Best Moving Companies for Military Moves (2024)

International Van Lines (IVL) is an experienced full-service mover that stands out for its international military moves. IVL started in 2000 as an international logistics company. Although it has grown to include domestic residential moving, it continues to focus on its global relocation foundation.

IVL can provide service to 180 countries—more than any other company in our guide—and is licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) as a Government Military Relocation Mover. This means that the federal government recognizes IVL as a legitimate interstate mover that is qualified and reputable enough to handle military moves.

Unlike most other full-service providers that outsource international moves, IVL will directly handle your international military shipment via ocean or air freight transport. The company holds an ocean freight forwarder (#021051NF) license with the Federal Maritime Commission and also offers air freight transport for faster shipping.

As a full-service company, IVL provides packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, and add-on options such as storage services and vehicle shipping for international, local, and long-distance moves.

Using IVL’s online moving calculator, we received a quote to move a four-bedroom home from near Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, to near Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in early July. Keep in mind, this is just a general price range. You will need to speak with International Van Lines directly to receive a more detailed ballpark quote.

Active and retired military service members receive a 10% to 15% discount on moving costs through IVL.

Sample Quote: $6,000 –$8,700 (4-bedroom move from Fort Bragg, NC to Fort Carson, CO in early July)

Deposit: 25% of your total moving cost

To find out the cost of your move, get a free quote from International Van Lines.

American Van Lines (AVL) is a great full-service option if your military move includes high-value items like fitness equipment, antiques, or art. The company prides itself on its white-glove treatment of such pieces by highly trained moving crews.

AVL only employs full-time moving crew members and routinely provides its crews training in specific services, such as moving pianos and antiques.

American Van Lines also offers fragile-only packing, add-on options including custom crating for electronics and bulky items, and storage services.

American Van Lines provides binding estimates for all moves, so you cannot get an instant quote online or by phone. However, the moving cost page on the company’s website may give you a sense of general pricing for AVL. F

American Van Lines will match lower competitors’ quotes and accept credit cards, cash, and checks. The company’s deposit requirement—10% to 50% of your total moving cost—is steeper than most of the other companies in this guide.

Sample Quote: $10,321 (4-bedroom move from Miami to Dallas, which is roughly the same as Fayetteville, NC to Colorado Springs, CO)

Deposit: 10%-50% of your total moving cost

If you need help picking the right pro mover, Moving APT might be a good fit for planning your cross-country military move. Moving APT is strictly a moving brokerage, unlike the other providers on this list. This means that instead of handling moving requests directly, the company connects customers with appropriate local movers in their areas. You can contact Moving APT with your specific military relocation needs and the company will coordinate your move using one of the more than 2,500 independent agents within its network.

Through its network, Moving APT can provide full-service and partial-packing requests for long-distance and international moves, plus specialty services such as appliance disconnection and reconnection.

Moving APT will calculate your cost based on the distance, date, and size of your move, measured in total weight. In most cases, Moving APT can give you a binding estimate after completing a review of your home’s layout and your household goods. A binding estimate is the exact amount you can expect to pay on moving day.

After the review, the company will also determine your deposit amount, which will be due at the time of booking. Moving APT offers military discounts and will reduce charges if you book your move well in advance. The company will accept payments by cash, credit cards, and certified checks.

Sample Quote: $9,000 (4-bedroom move from Fayetteville, NC to Colorado Springs, CO)

Deposit: Contact for information

North American Van Lines (NAVL) made our list of top military movers for its ability to handle your major appliances. The full-service company offers packing, unpacking, loading, and unloading, as well as a variety of add-on relocation services, such as car shipping and custom crating.

Additionally, NAVL moving crews are trained in disconnecting dishwashers, refrigerators, and other appliances and reconnecting them at your new home, eliminating the need to call in a handyperson.

In addition to loading, unloading, and transport, the estimate includes packing and unpacking, online shipment tracking, and a basic contents protection plan. You can get a binding estimate, or flat-rate pricing, through NAVL after completing a virtual home assessment and review of your inventory.

NAVL provides up to 50% off moving costs to American Legion members and their families. American Legion members also qualify for a $100,000 contents coverage plan, deals on storage options, and nonpeak rates year-round.

North American Van Lines does not require an up-front deposit and accepts credit cards, cash, and certified checks.

Sample Quote: $16,047-$18,021 (4-bedroom move from Fayetteville, NC to Colorado Springs, CO in mid-summer)

Deposit: Contact for information

Allied Van Lines is an experienced full-service mover that stands out for its customer service. The company provides various tools, services, and resources that can make your military move more seamless, including an online calculator and helpful how-to articles.

The company’s user-friendly app makes it easy to schedule a home assessment and log your moving inventory. Allied Van Lines also assigns a personal moving coordinator to each customer so that you will have one point of contact for any questions or concerns.

The company offers full- and partial-packing services and an á la carte style menu of add-on services, such as vehicle shipping. The company also offers Allied Express, a moving-and-storage container service, for smaller moves. The containers are similar to those offered by self-service companies like 1-800-PACK-RAT. However, unlike 1-800-PACK-RAT, Allied Express provides a moving crew at no additional charge with each container rental.

You can schedule and conduct a virtual home survey through Allied Van Lines’ mobile app. Following the assessment and a review of your inventory, Allied Van Lines will give you a binding estimate.

You don’t have to put down a deposit to schedule a move with Allied Van Lines. You can pay with cash, certified checks, and credit cards.

Sample Quote: $18,365-$20,629 (4-bedroom move from Fayetteville, NC to Colorado Springs, CO in mid-summer)

Deposit: None required

JK Moving made our list for its customer-friendly and customizable approach to military moving services. With the help of an assigned coordinator, JK Moving offers a variety of add-on options that allow you to fully customize your military move, including special handling of antiques and artwork and vehicle relocation.

JK Moving also has a mobile app that you can use throughout the moving process for tasks such as scheduling your move, making payments, and tracking shipments. In addition, the company has adjustable contents protection plans that more accurately reflect the value of your items.

JK Moving doesn’t provide free moving quotes online or over the phone but will give you a binding estimate after completing a thorough virtual home assessment. However, we called JK Moving to get a ballpark moving estimate JK Moving will not give estimates for homes larger than three bedrooms without an assessment.

Through a partnership with Enhancify, JK Moving can provide in-house financing, with rates as low as 0%, same-as-cash, subject to credit approval. The company charges a $250 up-front deposit and accepts cash, checks, and credit cards.

Sample Quote: $7,500 (2-bedroom move 750 miles in mid-spring)

Deposit: None required

1-800-PACK-RAT is our pick for the best self-service provider for long-distance military moves. The company rents mobile storage-and-moving containers in 8-, 12-, and 16-foot sizes. Containers are weatherproof and delivered directly to your home for loading. PACK-RAT provides pickup of loaded containers and delivery to your new home.

If your military relocation requires short- or long-term storage, PACK-RAT operates climate-controlled storage facilities in each state it serves.

PACK-RAT is experienced with DITYs (do-it-yourself military moves) and can actually advance your personally procured move (PPM) government reimbursement for moving, eliminating the need for you to pay anything up front.

A 16-foot container delivered to Fayetteville, North Carolina, and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, would cost approximately $3,632, according to our quote from 1-800-PACK-RAT. A 16-foot container holds up to 6,000 pounds, or approximately two to three rooms of furniture and belongings. A four-bedroom home, or about 14,000 pounds, would likely require two 16-foot containers.

1-800-PACK-RAT offers a 10% discount on storage and services for active-duty and retired military, and an additional 10% off long-distance relocations. The company accepts credit card payments.

Sample Quote: $3,632 (For a 16-foot container delivered to Fayetteville, NC then moved to Colorado Springs, CO)

Deposit: None required