BestMovers.info

United Van Lines review (2026)

Daniel Harper, Senior Moving Industry Research Editor at BestMovers.info
Researched and written byDaniel HarperSenior Moving Industry Research Editor
Amanda Brooks, Senior Editorial Reviewer at BestMovers.info
Reviewed byAmanda BrooksSenior Editorial Reviewer

Last reviewed August 2026How we research moving companiesEditorial standards

United Van Lines is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under USDOT 077949 and MC 67234. Founded in 1928 and headquartered in Fenton, MO, United Van Lines covers all 50 states. A two-bedroom interstate move with United Van Lines is estimated at $3,100–$7,400, before packing, valuation, and storage. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order for moving companies. On the documented record, United Van Lines is most relevant to long-distance moves with full packing.

Key facts

USDOT number
77949
MC / docket number
FF-9300
FMCSA legal name
UNITED VAN LINES LLC
DBA name
UNITED VAN LINES
Registration status
A
Carrier or broker
both
Registered cargo classes
General freight, Household goods, Motor vehicles
Carrier operation
Interstate
Federal filing address
1 PREMIER DRIVE, FENTON MO 63026
Power units
4731
Drivers
3424
MCS-150 filed
2024-09-30
Safety rating
S
Safety rating date
2023-02-16
Last compliance review
2023-02-16
Founded
1928
Headquarters
Fenton, MO
Coverage
All 50 states
2-bedroom interstate estimate
$3,100–$7,400
Services
Long-distance, International, Packing, Storage, Auto transport, Corporate
Data as of
2026-08-13
Last verified
2026-08-18
Verdict

United Van Lines

We do not publish a numeric score for moving companies.

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.

Best for
Long-distance moves with full packing
Main trade-off
Quotes are non-binding by default unless you specifically request a binding estimate.

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

The USDOT number of United Van Lines is 77949. The registration status of United Van Lines is recorded as A. This reflects the federal record as of 2026-08-13.

Is United Van Lines licensed to move within Missouri?

For a move that stays inside Missouri, movers are authorised by Missouri Department of Transportation, Motor Carrier Services, and the authorisation is called Intrastate Household Goods Carrier Operating Authority, issued as a certificate by the State Highways and Transportation Commission. The agency publishes no public lookup; it verifies authorisation by phone on 1-866-831-6277. We have not verified United Van Lines's Missouri 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 United Van Lines's USDOT number?

United Van Lines carries USDOT number 77949 and docket number FF-9300 on the FMCSA company census file. The registered legal name is UNITED VAN LINES LLC. It also files under the trade name UNITED VAN LINES. The filed physical address is 1 PREMIER DRIVE, FENTON MO 63026. The census entity status for United Van Lines is active. The registration covers interstate operations.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 77949 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Is United Van Lines registered to carry household goods?

United Van Lines lists household goods among the cargo classifications on its federal census record, alongside General freight, Motor vehicles. 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 77949 · Data as of August 13, 2026

How big is United Van Lines's fleet?

United Van Lines reports 4,731 power units and 3,424 drivers on its federal registration. Power units count trucks, tractors and other self-powered vehicles the company operates, not trailers. United Van Lines last updated that federal registration on September 30, 2024, so the counts describe the fleet as filed on that date rather than today.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 77949 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Does United Van Lines have a federal safety rating?

United Van Lines holds a federal safety rating of Satisfactory on its census record, issued on February 16, 2023. A safety rating is assigned after a compliance review, and the most recent review of United Van Lines on the federal record is dated February 16, 2023. The rating reflects that review and is not updated continuously.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 77949 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Is United Van Lines a carrier, a broker, or both?

United Van Lines holds both motor carrier authority and property broker authority on its federal licensing record. Carrier authority means United Van Lines can operate the trucks and crews that perform a move itself. Broker authority means United Van Lines can also arrange a move that another licensed company performs. On any given job, ask which of the two applies before you sign, because it decides whose crew arrives on moving day and who is liable for your goods. The licensing record grants United Van Lines freight forwarder of property (except household goods) from May 14, 2010. The licensing record grants United Van Lines freight forwarder of household goods from May 14, 2010. The licensing record for United Van Lines shows household goods authority, property authority, broker authority, and no passenger authority.

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

Is United Van Lines authorised to move household goods?

United Van Lines 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 United Van Lines registered household goods as a cargo type. Authority is the licence to carry that freight for hire, and it has to be active for United Van Lines to move a household across state lines lawfully.

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

What insurance does United Van Lines have on file with the federal regulator?

United Van Lines has 3 insurance forms on its federal insurance record. The table below shows the most recent filing of each form, the amount written on that filing, and the insurer named on it. These are filings as submitted. The federal insurance file records no cancellation date, so nothing here states whether a filing is still in force, and the amount on a filing is not the cover that would apply to your shipment.

FormAmount on the filingInsurer namedEffective date on the filing
BMC-34$5,000Indemnity Insurance Company of North AmericaMarch 8, 2010
BMC-84$75,000Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of AmericaOctober 1, 2013
BMC-91X$1,000,000Vanliner Insurance CompanyDecember 1, 2025

Federal source: FMCSA Insurance History 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 United Van Lines?

Federal record: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 77949 · Data as of 2026-08-13 · Last verified 2026-08-18

United Van Lines in one paragraph

United Van Lines has been operating since 1928 (about 98 years), runs out of Fenton, MO, and covers all 50 states. Current FMCSA filing shows USDOT 077949 and MC 67234. 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.

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, United Van Lines quotes generally land in the $3,100–$7,400 range, with the midpoint of that estimated range near $5,250. 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 United 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

Long-distance moves with full packing. That is an editorial view of fit, not a measured performance result: we hold no complaint-rate, claims-outcome or satisfaction dataset for United 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 United 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.

United Van Lines vs the competition

CarrierFounded2BR price range
United Van Lines1928$3,100–$7,400
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 United 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.

Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Amanda Brooks182 company profiles published

Compare side by side

United Van Lines vs Allied Van LinesUnited Van Lines vs Atlas Van LinesUnited Van Lines vs North American Van Lines

Where United Van Lines is documented

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

Moving companies in Missouri

Frequently asked questions

Is United Van Lines licensed and insured?
United Van Lines operates under USDOT 077949 and MC 67234. Verify current standing, insurance on file, and household goods authority on safer.fmcsa.dot.gov before signing a contract.
How much does United Van Lines cost for a 2-bedroom move?
A 2-bedroom interstate move with United Van Lines is typically estimated at $3,100–$7,400. Final price depends on distance, season, packing services, and access conditions on both ends.
Does United Van Lines offer binding estimates?
United 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 United Van Lines include?
United Van Lines offers long-distance, international, packing, storage, auto transport, corporate. Confirm which add-ons are bundled into the base quote and which are billed separately.
Where does United Van Lines operate?
United Van Lines covers all 50 states and is headquartered in Fenton, MO, where it has been based since 1928.
Who is United Van Lines best suited to?
United Van Lines suits long-distance moves with full packing. The main trade-off to plan around: Quotes are non-binding by default unless you specifically request a binding estimate. Compare at least one alternative quote before you sign.

Sources