Continental Van Lines review (2026)

Researched and written byRyan MitchellMoving Company Researcher

Reviewed byAmanda BrooksSenior Editorial Reviewer

Last reviewed August 2026How we research moving companies Editorial standards

Continental Van Lines is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under USDOT 11997. Founded in 1952 and headquartered in Seattle, WA, Continental Van Lines covers interstate (48). A two-bedroom interstate move with Continental Van Lines is estimated at $1,500–$5,200, before packing, valuation, and storage. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order for moving companies. On the documented record, Continental Van Lines is most relevant to pacific northwest households moving to or from alaska, where sailing schedules and staging matter more than truck mileage.

Key facts

USDOT number: 11997
FMCSA legal name: CONTINENTAL VAN LINES INC
Carrier operation: Interstate
Federal filing address: Seattle, WA
Founded: 1952
Headquarters: Seattle, WA
Coverage: Interstate (48)
2-bedroom interstate estimate: $1,500–$5,200
Services: Local, Long-distance, International, Packing, Storage, Corporate
Data as of: 2026-08-16
Last verified: 2026-08-18

Verdict

Continental Van Lines

We do not publish a numeric score for moving companies.

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.

Best for: Pacific Northwest households moving to or from Alaska, where sailing schedules and staging matter more than truck mileage
Main trade-off: Freight forwarder authority was not located on the federal record reviewed, so the international and Alaska legs of a shipment may be arranged through third parties whose identity should be confirmed before booking.

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What is Continental Van Lines's USDOT number and is its authority active?

The USDOT number of Continental Van Lines is 11997. This reflects the federal record as of 2026-08-16.

Does Continental Van Lines have an MC docket number on file?

No MC docket was located in the FMCSA company census file (az4n-8mr2) and the SAFER carrier snapshot read for this company’s federal registration on 16 August 2026.

No freight forwarder authority and no FF docket were located on this registration in the records reviewed. The company publishes Alaska and international service, and the nature of that business is not treated as evidence of forwarder authority: a role the federal record does not show is not inferred from what a company sells. The absence is a statement about the records reviewed rather than a finding about the company's right to operate.

Records reviewed 2026-08-16.

Is Continental Van Lines licensed to move within Washington?

For a move that stays inside Washington, movers are authorised by Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and the authorisation is called Household Goods Carrier permit (permit numbers carry an HG prefix). A consumer can check an individual mover in the agency's own UTC regulated companies list. We have not verified Continental Van Lines's Washington authorisation, and nothing here says it lacks one. Holding federal interstate authority is a separate thing from holding state authorisation for a move that starts and ends inside one state.

UTC regulated companies list

What is Continental Van Lines's USDOT number?

Continental Van Lines carries USDOT number 11997 on the FMCSA company census file. The registered legal name is CONTINENTAL VAN LINES INC. The filed physical address is Seattle, WA. The registration covers interstate operations. The census records the operation classification for Continental Van Lines as authorized for hire.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 11997 · Data as of August 16, 2026

Does Continental Van Lines have a federal safety rating?

Continental Van Lines has no federal safety rating on its census record. Most interstate carriers have never had a compliance review, and a rating is only assigned after one, so the absence of a rating is not a negative signal about Continental Van Lines. It means no rating review has been recorded, and the other federal registration details remain the material check.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 11997 · Data as of August 16, 2026

Information provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

How much can a mover charge above a non-binding estimate?

On an interstate move priced with a non-binding estimate, a mover may require no more than 110% of the estimated charges before it will release your goods at delivery. That cap is set by 49 CFR 375.407, and it applies to the mover you hire regardless of what the final weight turns out to be. Anything owed above that amount is not payable on delivery day: the mover must bill you for it, and you have 30 days from delivery to pay it under 49 CFR 375.407.

Source: 49 CFR 375.407, eCFR

What is a mover liable for if my belongings are damaged?

Every interstate mover must offer released value, the no-extra-charge level of liability set by 49 CFR 375.701. Under released value the mover owes 60 cents per pound per article, so a claim is settled on what a damaged item weighs rather than on what it is worth. A heavy item pays out more than a light expensive one. The alternative is full value protection, which a mover must also offer, costs extra, and settles at repair, replacement, or a cash equivalent. Released value applies by default if you sign nothing else.

Source: 49 CFR 375.701, eCFR

How can I verify Continental Van Lines?

Federal record: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 11997 · Data as of 2026-08-16 · Last verified 2026-08-18

Continental Van Lines in one paragraph

Continental Van Lines has been operating since 1952 (about 74 years), runs out of Seattle, WA, and covers interstate (48). Current FMCSA filing shows USDOT 11997. 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.

Estimated cost of a move with this carrier

This is an estimated quote range, not a record of prices paid. For a 2-bedroom interstate move, Continental Van Lines quotes generally land in the $1,500–$5,200 range, with the midpoint of that estimated range near $3,350. The low end of that range usually applies to off-season runs under 1,000 miles with self-packing; the high end shows up on full-service summer moves over 2,000 miles.

Local hourly pricing through Continental Van Lines is not published by the company and we hold no rate card for it. Our national editorial estimate for a two-mover crew and a truck on a local move is $105 to $155 an hour, May 2026, and it is a model figure rather than a quote from this carrier. Ask whether travel time, fuel surcharge, and stair fees sit inside or outside the hourly number, because that is where two apparently identical quotes diverge.

Where this carrier may fit

Pacific Northwest households moving to or from Alaska, where sailing schedules and staging matter more than truck mileage. That is an editorial view of fit, not a measured performance result: we hold no complaint-rate, claims-outcome or satisfaction dataset for Continental Van Lines. Three things make any move with this company more predictable, whatever the carrier: an inventory list locked in two or more weeks ahead, a binding not-to-exceed estimate in writing, and a destination ZIP the company services directly rather than through a subcontracted agent.

How to work around the main trade-off

The trade-off summarised at the top of this page is the one that most often costs readers money with Continental Van Lines. Two questions defuse it at quote stage: ask for the specific line items that drive the number up on your move profile, and ask whether the crew at your origin is employed directly or subcontracted to a local agent.

Then price the same inventory with one alternative below. A second quote on identical inventory is the only reliable way to tell whether the premium buys you anything on your particular lane.

Carrier	Founded	2BR price range
Continental Van Lines	1952	$1,500–$5,200
Allied Van Lines	1928	$3,200–$7,500
Atlas Van Lines	1948	$3,000–$7,200

Carrier

Founded

2BR price range

Continental Van Lines

1952

$1,500–$5,200

Allied Van Lines

1928

$3,200–$7,500

Atlas Van Lines

1948

$3,000–$7,200

Booking process, step by step

Request a quote with a complete inventory list. Online forms are fine for a first pass; a video survey is what makes a binding number stick.

Insist on binding-not-to-exceed in writing. Federal rules let a carrier collect up to 110% of a non-binding estimate at delivery, with the balance billed later; a binding not-to-exceed estimate removes that exposure.

Confirm valuation coverage. Released value (the federal default) pays $0.60 per pound. Full-value protection costs more but actually replaces a damaged TV.

Confirm pickup and delivery windows. For interstate jobs the delivery window is a range, not a date — plan accordingly.

On move day, walk the truck and check the inventory list before signing the Bill of Lading. Note any pre-existing damage on the form.

What this page does and does not say

We publish no numeric score, star rating or ranked order for Continental Van Lines, and we recommend no company over another. What this page carries is the federal registration record above and the sourced facts beside it. Read those, then price the same written inventory with one alternative before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

Is Continental Van Lines licensed and insured?

Continental Van Lines operates under USDOT 11997. Verify current standing, insurance on file, and household goods authority on safer.fmcsa.dot.gov before signing a contract.

How much does Continental Van Lines cost for a 2-bedroom move?

A 2-bedroom interstate move with Continental Van Lines is typically estimated at $1,500–$5,200. Final price depends on distance, season, packing services, and access conditions on both ends.

Does Continental Van Lines offer binding estimates?

Continental Van Lines offers binding-not-to-exceed quotes on request. Always ask for one in writing before move day, especially on interstate jobs.

What services does Continental Van Lines include?

Continental Van Lines offers local, long-distance, international, packing, storage, corporate. Confirm which add-ons are bundled into the base quote and which are billed separately.

Where does Continental Van Lines operate?

Continental Van Lines covers interstate (48) and is headquartered in Seattle, WA, where it has been based since 1952.

Who is Continental Van Lines best suited to?

Continental Van Lines suits pacific Northwest households moving to or from Alaska, where sailing schedules and staging matter more than truck mileage. The main trade-off to plan around: Freight forwarder authority was not located on the federal record reviewed, so the international and Alaska legs of a shipment may be arranged through third parties whose identity should be confirmed before booking. Compare at least one alternative quote before you sign.