We recommend starting with quotes from JK Moving Services and Allied Van Lines for long-distance moves to or from North Carolina. Both providers feature nationwide service areas and trained moving teams that can offer basic and specialized assistance for anything from modern furniture to antiques, fragile items and more.
For a local move, we recommend Little Guys Movers in Raleigh, North Carolina. This locally owned mover offers clear pricing and prompt responses to quote requests, which can help you stay on budget and schedule.
We recommend booking a North Carolina move for the spring or fall. These are less popular seasons to move, so service costs are typically lower. You’ll also avoid performing any arduous moving tasks under the hot summer sun.
Our team rated each featured mover below against our proprietary grading system. We evaluated each one’s service area, add-ons, pricing practices, customer reviews and more.
Considerations when moving in North Carolina
- Be wary of traffic during an urban move: North Carolina has some of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, including Charlotte, which had the fifth-largest increase in population between 2021 and 2022. If you’re moving in one of these areas, you should be prepared for traffic to influence your moving costs.
- Lower cost of living: While some cities, such as Raleigh, have a slightly higher cost of living than the U.S. average, North Carolina’s cost of living is 9% lower than the U.S. average. You’ll find more affordable housing and other amenities in most locations when moving here.
Our top choices for North Carolina moves
The following moving companies offer the best local and interstate moving services in North Carolina. Our top long-distance movers provide nationwide service via their North Carolina locations, and our local moving company picks have cultivated excellent reputations for in-state service.
Long-distance:
Compare top long-distance movers for North Carolina
The following movers rated well on our grading scale’s key factors, including customer satisfaction and coverage area. See how our top overall national moving companies compare based on our proprietary rating and their deposit requirements.
How do you choose your North Carolina mover?
Going into the research and quote process can come with some uncertainty, especially if you’ve never hired professional movers before. We’ve listed the top factors to consider as you’re looking into movers near you.
Understand pricing structures
Moving companies’ billing structures depend mostly on the types of moves they provide. You should have a general idea of what to expect before gathering moving quotes, whether it’s a local or long-distance move. This will inform your quote-gathering process and reduce sticker shock when you see your estimate or pay your final bill at the end of a move.
Long-distance moving costs
Move distance and shipping weight determine long-distance moving costs. You can typically request a binding estimate for relocations farther than 50 miles. Your provider will honor a binding estimate when calculating your final bill unless your inventory, service needs or move distance change between quote day and moving day. Any binding estimate will include wording stating that it is “binding,” which you should look for when you get your written copy.
We got 16 quotes for three-bedroom moves from our top nationwide long-distance moving companies, which yielded the averages you see here:
| Move Length | Average Cost Without Add-Ons | Average Cost With Full-Service Packing |
|---|---|---|
| 1,800 miles | $7,155* | $9,760* |
| 2,900 miles | $11,680** | $13,820** |
**Average of quotes from the above companies except Interstate Moving & Relocation Group and North American Van Lines.
Local moving costs
Local movers charge hourly rates for service. The number of movers and trucks assigned to your move determines these rates.
Local moves typically also include minimum charges ranging from two to four hours at the hourly rate your movers set for your relocation. For example, if a mover has a minimum charge of four hours, you’ll have to pay for that time, even if your move only takes two hours.
The following hourly rates are for three movers and a truck from two of the local movers we contacted:
- Little Guys Movers Raleigh: $260 per hour
- Dogwood Moving Co.: $215 to $225 per hour
Get the services you need
Determine your primary moving service requirements before you call for quotes. To do this, walk through your home and compile a thorough inventory list. Break down the list by room and only include the goods you plan to take to your new home.
This inventory will inform you and the movers you call of the basic and additional services you may need. These can include the following services:
- Packing and unpacking
- Crating
- Short- and long-term storage
- Piano moving
- Vehicle shipping
- Packing and moving supplies
Be aware of your moving company’s service model before booking. Movers operate under two basic service models: brokers and carriers.
Carriers directly provide moving services. Brokers, on the other hand, are booking agents acting as middlemen between clients and movers. They match you with qualified carriers and book your move — taking a large convenience deposit upfront — but don’t provide services.
Find a mover you trust
Hiring a mover you feel comfortable with is essential to any successful move. We’ve listed a few key aspects of any provider that you should check before booking:
Check regulatory info
All moving companies must comply with state or federal regulations, depending on their service area. Make sure that your mover of choice is registered federally or in your state before getting quotes.
Interstate moving companies
All long-distance and interstate moving companies are federally regulated and must carry active United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers. You can use these to check a mover’s registration status via the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) database.
Local and intrastate North Carolina movers
North Carolina moving companies must carry North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) numbers. These NCUC numbers must be displayed on all moving trucks a provider operates and any official documents, including estimates and moving contracts.
Navigate customer reviews and complaints
Customer reviews are one of the most important resources you’ll have when evaluating moving companies. Reviews from different platforms, including Google, Yelp, social media and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) can help you evaluate a company’s typical customer experience.
When reading these customer testimonials, be careful of “fake” reviews. Blank 1- and 5-star reviews aren’t always left with dishonest intent but can indicate feedback from a spam account. You should also be on the lookout for reviews that appear overstuffed with industry buzzwords, including:
- Stress-free
- Punctual
- Professional
While reviews that include these terms can be genuine, you should be looking for those that overuse them. Genuine positive reviews often go so far as to name moving crew members or praise specific aspects of conversations with customer service staff.
Get everything in writing
All reputable movers will provide written copies of both estimates and contracts. In most cases, you won’t even have to ask about this. Your mover will send out email copies, your quote will be sent after a personalized estimate, and your contract will be sent after you’ve committed to a move with a given company. If your mover balks at supplying written quotes and contracts, we recommend taking your business elsewhere.
Ask about insurance
The federal government requires all movers to provide released-value protection at no cost. This coverage reimburses clients with 60 cents per pound per item if goods are lost or damaged during a move.
Beyond this, most movers provide full-value protection at an additional cost to cover the total replacement value of any item. Under these protection plans, you can set a total dollar amount of coverage for your shipment. You’ll then pay a percentage of that dollar amount as your fee for protection.
How do you plan your North Carolina move?
The planning process for any move should begin at least eight weeks in advance. Planning this far ahead of time will help to reduce stress.
Packing
The average cost of full-service packing for a three-bedroom home ranges from $2,140 to $2,604, according to quotes we gathered. Packing your own goods can greatly reduce costs and lead to a less stressful move.
- Eight weeks before your move: Conduct a walk-through of your home and compile an inventory list of all you plan to move. Then, pack your goods at a pace of one or two boxes per day. Start with out-of-season clothing and nonessential goods that you don’t often use.
- Six weeks before your move: Continue packing at the same pace. Be sure to label all boxes with the destination room in your new home and clearly list their contents in writing.
- Four weeks before your move: You should have your move booked around this time. Begin packing more essential goods like some of your in-season clothing and kitchenware.
- Two weeks before your move: Plan your outfits and meals for moving week and begin packing kitchen items and clothing you won’t need in the seven days before your move.
- Moving week: Finish your packing and ensure all boxes are away from doorways and means of egress from your home. This will help your movers work efficiently when they arrive to help move your goods.
Other pre-move tasks
Aside from having your actual move tasks, you’ll have plenty of other items to cross off your to-do list. These will include the following:
- Inform your landlord of your move date (if you rent)
- Change your address at your local post office branch
- Schedule switch-off and turn-on dates for all utilities at your current address and new home
- Arrange for child and pet care on moving day
- Make a list of all items you’ll pack in your car on moving day
Best national movers in North Carolina
Below, we’ve listed the best national movers with a presence in North Carolina.
Best movers for a local North Carolina move
We rated each of the following local North Carolina moving companies highly on our grading scale. Each one had responsive customer service staff and a solid reputation.
Little Guys Movers Raleigh
Dogwood Moving Company
You Move Me Charlotte
Other North Carolina movers
Common moves for North Carolina moving clients
The most popular destination for North Carolina residents between 2021 and 2022 was South Carolina, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. More than 36,000 North Carolinians moved to the Palmetto State that year. We’ve listed the best moving companies in the most popular states for North Carolinians here:
- South Carolina moving companies
- Florida moving companies
- Georgia moving companies
- Virginia moving companies
- Texas moving companies
Final take: Get quotes from JK Moving Services and Little Guys Movers for a successful North Carolina move
We recommend starting your North Carolina moving process with quotes from JK Moving Services and Little Guys Movers. JK Moving provides some of the best moving crews in the industry with years of experience and training in an in-house facility. If you’re seeking a locally owned mover, consider Little Guys Movers, whose customer service team and movers receive high marks for quality and care for all relocation needs.
All providers on our list of the best movers in North Carolina rate well on our respective state and national grading scales for quality, services and pricing. Get at least three quotes from professional movers before booking to find the right service offerings for the right cost.
Our rating methodology for moving companies
Our moving recommendations are all backed by our detailed rating methodology. To fairly assess both interstate and local movers, we have tailored two sets of review standards for long-distance and intrastate movers.
Both sets of review standards assess factors including reputation and customer satisfaction, availability and range, services offered, pricing and quote practices and customer service. We rate each moving company out of 100 possible points. We then divide the final score by 20 to obtain the 5-star rating we feature in our reviews.
BBB and Google Review ratings are accurate as of June 2024.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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