The Ranking
Our top 8 moving companies in Austin
Moving in Austin has its own rhythm. Summer afternoons regularly pass 100 degrees, so crews that start at 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning get the heavy lifting done before the worst of the heat, and that is worth asking about when you book. Late spring and summer are the busy months, with apartment and student leases turning over, so the best crews fill their weekend calendars weeks ahead. If you can move midweek or in the cooler months, you will have more choice.
Downtown and in the newer towers along Rainey Street, South Lamar and the Domain, buildings usually ask for an elevator reservation and a certificate of insurance from your mover before move day. Ask your building manager what they need and send that to the mover early, since some companies need a day or two to issue the certificate. If the truck has to sit in metered spaces, the City of Austin right of way office issues load and unload parking permits, and its published rules ask for the request at least 72 hours ahead.
In Texas, any company that moves household goods for pay has to be registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and carry a TxDMV certificate number. You can look the number up on the TxDMV Truck Stop search, and the status should read Active. Before loading, the mover has to give you a written proposal. TxDMV describes two kinds: a binding proposal, which states the exact price, and a not-to-exceed proposal, which caps the price but lets the mover charge less. Most local Austin moves are priced by the hour, so ask that the proposal list the crew size, the hourly rate, travel time, and the cost of materials.
Valuation is the part most people skip. A mover's liability is set in your agreement, and TxDMV gives 60 cents per pound per item as an example of a limit, which would pay $30 for a 50 pound television. That is not insurance. If you own things that are worth more than their weight, ask about added valuation coverage or buy separate transit insurance. If something is damaged, Texas rules give you 90 days from delivery to file a written claim with the mover, and TxDMV offers free mediation if the answer is not fair.
For a move to another state, the company needs a USDOT number and active household goods authority from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Several good Austin movers on this list are registered only for moves inside Texas, so check FMCSA before you book an interstate job.
The red flags are the same as anywhere: a quote given over the phone without anyone seeing your things, a large cash deposit, no TxDMV number on the website or the paperwork, or a company whose name on the contract does not match the name you called. Some websites that look like movers are brokers that sell your job to another company. Every firm on this list runs its own trucks, which we checked against its photos and, where a number was published, its FMCSA record.
