Apartment Movers in California
An apartment move is rarely decided by the furniture. It is decided by three permissions: whether your building will accept the mover's certificate of insurance, whether the elevator is reserved, and whether the truck can legally stop near the door. Get those three right and a two-bedroom flat is a straightforward day at $175 per hour for two movers and one truck. Get them wrong and the same flat becomes a long carry up a hill with a crew waiting on a lift. This page is mostly about those three things, because they are the ones nobody tells you about until the morning of the move.
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What our beloved customers are saying
Elaine White
Customer
Kaden Conors
Manager
From:
Sacramento
To:
San Diego
Yelp
California Movers were awesome. Nick and his team packed up all my things very carefully and moved them without any damages. All our things were well cared for and they took care to put things in the correct rooms after the move in such a way to make unpacking easier. So, this relocation with California Movers was easy and stress-free.
Tess Adderiy
Customer
Kaden Conors
Manager
From:
Oakland
To:
San Jose
Yelp
California Movers were very kind and friendly. They did an amazing job; I can recommend this company enough. They were on time. Offered reasonable price. They made my moving worry free!
Elsie Day
Customer
Kaden Conors
Manager
From:
Fresno
To:
Daly City
Yelp
Our family was very excited to move to a new home. I decided to hire California Movers because of the discount that they offered. I wasn’t really expecting much for the price they offered. But they did a perfect job. The crew is really trained very well. They were very good with wrapping my belongings. I recommend this company.
Kiel Goldman
Customer
Kaden Conors
Manager
From:
Texas
To:
Wayoming
Yelp
I highly recommend California Movers. The representatives booked my move very quickly and explained everything. Our crew was very professional and fast, nothing was damaged. Recommend the movers to all.
Services That Sit Beside an Apartment Move
Most apartment moves need one or two of these as well. Each is quoted as its own line, so you can see exactly what it adds.
Three things that are often quoted wrongly elsewhere. Packing and unpacking on a local move are billed at the same hourly rate rather than as a separate service, and cartons and packing paper are not charged. A piano, a safe, oversized art or gym equipment needs more hands rather than a specialty fee — the crew changes, so the rate does: $175 an hour for two movers, $270 an hour for a crew of four. Extra pickup or delivery stops add time at that same rate, with no flat surcharge.
Appliances have to be disconnected and drained before the crew arrives — Halo does not disconnect or reconnect gas, water or electrical appliances. A certificate of insurance for your building is issued on request at no charge, and Halo books a three-hour minimum on local moves.
Local Moving
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The hourly crew work behind every apartment move, with the parking and building rules planned in.
Packing Services
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Full or partial packing with labor and materials priced separately, so nothing is absorbed into the clock.
Furniture Moving
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A few large pieces rather than a whole flat: measured for door clearance, padded, taken apart and rebuilt.
Storage
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For the gap between two leases, with pickup, the storage period and redelivery listed separately.
On This Page
What Makes an Apartment Move Different
A house move is mostly about volume. An apartment move is mostly about the route between your door and the truck, and about who controls each part of it.
- You do not own the route. The corridor, the lift and the lobby belong to the building, and the building has rules about all three.
- You do not own the curb. In most of San Francisco and much of Oakland and Berkeley, legal truck parking has to be arranged, not assumed.
- Two buildings, two sets of rules. The one you are leaving and the one you are arriving at rarely want the same paperwork or allow the same hours.
- Stairs and lifts are time, not difficulty. A crew can carry anything up four flights; what it costs you is the clock.
- Deadlines are hard. Leases end at noon, lifts are booked in two-hour blocks, and neither moves for you.
All of it is knowable in advance. None of it can be fixed on the day.
The Three Permissions You Need
Every apartment move in the Bay Area runs on these three. Halo handles the first; you and your building handle the second and third; and all three need to be settled at the same time, because the elevator window and the curb have to line up.
| Permission | Who gets it | How long it takes | What happens without it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of insurance | Halo issues it; your building's management accepts it, in its own wording | Allow two weeks — longer if the building's insurer reviews the wording | Many buildings will not let the crew past the lobby |
| Elevator reservation | You book it with management, at both addresses | A week, more at the end of a month | The crew shares a passenger lift with residents and the job stretches by hours |
| A legal place for the truck | You, through the city — a permit is issued to the resident, not the mover | At least five business days in San Francisco | Every item is carried from wherever the truck can stop, twice |
What building management usually asks for
- The certificate issued to the building's exact legal entity name, not the name on the signage.
- General liability, automobile liability and workers' compensation at the limits in the tenant handbook.
- An additional insured or certificate holder endorsement naming the landlord and the management company.
- Dates covering the whole move window, not just the booked hour.
- Permitted move hours, and whether weekends are allowed at all.
- A refundable move-in deposit, in some buildings.
Send Halo the tenant handbook page and the exact entity names when you ask for the quote, and the certificate is a non-event. Send it the week of the move and it becomes the reason the date slips.
The Curb: Permits, Parking Meters and Hills
This is the part of an apartment move that costs the most and gets discussed the least. If there is no legal space in front of the building, the crew carries every item from wherever the truck can stop — and that carry is billed as time, in both directions, all day.
San Francisco temporary no-parking permits
- Apply at least five business days before the day the signs need to be enforced.
- Signs must go up at least 72 hours ahead on an unmetered block, or 24 hours ahead at metered spaces.
- For a permit of up to three days the fee is $355 for one to four signs, $489 for five to nine, and $614 for ten to fifteen.
- Occupied parking meters are charged at $21 per meter per day.
- Work under the permit may start no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and must end by 10:00 p.m.
- The permit is issued to the resident or the property, so it is yours to file — Halo tells you how many signs the truck needs and where they should stand.
Fees and timelines published by SFMTA and confirmed in September 2026. SFMTA revises its fee schedule each July, so check the current figures before you apply. Other California cities set their own rules; the crew reviews the requirement for your address during scope confirmation.
A permit is almost always cheaper than the hours it saves. On a steep San Francisco block it also decides something less obvious: whether the ramp can be used at all, or whether every item is lifted by hand into the back of the truck.
What an Apartment Move Costs
The published package is $175 per hour for two movers and one truck. A larger apartment may need a bigger crew or a second truck, and that is decided and written into the estimate before the date is held. The rate does not change for stairs, hills or a difficult lift — those add time, which is why they are confirmed in advance rather than discovered on the day.
| What drives the hours | Shorter when | Longer when |
|---|---|---|
| The lift | Reserved, with a known window, at both ends | Shared with residents, or there isn't one |
| The carry | The truck parks at the entrance | The truck stops around the corner or downhill |
| Stairs | One flight, straight, with a wide landing | Four flights with turns and a narrow banister |
| Readiness | Boxes sealed, labeled and stacked by the door | Packing still happening when the crew arrives |
| Furniture | Flat-pack and standard pieces | A sectional or a bed frame that has to come apart to clear the door |
| The building | Move hours are generous and the dock is free | A two-hour window that the job does not fit into |
The pricing page compares hourly and flat-rate work, and the moving quote guide covers what Halo verifies before a written figure is issued. For a move that stays in the same city, the local moving page covers the same ground from the other direction.
A Fourth-Floor Walk-Up, Hour by Hour
A composite built from ordinary Halo work: a one-bedroom on the fourth floor of a San Francisco walk-up, no lift, moving to a second-floor apartment in Oakland with a service lift. Three movers, one truck.
−10 d
Scope confirmed. Four flights counted, the landing turns measured, the Oakland lift booked for a two-hour window, and the certificate of insurance sent to both buildings.
−7 d
Temporary no-parking permit applied for at the San Francisco end, comfortably inside the five-business-day requirement.
−3 d
Signs posted on the block, 72 hours ahead as required.
8:00
Crew arrives to a clear space directly outside. Floors, banisters and door frames protected up all four flights before anything moves.
8:30
Bed frame, desk and shelving disassembled; hardware bagged and labeled by piece.
9:15
Boxes down first, in a chain, so the stair path stays clear for the furniture.
10:30
Furniture down: pad-wrapped, corners protected, one person calling each turn at the landings.
12:00
Load complete, empty-flat walkthrough, keys accounted for, paperwork signed.
12:45
Oakland. The service lift is padded and held for the booked window; the crew works to it rather than around it.
14:30
Furniture rebuilt and placed, boxes in the room written on the label.
15:30
Walkthrough, padding out, balance settled against the figure that was quoted.
Where this day would have gone differently
- No permit at the San Francisco end — the truck stops two hundred feet downhill, and every box and every piece of furniture makes that trip on foot.
- A certificate the Oakland building would not accept — the crew waits in the lobby, or the move does not happen that day.
- The lift window missed — a service lift released to other residents is not re-held because a crew is late.
- Packing unfinished at 8:00 — four flights of stairs is the worst possible place to discover a cupboard nobody emptied.
Composite illustration drawn from routine Bay Area work. Your own crew size and timings are confirmed in writing once the inventory and access are verified.
What the Rate Includes and What Is Quoted Separately
Both lists are settled before you book. Nothing on the right appears on an invoice without your approval first.
In the hourly rate
- The crew and the truck
- Trained, background-checked Halo employees
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Pads, shrink wrap, straps, dollies and equipment
- Floor, banister, door-frame and lift protection at both buildings
- Loading, transport and unloading
- Placement in the room you name
- The certificate of insurance for building management
- Basic protection at 60 cents per pound per article
Quoted as its own line
- Wardrobe boxes you keep, rather than handing them back
- Storage between two leases
- A shuttle where a full-size truck cannot reach the door
- Valuation above the basic 60 cents per pound
The city permit itself is paid to SFMTA by you rather than billed by the mover, and a building move-in deposit is between you and management. Sixty cents per pound per article is a liability level built into the rate, not insurance — it pays by weight, so a three-pound laptop is covered for about $1.80. If something in the flat matters more than it weighs, raise it during the estimate and have the right valuation elected in your move documents.
Three things that are often quoted wrongly elsewhere. Packing and unpacking on a local move are billed at the same hourly rate rather than as a separate service, and cartons and packing paper are not charged. A piano, a safe, oversized art or gym equipment needs more hands rather than a specialty fee — the crew changes, so the rate does: $175 an hour for two movers, $270 an hour for a crew of four. Extra pickup or delivery stops add time at that same rate, with no flat surcharge.
Appliances have to be disconnected and drained before the crew arrives — Halo does not disconnect or reconnect gas, water or electrical appliances. A certificate of insurance for your building is issued on request at no charge, and Halo books a three-hour minimum on local moves.
Before Moving Day
Work through this a fortnight out. Every line either protects the move or removes billable time from the stairs.
Both buildings
- Certificates of insurance accepted, in writing
- Lifts reserved, with start and end times
- Permitted move hours confirmed, including weekends
- Move-in deposit paid if the building requires one
- Access codes, fobs or an escort arranged for the crew's hours
The street
- You know where the truck will legally stop at each address
- Permit applied for in time, and the signs posted
- Someone has measured the real carry distance from that spot
- Any garage or dock height clearance checked
The flat
- Boxes sealed and labeled with the destination room
- Nothing loose in drawers, closets or under the bed
- Fragile and high-value items identified, not buried
- Items that are not moving separated and marked
- Stair path and hallway clear
- Someone present at both ends who can make decisions
Some things cannot go on the truck at all: flammables, corrosives, pressurized cylinders, ammunition, paint, propane and perishables. Passports, medication, keys, hard drives and jewelry should travel with you.
Apartment Moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move an apartment?
The published package is $175 per hour for two movers and one truck, and the total depends on the billable time the confirmed work takes. A larger apartment may need a bigger crew or a second truck; that is decided and written into the quote before you book.
Do stairs cost extra?
The hourly rate does not change. Stairs add time, which is exactly why the flights, the turns and the landings are counted before the date is held rather than discovered on the morning.
Does my building need a certificate of insurance?
Most managed buildings do, and many will not let the crew past the lobby without one. Halo issues it for both addresses — send the tenant handbook page and the exact legal entity names at quote stage, and allow two weeks for management to accept the wording.
Do I need to reserve the elevator?
Yes, at both ends, and earlier than you think at the end of a month. An unreserved lift shared with other residents is one of the most reliable ways to add hours to an apartment move.
Do I need a parking permit for the truck?
In much of San Francisco, yes. SFMTA asks for the application at least five business days ahead, with signs posted 72 hours in advance on an unmetered block or 24 hours at metered spaces. The permit is issued to the resident or the property, so you file it; Halo tells you how many signs the truck needs and where they should stand.
What happens if there is nowhere legal to park?
The crew carries everything from wherever the truck can stop, in both directions, and that carry is billable time. On a steep block it can also mean loading by hand instead of using the ramp. A permit is almost always cheaper than the hours it saves.
Can you move me between two units in the same building?
Yes, and it is still hourly work. The lift window, the corridor protection and the furniture work are the same; only the drive disappears.
Do I have to pack before the crew arrives?
No, but packing done on moving day is billable time, and on a walk-up it is the most expensive time on the job. If you want the crew to pack, ask for it in the quote so the labor and materials are priced as their own line.
Will you take my furniture apart and put it back together?
Yes. Standard disassembly and reassembly is part of the rate. Hardware is bagged and labeled by piece so the same fixings go back into the same frame at the other end.
My lease ends at noon and the new one starts at three. Can that work?
Often, for a small flat with everything ready and both lifts booked. When it does not, storage for a night or two is quoted with pickup, the storage period and redelivery as separate components — usually cheaper than trying to compress a move into an impossible window.
What will the crew not load?
Flammables, corrosives, pressurized cylinders, ammunition, paint, propane and perishables do not go on the truck. Passports, medication, keys, hard drives, jewelry and anything irreplaceable should travel with you.
Does Halo subcontract apartment moves?
No. They are handled by trained, background-checked Halo employees, with a lead foreman on site and a dispatcher coordinating the day. The people who quoted the work are accountable for it.
How far in advance should I book?
Two to three weeks where you can, because the certificate of insurance and the lift reservations sit on the critical path — not the crew. The end of the month and the summer book out first.
Can I divide the balance into four payments?
Eligible customers may apply a provider-approved amount to all or part of the balance. The provider decides eligibility and the available amount, and a booking deposit is still required. The payment options page explains how that works.
Where We Move Apartments
Halo is based in San Francisco and moves apartments across the Bay Area, the Sacramento region and Southern California. Each city page covers the parking rules and building conditions that shape a move in that place.
Bay Area
Sacramento and Southern California
The full directory is on the moving locations page. Moving out of the region is quoted as a long-distance move.
Get an Apartment Moving Price
Send both addresses, the floor and lift at each end, the moving date and what is moving. Halo will confirm the crew size, issue the certificates for both buildings, and put the included work in writing before you book.
Get My Apartment Moving PriceA starting figure is not the written estimate. Once the scope is confirmed, the deposit and payment options explain how the date is reserved and how the balance can be paid.