Residential Movers in California
Most people hire a moving company perhaps three times in their life, which is why the industry gets away with things other trades do not. Halo by California Movers USA moves households across California at $175 per hour for two movers and one truck. Before any of that matters, though, there is a two-minute check almost nobody does and everybody should — looking up whether the company you are about to let into your home is actually licensed for the move you are asking for. This page starts there, then covers what a house move costs, where the hours go, and what belongs in the quote.
GET A FREE QUOTE NOW!
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.
On This Page
What a Residential Move Covers
A house, a condo, a flat or a single room — anything where the contents of a home go from one address to another. Most residential jobs are some combination of these:
- Loading, transport, unloading and placement in the rooms you name
- Disassembly and reassembly of beds, tables and flat-pack furniture
- Protection of both properties — floors, banisters, door frames, lifts
- Packing, in full or only the rooms you would rather not do yourself
- Unpacking, which more people should price than do
- Loading or unloading only, into your own truck or a container
- Storage when the two dates do not meet
Which of those you actually need is what the quote conversation is for. If the move is a flat with lifts and permits in play, the apartment moving page covers that ground; if it is a handful of large pieces rather than a household, see furniture moving.
Run these checks on us as well — that is rather the point of publishing them. Halo by California Movers USA holds a CPUC household goods permit for work inside California and a USDOT registration for interstate moves, and both numbers are ours to produce on request before any deposit is taken.
How to Check a Moving Company in Two Minutes
This is the most useful thing on this page and it applies to every mover you are considering, this one included. Two databases, two minutes, and it turns a leap of faith into a fact.
Step 1 — moves inside California
- Household movers operating within California must be licensed by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services, part of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
- BHGS publishes a license search: you type the company name or permit number and see whether it is authorized to operate.
- Halo operates under permit CAL-T203846. Look it up rather than taking our word for it.
Step 2 — moves that cross a state line
- A California license stops at the state line. It says nothing about a company's authority to take your belongings to Nevada or Texas.
- Interstate carriers are federally registered, and there are two different numbers that people constantly confuse:
- A USDOT number is a safety identifier — it is how a company's safety record is tracked. Having one is not permission to move your household goods.
- Operating authority, usually shown as an MC number (sometimes FF or MX), is the one that dictates what kind of operation a company may run and what cargo it may carry. That is the number that matters, and it is required in addition to a USDOT number.
- Both are searchable on the FMCSA's Protect Your Move site.
Sources: California Bureau of Household Goods and Services; FMCSA on operating authority and on USDOT numbers. Confirmed September 2026.
A company that advertises a USDOT number in its footer and nothing else has told you it is registered, not that it is authorized to move your home across a state line. Ask which authority it holds, and check. It is a fair question and a straightforward company will not mind it.
What a House Move Costs
The published package is $175 per hour for two movers and one truck. A three-bedroom house needs more than that, and the crew size and truck count are decided at the estimate and written into your agreement rather than settled on the morning.
Two pricing models exist and they suit different jobs:
| Hourly | Flat rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Local and regional household moves, where duration is the variable | A confirmed inventory, route and service list — typically longer moves |
| How the total moves | With the billable hours the confirmed work takes | It does not, unless you approve a material scope change |
| Your main job | Be ready, and disclose the access honestly | Confirm the complete inventory |
| Your protection | A Not To Exceed price, which a California mover must give you before the move begins and cannot exceed unless you add items or services | |
Whichever model applies, the number to compare between quotes is not the hourly rate. It is the Not To Exceed price, alongside what is actually included. The pricing page compares the models in detail, and the moving quote guide covers what gets verified before a written figure is issued.
Where the Hours Actually Go
On an hourly move the invoice is the rate times the hours, and the hours are decided by things you can mostly see coming. Room by room, this is where a house move loses time.
| Room | What slows it down | What to do about it |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | The slowest room in any house — small, fragile, numerous | Pack it first, days ahead, or put it in the quote as packing labor |
| Garage and shed | Loose, heavy, dirty, and full of things that cannot travel | Sort it early; separate the flammables and chemicals now, not on the day |
| Bedrooms | Loaded drawers and beds that must come apart | Empty everything; the crew will handle the frames |
| Living room | One large item that needs a door removed | Measure it against the doorway a week ahead |
| Loft and attic | Access, and boxes nobody has opened in a decade | Bring it all down to ground level before the crew arrives |
| Home office | Cables, screens and paperwork | Photograph the cabling before you unplug anything |
| Outside | Where the truck can legally stop, at both ends | Settle it a week ahead; in San Francisco that means a permit |
The pattern is the same everywhere: nothing on that list is a surprise on the day if somebody looked at it a week earlier.
A Three-Bedroom House, Hour by Hour
A composite built from ordinary Halo work: a three-bedroom house moving across the East Bay. Three movers, one truck, packing done by the family in advance.
8:00
Crew arrives, walks the house with you room by room, confirms the inventory against the estimate and agrees what is not going.
8:20
Floor runners, banister padding and door-frame guards at both the front and the back of the house.
8:45
Beds, the dining table and flat-pack shelving come apart. Hardware bagged and labeled by piece.
9:30
Pad-wrapping and shrink-wrapping. Mattresses bagged, mirrors and glass into padded dividers.
10:15
Loading begins — boxes first in a chain, then furniture, built in tiers and strapped.
12:45
Load complete. Empty-house walkthrough including the garage and the loft, paperwork signed.
13:15
The drive, and protection down inside the new house before the tailgate opens.
14:00
Unloading. Boxes to the room written on the label; beds carried up early rather than last.
16:00
Furniture rebuilt and placed, with one round of moving pieces again once you have seen the room.
17:15
Walkthrough, padding and debris out, balance settled against the figure that was quoted.
What would have added hours
- A kitchen still to be packed at 8:00 — on its own, easily two hours.
- A garage nobody had sorted, half of it not going and nobody sure which half.
- Nowhere legal for the truck, so every item makes an extra hundred-foot trip twice.
- A loft still full, with everything coming down a ladder at a mover's hourly rate.
Composite illustration drawn from routine Bay Area work. Your own crew size and timings are confirmed in writing after 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 — and the left-hand list is what you should hold against any other quote.
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 and door-frame protection at both properties
- Taking a door slab off its hinges and rehanging it
- Loading, transport and unloading
- Placement in the room you name
- 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 the two dates
- A shuttle where a full-size truck cannot reach the door
- Valuation above the basic 60 cents per pound
Sixty cents per pound per article is a liability level built into the rate, not insurance — it pays by weight rather than by value. A whole household outruns it comfortably, so if that gap matters, raise it during the estimate and have the right valuation elected in your move documents.
Storage runs through a partner warehouse with climate control available and access around the clock by calling the office, with pickup, the storage period and redelivery quoted separately. Details are on the storage page.
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 takes billable time off the day.
Paperwork and access
- Written estimate lists the inventory you actually have
- The Not To Exceed price is in writing
- You know which valuation is elected
- Where the truck legally stops, at both ends
- Permit applied for if you are in San Francisco
- Utilities scheduled at both properties
The house
- Kitchen packed first, days ahead
- Loft and garage emptied to ground level
- Drawers, cupboards and wardrobes empty
- Boxes labeled with the destination room
- Items not moving separated and marked
- Anything fragile identified rather than buried
- Pets and small children somewhere else for the day
Travels with you
- Passports, deeds and financial paperwork
- Medication and prescriptions
- Keys, laptops and hard drives
- Jewellery and irreplaceable items
- Chargers and a change of clothes
- Your copy of the estimate
Some things cannot travel at all: flammables, corrosives, pressurized cylinders, ammunition, paint, propane and perishables. The garage is where these live, which is one more reason to sort it early rather than on the morning.
Where We Work
Halo is based in San Francisco and moves households 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
- Oakland
- Berkeley
- San Jose
- Fremont
- Concord
- Antioch
- Vallejo
- Santa Rosa
- Daly City
- Sunnyvale
- Livermore
- Contra Costa County
- Sacramento
- Roseville
- Stockton
- Fresno
- Los Angeles
- Pasadena
- Orange County
- San Diego
The full directory is on the moving locations page. Longer routes inside the state are quoted as long-distance work; moves that cross a state line are federally regulated.
Residential Moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move a house?
The published package is $175 per hour for two movers and one truck; a house needs more than that, and the crew size is set at the estimate. The number to compare between companies is not the hourly rate but the Not To Exceed price, alongside what is actually included.
How do I check that a moving company is legitimate?
For a move inside California, look the company up in the Bureau of Household Goods and Services license search. For a move crossing a state line, check its federal operating authority on the FMCSA's Protect Your Move site. Two minutes, two databases.
Is a USDOT number enough?
No. A USDOT number is a safety identifier — it is how a company's safety record is tracked. The operating authority, usually an MC number, is what dictates the type of operation a company may run and the cargo it may carry, and it is required in addition. Ask which authority a company holds.
Does a California license cover a move to another state?
No. California's license applies to moves within California. Once the shipment crosses a state line the move is federally regulated, which is a different registration entirely.
What is a Not To Exceed price?
The maximum a California mover can charge you for the agreed work. State rules require it to be given before the move begins, and it cannot be exceeded unless you add items or request services outside the agreement. A quote without one is not really a quote.
Which room should I pack first?
The kitchen. It is the slowest room in any house — small items, fragile, and a great many of them — and packing it on moving day at an hourly rate is the most expensive way to do it.
Do I need to empty the drawers?
Yes. Loaded drawers make furniture heavier and unbalanced, and emptying them on the day is billable time. The crew handles the frames; the contents are yours.
Do stairs or a long carry cost extra?
The hourly rate does not change. They add time, which is why they are confirmed before the date is held rather than discovered on the morning.
Do I need a parking permit?
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 meters. The permit is issued to the resident, so you file it.
Will you take the furniture apart and put it back together?
Yes. Standard disassembly and reassembly is part of the rate, and hardware is bagged and labeled by piece so the same fixings go back into the same frame.
Can you pack for us?
Yes, in full or only the rooms you would rather not do — quoted as its own line so labor and materials are visible rather than absorbed into the clock. Unpacking is also worth pricing; more people should than do.
What will the crew not load?
Flammables, corrosives, pressurized cylinders, ammunition, paint, propane and perishables. Most of them live in the garage, which is one more reason to sort it early. Passports, medication, keys, hard drives and jewelry should travel with you.
Are my belongings insured?
Basic liability of 60 cents per pound per article is built into the rate. It pays by weight rather than value, so a whole household outruns it comfortably. It is not insurance. If that matters, raise it during the estimate and have a higher valuation elected in your move documents.
Does Halo subcontract residential 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.
Get a Residential Moving Price
Send both addresses, the moving date, what is moving and how the crew reaches each door. You will get the crew size, the included work and the Not To Exceed price in writing before you book — and you can look up the license number while you wait.
Get My 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.
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.