Editorial comparison · updated 2026

Best Movers in Los Angeles (2026): 7 Companies Compared

In Los Angeles the shortlist should be built around two questions almost nobody asks up front: who pulls the parking permit, and how is the drive billed. California licenses intrastate movers through the state Bureau of Household Goods and Services, so start with Cal-T permit holders, then sort on those two answers.

This page is for comparing companies. If you'd rather skip straight to hiring, movers in Los Angeles, CA has local cost bands, neighborhoods, parking and building rules, and a vetted match.

How we chose, and how you should

These are real, nationally operating companies and marketplaces with branches serving Los Angeles. It is not a paid ranking, they are listed alphabetically, and we publish no invented star ratings. Judge each against the same public methodology we use, the Union 5-point standard. Most are franchises or marketplaces, so quality varies by the specific local branch.

Which kind of mover actually works in Los Angeles

Full-service crews are the default here because the hard parts of an LA move are permits, hills, and buildings, not lifting. Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Mount Washington have narrow, steeply graded streets where a full-size truck stages on a flatter block and shuttles, which is a skill and a cost. DTLA, Koreatown, and Westside high-rises need a certificate of insurance and a reserved freight elevator inside a fixed weekday window, and many older Westside buildings cap move hours outright. Franchise networks handle the Valley house-to-house move well. Labor-only marketplaces are very widely used in LA and are a sound fit for a rented-truck move, provided you've solved the curb yourself. Containers work in the Valley and the suburban ring where driveways exist, and are impractical on most permit-parked city streets.

Los Angeles has one of the deepest mover markets in the country, and also one of the most crowded, which is exactly why the Cal-T permit lookup matters. Verify the permit and the USDOT number before you hand anyone a deposit.

The 7 companies, compared

1-800-PACK-RAT

Moving container

A portable steel moving-and-storage container service with local delivery, transport, and warehouse storage options.

Best for: Flexible-timeline and storage-in-transit moves where you handle the loading.
Verify before you hire: As a container service you supply the labor, confirm delivery and storage terms, and consider vetted movers to load and unload.

All My Sons Moving & Storage

Full-service

A family-owned, multi-generational full-service mover with branches across the Sun Belt, handling local and long-distance moves, packing, and storage.

Best for: Full-service local and in-state moves that want packing and storage under one roof.
Verify before you hire: Confirm your local branch's USDOT or state authority on FMCSA SAFER, and read recent reviews and the estimate structure, full-service pricing varies by branch.

Bellhop

Labor marketplace

A technology-enabled moving service that coordinates vetted movers for loading, unloading, and local moves, with transparent hourly booking online.

Best for: Tech-forward local moves and labor-only load/unload help booked online.
Verify before you hire: Check how the crew and any transportation are provided in your city, whether a truck is included, and the insurance/valuation terms for your booking.

College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving

Franchise

A national franchise offering local moving alongside junk removal and donation pickup, useful when a move includes clearing out unwanted items.

Best for: Local moves paired with decluttering, donation hauling, or junk removal.
Verify before you hire: Franchises are locally owned, so verify your specific location's license, insurance, and reviews, quality can differ between franchisees.

PODS

Moving container

A moving-and-storage container service: a container is dropped at your home, you load it on your schedule, and PODS transports or stores it.

Best for: DIY-friendly moves with a flexible timeline, or when you need storage between homes.
Verify before you hire: This is a container/self-move option, not a full-service crew, pair it with vetted [labor-only help](/services/labor-only) if you want pros to load it.

Two Men and a Truck

Franchise

One of the largest franchised moving networks in the country, offering local and in-state full-service moves, packing, and junk removal.

Best for: Standard full-service local and in-state moves from an established franchise network.
Verify before you hire: Each location is independently owned, verify your local franchise's USDOT/state authority, insurance, and recent reviews before booking.

U-Haul Moving Help

Labor marketplace

A marketplace connecting you with independent local labor providers to load or unload a truck or container you rent separately.

Best for: Budget labor-only jobs when you're renting a truck or container yourself.
Verify before you hire: Providers are independent, read each provider's reviews carefully and confirm whether they carry liability or workers' compensation coverage.

What to verify for a Los Angeles mover

California licenses intrastate household-goods movers through the state Bureau of Household Goods and Services, so a legitimate local mover carries a Cal-T permit number; a move that leaves California needs federal USDOT household-goods authority. We verify whichever your move requires.

USDOT vs MC numbers, what a legitimate mover actually has to hold.
How to check a mover's license, state by state, in a few minutes.
Certificates of insurance, what buildings require and how to get one.
Broker or carrier? Several names on this list are marketplaces, not the crew.

Choosing a mover in Los Angeles, frequently asked

Should the moving company handle the LA parking permit?

Ideally yes, and it's a fast way to sort a shortlist. Most of Los Angeles requires a temporary no-parking permit to hold curb space, and companies that work the city routinely treat it as part of the job. If a company is vague about who arranges it, assume nobody will, and budget for the long carry that follows.

How should I compare LA quotes when the drive is 25 miles?

Make sure every company is quoting the same two addresses and state clearly how travel time is charged, portal to portal, a flat fee, or the clock starting at your door. In a metro where a local move can be an hour each way in traffic, travel policy moves the final bill more than the hourly rate does.

For the full local picture, cost bands, neighborhoods, parking and building rules, see movers in Los Angeles, CA, where every match clears the same 5-point standard.

Get matched with vetted Los Angeles movers

Company names are trademarks of their respective owners and appear here for identification and editorial comparison only. Moving Union is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, the companies listed. Always confirm a mover's current license, insurance, and reviews before hiring. Sources: FMCSA SAFER and the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (https://movingunion.com).