Interstate Moving and Travel Planning Hub

Treat shipment delivery and household travel as separate schedules. Confirm the carrier and current written terms, keep records outside the truck, and plan for the full delivery window. Check destination-specific pet or plant requirements through the linked primary sources.

What each group decides

The articles cover what changes when a move crosses state lines: how interstate quotes are built, what federal rules say about weight, estimates and delivery windows, how small or split shipments travel, when a shuttle or long-carry service applies, and how to plan the household’s own trip and temporary housing. The calculators and reference tables price the travel, keep the paperwork straight and record changes to the order. The survey checklist prepares a virtual walk-through so the estimate starts from a complete inventory.

Start with the cheapest-way comparison and the weight

Before asking for quotes, decide which kind of move you are pricing. The cheapest-way comparison lists what a rental truck, a portable container and a full-service mover each make you pay for. If a carrier will price your move by weight and distance, estimate the weight first with the moving weight calculator: it uses the published 7 lb per cubic foot constructive-weight convention and gives you a figure to compare with each written estimate.

First steps

Check that the company you are dealing with is the carrier or a broker, and look up its current registration. Get a written estimate based on an inventory, by survey or virtual survey. Read how the weight will be determined and when you can see the weight tickets. Plan the household trip and temporary housing around the full delivery window, not its first day. Keep your documents and essentials outside the shipment.

Federal interstate rules are linked to their official text with the date we checked them; intrastate moves follow state rules, which these pages do not cover in detail.

Related tools & guides

• Comparison

  Freight Trailer vs Moving Container for a Long-Distance Move

  Space pricing vs unit pricing

• Guide

  Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move: What the Federal Booklet Actually Says

  Your federal rulebook