Palmer Moving Services review (2026)

Researched and written byDaniel HarperSenior Moving Industry Research Editor

Reviewed byAmanda BrooksSenior Editorial Reviewer

Last reviewed August 2026How we research moving companies Editorial standards

Palmer Moving Services is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under USDOT 511993 and MC 406654. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in Warren, MI, Palmer Moving Services covers all 50 states. A two-bedroom interstate move with Palmer Moving Services is estimated at $2,100–$5,800, before packing, valuation, and storage. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order for moving companies. On the documented record, Palmer Moving Services is most relevant to detroit and michigan household and corporate relocations handled by a long-established atlas agent.

Key facts

USDOT number: 511993
MC / docket number: MC-406654
FMCSA legal name: PALMER MOVING & STORAGE CO
Carrier or broker: carrier
Carrier operation: Intrastate
Federal filing address: Warren, MI
Founded: 1910
Headquarters: Warren, MI
Coverage: All 50 states
2-bedroom interstate estimate: $2,100–$5,800
Services: Long-distance, Local, Packing, Storage, Corporate, International
Data as of: 2026-08-15
Last verified: 2026-08-18

Verdict

Palmer Moving Services

We do not publish a numeric score for moving companies.

Palmer Moving & Storage Co, carrying the Palmer Moving Services trading name, files from Warren, Michigan with household goods and general freight cargo entries and a docket recorded on the licensing file as MC-406654. The registration's own operating configuration is intrastate, and the interstate household work the company advertises is performed in relation to Atlas Van Lines rather than under independent interstate authority established here; the two are kept separate on this page rather than merged into a single claim. The number shown alongside the Atlas agent branding on the company's site identifies the van line and is held in the van-line relationship layer instead of on this record. The business dates itself to 1910.

Best for: Detroit and Michigan household and corporate relocations handled by a long-established Atlas agent
Main trade-off: The company's own federal filing is configured for intrastate operation, so long-distance shipments run in relation to the van line rather than under a registration Palmer controls, and the number printed on its site belongs to the van line.

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

The USDOT number of Palmer Moving Services is 511993. This reflects the federal record as of 2026-08-15.

Is Palmer Moving Services the same company as Atlas Van Lines?

No. Palmer Moving Services operates as an agent of Atlas Van Lines, which is a separate company with its own federal registration, USDOT 125550. The USDOT number published on the company's own site is that van-line registration, carried as the interstate agent notice the van line requires. It is not this company's own number. The record that belongs to the company itself is USDOT 511993, and that is the one we publish above.

The distinction matters when you check a mover. A van line's safety history, fleet size and insurance filings describe the van line. They say nothing about the agent that will pack your home, load the truck and hold your contract.

Read from https://www.palmermoving.com/ on 2026-08-15.

Is Palmer Moving Services licensed to move within Michigan?

For a move that stays inside Michigan, movers are authorised by Michigan State Police, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Regulatory and Credentialing Section, part of the Michigan State Police, and the authorisation is called CVED Authority, intrastate operating authority for household goods. A consumer can check an individual mover in the agency's own Michigan CVED motor carrier authority search. We have not verified Palmer Moving Services's Michigan 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.

Michigan CVED motor carrier authority search

What is Palmer Moving Services's USDOT number?

Palmer Moving Services carries USDOT number 511993 and docket number MC-406654 on the FMCSA company census file. The registered legal name is PALMER MOVING & STORAGE CO. The filed physical address is Warren, MI. The registration covers intrastate operations. The census records the operation classification for Palmer Moving Services as authorized for hire.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 511993 · Data as of August 15, 2026

Does Palmer Moving Services have a federal safety rating?

Palmer Moving Services 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 Palmer Moving Services. 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 511993 · Data as of August 15, 2026

Is Palmer Moving Services a carrier, a broker, or both?

Palmer Moving Services holds motor carrier authority on its federal licensing record and does not hold property broker authority. Carrier authority means Palmer Moving Services 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 Palmer Moving Services carries the federal liability for the shipment.

Federal source: FMCSA licensing record, read by hand · Data as of August 15, 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 Palmer Moving Services?

Federal record: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 511993 · Data as of 2026-08-15 · Last verified 2026-08-18

Palmer Moving Services in one paragraph

Palmer Moving Services has been operating since 1910 (about 116 years), runs out of Warren, MI, and covers all 50 states. Current FMCSA filing shows USDOT 511993 and MC 406654. Palmer Moving & Storage Co, carrying the Palmer Moving Services trading name, files from Warren, Michigan with household goods and general freight cargo entries and a docket recorded on the licensing file as MC-406654. The registration's own operating configuration is intrastate, and the interstate household work the company advertises is performed in relation to Atlas Van Lines rather than under independent interstate authority established here; the two are kept separate on this page rather than merged into a single claim. The number shown alongside the Atlas agent branding on the company's site identifies the van line and is held in the van-line relationship layer instead of on this record. The business dates itself to 1910.

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, Palmer Moving Services quotes generally land in the $2,100–$5,800 range, with the midpoint of that estimated range near $3,950. 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 Palmer Moving Services 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

Detroit and Michigan household and corporate relocations handled by a long-established Atlas agent. That is an editorial view of fit, not a measured performance result: we hold no complaint-rate, claims-outcome or satisfaction dataset for Palmer Moving Services. 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 Palmer Moving Services. 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
Palmer Moving Services	1910	$2,100–$5,800
Allied Van Lines	1928	$3,200–$7,500
Atlas Van Lines	1948	$3,000–$7,200

Carrier

Founded

2BR price range

Palmer Moving Services

1910

$2,100–$5,800

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 Palmer Moving Services, 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 Palmer Moving Services licensed and insured?

Palmer Moving Services operates under USDOT 511993 and MC 406654. Verify current standing, insurance on file, and household goods authority on safer.fmcsa.dot.gov before signing a contract.

How much does Palmer Moving Services cost for a 2-bedroom move?

A 2-bedroom interstate move with Palmer Moving Services is typically estimated at $2,100–$5,800. Final price depends on distance, season, packing services, and access conditions on both ends.

Does Palmer Moving Services offer binding estimates?

Palmer Moving Services offers binding-not-to-exceed quotes on request. Always ask for one in writing before move day, especially on interstate jobs.

What services does Palmer Moving Services include?

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

Where does Palmer Moving Services operate?

Palmer Moving Services covers all 50 states and is headquartered in Warren, MI, where it has been based since 1910.

Who is Palmer Moving Services best suited to?

Palmer Moving Services suits detroit and Michigan household and corporate relocations handled by a long-established Atlas agent. The main trade-off to plan around: The company's own federal filing is configured for intrastate operation, so long-distance shipments run in relation to the van line rather than under a registration Palmer controls, and the number printed on its site belongs to the van line. Compare at least one alternative quote before you sign.