BestMovers.info

FlatRate Moving review (2026)

Ryan Mitchell, Moving Company Researcher at BestMovers.info
Researched and written byRyan MitchellMoving Company Researcher
Amanda Brooks, Senior Editorial Reviewer at BestMovers.info
Reviewed byAmanda BrooksSenior Editorial Reviewer

Last reviewed August 2026How we research moving companiesEditorial standards

FlatRate Moving is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under USDOT 488466 and MC MC-254356. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Bronx, NY, FlatRate Moving covers interstate (48). A two-bedroom interstate move with FlatRate Moving is estimated at $2,200–$6,800, before packing, valuation, and storage. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order for moving companies. On the documented record, FlatRate Moving is most relevant to binding flat-rate quotes across the country.

Key facts

USDOT number
488466
MC / docket number
MC-254356
FMCSA legal name
FLAT RATE MOVERS LTD
DBA name
FLATRATE MOVING
Registration status
A
Carrier or broker
carrier
Registered cargo classes
Household goods
Carrier operation
Interstate
Federal filing address
27 Bruckner Blvd, Bronx, NY 10454
Power units
1
Drivers
1
MCS-150 filed
2025-09-19
Safety rating
S
Safety rating date
2015-09-15
Last compliance review
2015-09-01
Founded
1991
Headquarters
Bronx, NY
Coverage
Interstate (48)
2-bedroom interstate estimate
$2,200–$6,800
Services
Local, Long-distance, Packing, Storage
Data as of
2026-08-13
Last verified
2026-08-18
Verdict

FlatRate Moving

We do not publish a numeric score for moving companies.

Pioneered binding flat-rate pricing for NYC moves and expanded nationally. The flat-rate model removes most move-day surprises but typically prices above hourly competitors.

Best for
Binding flat-rate quotes across the country
Main trade-off
Quote process requires a video survey for every booking.

Editorially independent, funded by referral fees. We may be paid when you request a quote from a company listed here. Payment does not decide who is listed or the order they appear in, and we publish no score or star rating. Advertising disclosure

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What is FlatRate Moving's USDOT number and is its authority active?

The USDOT number of FlatRate Moving is 488466. The registration status of FlatRate Moving is recorded as A. This reflects the federal record as of 2026-08-13.

Is FlatRate Moving licensed to move within New York?

For a move that stays inside New York, movers are authorised by New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Modal Safety and Security, part of the New York State Department of Transportation, and the agency does not publish a single name for that authorisation on the pages we read. The agency publishes no public lookup; it verifies authorisation by phone on 518-457-6512. We have not verified FlatRate Moving's New York 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.

What is FlatRate Moving's USDOT number?

FlatRate Moving carries USDOT number 488466 and docket number MC-254356 on the FMCSA company census file. The registered legal name is FLAT RATE MOVERS LTD. It also files under the trade name FLATRATE MOVING. The filed physical address is 27 Bruckner Blvd, Bronx, NY 10454. The census entity status for FlatRate Moving is active. The registration covers interstate operations. The census records the operation classification for FlatRate Moving as authorized for hire.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 488466 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Is FlatRate Moving registered to carry household goods?

FlatRate Moving lists household goods among the cargo classifications on its federal census record, alongside no other class. A cargo classification records what the company registered on its MCS-150 form. It is not the same thing as active household goods operating authority, which is held on a separate federal licensing and insurance record and has to be checked there.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 488466 · Data as of August 13, 2026

How big is FlatRate Moving's fleet?

FlatRate Moving reports 1 power units and 1 drivers on its federal registration. Power units count trucks, tractors and other self-powered vehicles the company operates, not trailers. FlatRate Moving last updated that federal registration on September 19, 2025, so the counts describe the fleet as filed on that date rather than today.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 488466 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Does FlatRate Moving have a federal safety rating?

FlatRate Moving holds a federal safety rating of Satisfactory on its census record, issued on September 15, 2015. A safety rating is assigned after a compliance review, and the most recent review of FlatRate Moving on the federal record is dated September 1, 2015. The rating reflects that review and is not updated continuously.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 488466 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Is FlatRate Moving a carrier, a broker, or both?

FlatRate Moving holds motor carrier authority on its federal licensing record and does not hold property broker authority. Carrier authority means FlatRate Moving is licensed to perform moves with its own trucks and crews rather than arrange them through another company. The crew that arrives on moving day works under this authority, and FlatRate Moving carries the federal liability for the shipment. The licensing record for FlatRate Moving shows household goods authority, property authority, and no broker authority, no passenger authority.

Federal source: FMCSA Carrier All With History licensing file · Data as of August 13, 2026

Is FlatRate Moving authorised to move household goods?

FlatRate Moving holds active operating authority covering household goods on its federal licensing record. This is a stronger statement than the cargo classification on the census registration, which only records that FlatRate Moving registered household goods as a cargo type. Authority is the licence to carry that freight for hire, and it has to be active for FlatRate Moving to move a household across state lines lawfully.

Federal source: FMCSA Carrier All With History licensing file · Data as of August 13, 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 FlatRate Moving?

Federal record: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 488466 · Data as of 2026-08-13 · Last verified 2026-08-18

FlatRate Moving in one paragraph

FlatRate Moving has been operating since 1991 (about 35 years), runs out of Bronx, NY, and covers interstate (48). Current FMCSA filing shows USDOT 488466 and MC MC-254356. Pioneered binding flat-rate pricing for NYC moves and expanded nationally. The flat-rate model removes most move-day surprises but typically prices above hourly competitors.

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, FlatRate Moving quotes generally land in the $2,200–$6,800 range, with the midpoint of that estimated range near $4,500. 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 FlatRate Moving 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

Binding flat-rate quotes across the country. That is an editorial view of fit, not a measured performance result: we hold no complaint-rate, claims-outcome or satisfaction dataset for FlatRate Moving. 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 FlatRate Moving. 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.

FlatRate Moving vs the competition

CarrierFounded2BR price range
FlatRate Moving1991$2,200–$6,800
Allied Van Lines1928$3,200–$7,500
Atlas Van Lines1948$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 FlatRate Moving, 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.

Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Amanda Brooks182 company profiles published

Compare side by side

FlatRate Moving vs Allied Van LinesFlatRate Moving vs Atlas Van LinesFlatRate Moving vs United Van Lines

Where FlatRate Moving is documented

These links follow the company's documented location only. They are not a service-area claim.

Moving companies in New YorkMovers in New York City, NY

Frequently asked questions

Is FlatRate Moving licensed and insured?
FlatRate Moving operates under USDOT 488466 and MC MC-254356. Verify current standing, insurance on file, and household goods authority on safer.fmcsa.dot.gov before signing a contract.
How much does FlatRate Moving cost for a 2-bedroom move?
A 2-bedroom interstate move with FlatRate Moving is typically estimated at $2,200–$6,800. Final price depends on distance, season, packing services, and access conditions on both ends.
Does FlatRate Moving offer binding estimates?
FlatRate Moving offers binding-not-to-exceed quotes on request. Always ask for one in writing before move day, especially on interstate jobs.
What services does FlatRate Moving include?
FlatRate Moving offers local, long-distance, packing, storage. Confirm which add-ons are bundled into the base quote and which are billed separately.
Where does FlatRate Moving operate?
FlatRate Moving covers interstate (48) and is headquartered in Bronx, NY, where it has been based since 1991.
Who is FlatRate Moving best suited to?
FlatRate Moving suits binding flat-rate quotes across the country. The main trade-off to plan around: Quote process requires a video survey for every booking. Compare at least one alternative quote before you sign.

Sources