain West, which keeps outbound rates from WA to CA, WA to CO, WA to TX, and WA to AZ at near-flat-state-economics levels. For longer outbound lanes (WA to FL, WA to the Northeast), top-tier van lines win on total cost because brokered loads on cross-country lanes have meaningfully higher pickup-window slippage and claims-process friction.
The wet-weather season (October–April) is a real operational consideration. Reputable WA carriers carry full floor protection, blanket-wrap furniture more aggressively, and have weather-day reschedule policies. Smaller operators sometimes cut corners here, and carpet and hardwood damage from wet pads is the most common consumer complaint in the off-season. Confirm floor protection and weather-day policy in writing on the bill of lading before signing.
What moving in Washington actually looks like
Demand in Washington concentrates in May–September, when the state's 7.8 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 $133/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 Washington settles around $5,200, though distance and packing services swing that meaningfully.
Local quirks worth pricing in: long driveways, gated communities with check-in rules for trucks, and long distances between metros that turn a short-sounding move into a full driving day. None of these are dealbreakers, but they show up in the final bill if you don't ask about them upfront.
Verification in Washington runs through the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. UTC Household Goods Carrier permit required The authorisation is a Household Goods Carrier permit (permit numbers carry an HG prefix). Interstate carriers additionally need active FMCSA authority, which you can check on SAFER by USDOT number.
Get every quote in writing with an inventory attached, and compare at least three before paying a deposit.
Washington runs its heaviest volume May–September, and its 3 covered metros feed most of that demand out of and around Olympia. Population sits near 7.8 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 Washington starts from licensing, not marketing. A company is listed here when it is headquartered in Washington 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
Washington moving cost snapshot
Two movers, ground-floor access, standard packing. Peak season in Washington is May–September.
Home size
Local move
Interstate move
Studio
$315–$800
$1,705–$4,380
1 Bedroom
$420–$960
$2,325–$5,694
2 Bedroom
$630–$1,440
$3,100–$7,300
3 Bedroom
$840–$1,920
$4,495–$11,315
4 Bedroom
$1,155–$2,560
$6,045–$15,695
5+ Bedroom
$1,470–$3,200
$7,440–$19,710
How many licensed moving companies are registered in Washington?
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 2,045 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Washington, and 478 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Washington address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Washington. An interstate move into or out of Washington can be performed by a carrier registered in any state.
How many households move out of Washington each year?
IRS tax return data for filing years 2022 to 2023 records 117,083 returns moving out of Washington to another state, and 125,365 moving in, a net gain of 8,282 returns. A return approximates a household rather than a person. The same filings cover 201,140 individuals leaving and 198,812 arriving.
The states receiving the most Washington households were California (17,871 returns), Oregon (12,212 returns) and Texas (9,863 returns).
Arrivals came mainly from California (24,625 returns), Oregon (15,339 returns) and Texas (9,307 returns). These figures count all filers who changed address, not only those who hired a moving company.
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission regulates household goods movers operating inside Washington. Moves crossing the Washington state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
A mover doing work inside Washington must hold the Household Goods Carrier permit (permit numbers carry an HG prefix), issued by Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Washington intrastate work by that number alone.
How can I verify a Washington mover before booking?
Search the company by name or licence number in the UTC regulated companies list, and confirm the record shows an active status. For a move leaving Washington, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Washington requires a permitted mover to charge reasonable rates without publishing a tariff that sets them. UTC requires permitted movers to charge reasonable rates. There is no state rate table to price a Washington move against, so compare written estimates on identical inventory.
What does Washington require of a permitted mover?
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Washington. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
Operating a moving company inside Washington without a valid UTC permit violates state law.
Movers holding a UTC permit must perform services at reasonable rates and within a reasonable time.
Movers holding a UTC permit are required to background check and drug test their employees.
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission does not regulate interstate moves; for a move leaving Washington, permit status is checked with FMCSA instead.
What is different about an interstate move from Washington?
FMCSA. The UTC does not regulate moves between states. A Washington 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 Washington?
A move that leaves Washington is an interstate move and falls under federal authority, so the company needs active operating authority for household goods rather than only a Washington licence. A move that stays inside Washington is different: it is regulated by Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and the company needs Household Goods Carrier permit (permit numbers carry an HG prefix). Check which kind of move you are booking before you compare quotes, because the two are verified in different places.
Washington publishes a lookup, so you can confirm a licence yourself before you book. UTC regulated companies list
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.
Washington season — quotes inside May–September run at the top of the $105–$160 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.
Washington licensing — Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission 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 Washington rarely justifies full service. Book labor-only at $105 to $160 per hour, rent the truck yourself, and expect the loading to take 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.
Containers are the middle option for Washington households. 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 Washington 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 Washington
These companies have a verified headquarters or documented company location in Washington. Placement is based on documented location information, not a numeric ranking.
Air Van Moving and Storage Inc, filing the trade name Air Van, is registered at 51st Avenue East in Fife, Washington, active on the federal census with seven power units, nine drivers, an MCS-150 filed 11 March 2025 and docket MC-1457028 on the registration. The licensing record shows the registration authorised as a motor carrier of household goods and a motor carrier of property; broker authority is not carried on this docket. The company presents itself as a northAmerican Van Lines agent, and the USDOT number printed in its own footer resolves to North American Van Lines Inc rather than to this registrant. That number is disclosed as the van line's identifier and is never stored as an Air Van number. The Washington and Oregon permit numbers the site publishes are state identifiers and are not recorded as federal registrations. No federal safety rating was located for this registration; the file records a compliance review dated 13 July 2023 that did not produce a rating, which is neither a pass nor a failure. No first-party founding year was located on the company's own site, so none is stated here.
Why is this company shown here?
Air Van Moving & Storage is headquartered in Washington according to its published company location.
Continental Van Lines files from Seattle, Washington as a single federal registrant. The company publishes Alaska and international service, and that service description is not read as evidence of federal authority: no freight forwarder authority was located on the record reviewed, so none is stated, and the character of the business is not used to infer a role the federal file does not show. Nothing here is a finding that the company lacks authority it needs; it is a statement about the records read. No federal safety rating is on file, which is neither a positive nor a negative signal. The company states first-party that it was founded in 1952.
Why is this company shown here?
Continental Van Lines is headquartered in Washington according to its published company location.
Hansen Bros Transfer & Storage Co Inc, trading as Hansen Bros. Moving & Storage, files from Aurora Avenue North in Seattle, active on the federal census with forty-six power units, forty-two drivers, a current MCS-150 filing and docket MC-59073 on the registration. The federal trade name matches the consumer-facing brand and the company's own footer publishes the same registration number, so registrant and brand agree from two directions. The licensing record shows more than one authority role on the registration, and the roles are reported separately rather than merged: holding broker authority alongside carrier authority is a fact about the docket, not a statement that any particular household move is brokered. 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 Hansen's. The Washington UTC permit number the site publishes is a state identifier and is not recorded as a federal registration. FMCSA safety rating on file: Satisfactory, dated 10 October 2006, following a compliance review dated 4 October 2006; that is a dated federal snapshot rather than a current assessment. The company states it has served the Puget Sound area since 1890.
Why is this company shown here?
Hansen Bros. Moving & Storage is headquartered in Washington according to its published company location.
Rainier Overseas Movers Inc files from Renton, Washington, active on the federal record with freight forwarder docket FF-1072 and docket MC-1567976. The authority presentation read for this registration shows freight forwarder of household goods, freight forwarder of property and broker of household goods; no motor carrier authority was located, so the company is described here as a freight forwarder and broker rather than as a motor carrier. The registration reports zero power units. That is the expected shape of a forwarding and broking business rather than a deficiency, and it is not presented as one. No separate FMC or ocean transportation intermediary licence was verified in the records reviewed, so none is published. No federal safety rating is on file, which is the normal state for a registration carrying no motor carrier authority and carries no implication about service quality. A similarly named Los Angeles forwarding operation was returned during verification with no identity evidence connecting it to this brand, and it is excluded. The company states first-party that it was founded in 1979.
Why is this company shown here?
Rainier Overseas Movers is headquartered in Washington 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 Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission credential on an intrastate Washington job. State-licensed work requires it, and the agency publishes the register.
An hourly quote far under $105 in Washington. 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 Washington
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. Washington 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 Washington you're moving matters
Washington 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 Washington are estimated at $315–$2,480 depending on home size, while an interstate move out of Washington 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 Washington?
October through April is generally the cheapest window in Washington — 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 Washington licensed and insured?
All interstate moving companies must register with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. Washington also requires intrastate movers to register with the state — verify any quote against the FMCSA SAFER tool before signing.
Should I tip movers in Washington?
Tipping is customary but not required. A typical tip in Washington 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 Washington?
Book 4–6 weeks ahead for moves between May and September. For off-peak fall and winter moves in Washington, 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 WA interstate moves, request binding-not-to-exceed quotes whenever possible.
Do all Washington movers need a UTC permit?
Yes. Any company performing a household-goods move where both pickup and delivery are inside Washington must hold an active UTC permit (HG number) under WAC 480-15, file a tariff with the UTC, and price within the filed schedule. Verify the HG number in the UTC carrier search before booking.
Why is the licensed market in WA so consistent on price?
Washington's UTC tariff regime requires every licensed intrastate mover to file a public rate schedule and price within it. That floor compresses headline-rate variance across the licensed pool. Differentiation in WA is mostly about crew quality, claims process, and reliability, not hourly rate.
How early should I book a Seattle move?
4–6 weeks ahead for May–September peak. End-of-month dates and Saturdays in June/July book out 6–8 weeks in advance with the most reputable carriers. Mid-week, mid-month moves can usually be booked 2–3 weeks out, even in peak season.
Who licenses movers in Washington
Intrastate household-goods movers in Washington are licensed by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. UTC Household Goods Carrier permit required The authorisation is a Household Goods Carrier permit (permit numbers carry an HG prefix).
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
