We recommend Allied Van Lines and American Van Lines for a long-distance or interstate move to or from South Carolina. We like Allied’s carrier-only status — meaning your move won’t be handled by third parties — and its expedited moving options for small homes. American Van Lines’ movers averaging a decade of experience and flat-rate pricing make it another top choice.
For a local move within South Carolina, we recommend Smith Dray Line Movers. Its multiple locations in the state and lengthy track record for quality earn it a high rating on our proprietary scale.
Almost 220,000 new residents moved to South Carolina in 2022, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Start the quote-gathering process at least a month before your move date to deal with increased migration. This will help ensure you can book with your preferred mover, especially during the busy season of May through September.
All the moving companies we reviewed for South Carolina relocations earned high ratings on our proprietary grading scale. Below, we rounded up the top options in the Palmetto State.
Popular moving companies
The following moving companies offer dedicated service in South Carolina and scored highly on our rating scale.
Long-distance:
Our top choices for South Carolina movers
We recommend the following national moving companies for nearly any moving need. Each offers basic and specialty services for long-distance moves and more.
Best long-distance movers in South Carolina
Based on our research, the following national moving companies offer the best long-distance service in South Carolina. Each mover features a nationwide reach and well-trained moving teams.
American Van Lines
International Van Lines
Best movers for a local South Carolina move
The following moving companies carry the necessary registration with the South Carolina Public Service Commission (SCPSC). We found these providers to have the best service offerings and customer reviews in the state.
Smith Dray Line
Two Men and a Truck SC
Soda City Movers
Making an informed choice: A guide to professional movers
Before gathering moving quotes, keep the following key factors in mind to ensure you get an accurate estimate and hire the right provider for your needs.
Moving services
Determining your service needs is a primary step in the moving process. To do this accurately, survey your home and compile a full inventory list, broken down by room. This should give you an idea of the basic and additional services you’ll need from your movers, such as the following:
- Packing
- Unpacking
- Crating for fine arts or antiques
- Short- and long-term storage
- Vehicle shipping
- Assembly and disassembly
- Valuation or full-value protection
- Home staging
- Junk removal
Carriers vs. brokers
Moving companies operate under two basic service models, which you should know before booking. Moving carriers directly handle all services they book and are what people consider “traditional” moving companies.
Brokers, on the other hand, operate as middlemen between clients and moving carriers. They serve as booking agents that schedule your move and charge a large upfront fee as a deposit. Moving brokers usually assume no liability for broken or damaged items during moves.
Moving regulations
All moving companies must comply with local or federal laws, depending on their service area. This entails maintaining certain registrations, which we’ve outlined here.
Regulations for interstate and long-distance movers
Movers that provide interstate or long-distance service are federally regulated and must carry active United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers.
Most movers display these numbers on their moving trucks and should provide them on official documents, such as written estimates and moving contracts. You can use these two numbers to look up a mover’s registration status on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) website.
Regulations for intrastate and local movers
All intrastate and local moving companies in South Carolina must carry a registration number from the state Public Service Commission (SCPSC). These moving companies also have to file tariffs with the state declaring their basic rates for service, including hourly fees and flat fees for additional services.
Moving costs
Long-distance and local moving companies use different pricing structures to bill clients for moving services. Understanding these can help you budget ahead of the quote process.
Long-distance moving costs
Long-distance moving companies charge clients more transparent bottom-line fees based on move distance and overall shipment weight. Many movers offer binding estimates that will not shift between quote day and moving day unless your inventory or service needs change.
During our research process, we got several quotes from long-distance nationwide moving companies for interstate relocations. These 1,800-mile, three-bedroom moves cost an average of $7,329 without packing. Full-service packing increased costs to $9,155 on average.
Local moving costs in South Carolina
Local moving companies charge hourly rates for service. Local movers will provide ballpark rates for service based on these hourly rates. Add-on services, such as packing, will increase total costs due to the time they add to your move, but will not be assigned flat fees.
Moving insurance
All moving companies must provide a basic amount of coverage for lost or damaged goods. This released-value protection offers 60 cents per pound per item in reimbursement for losses. Beyond this, most movers offer full-value protection at an additional cost. This provides reimbursement at the items’ market value if it’s lost or damaged during your move.
Final take: Start with quotes from Allied Van Lines and Smith Dray Line for your South Carolina relocation
Based on our research, Allied Van Lines offers the best service in South Carolina for long-distance or interstate moves. Its locations provide direct service throughout the state, and its customer service teams offer quick booking processes.
Smith Dray Line’s locations in South Carolina and beyond offer trained moving teams for most moving needs. They respond quickly to quote requests and offer comprehensive local moving packages.
Getting quotes four to six weeks before your move date is the best way to ensure an efficient move to your new home. This will inform you of the total cost and get your moving process started with minimal hassle.
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 Reviews ratings are accurate as of April 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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