Guide

Apartment Moving in DC

Apartment movers in DC work around three things other moves skip, which are the building's insurance certificate, a freight elevator reservation, and a DDOT permit for the truck. This guide takes each one in order, from the first email to your building to your first 60 days at the new address.

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What makes moving apartments in DC different

A DC apartment move runs on three reservations. The building has to approve your mover's insurance, the freight elevator needs a time slot, and the truck needs a legal place to park. That holds for a Navy Yard high-rise, a Dupont Circle walk-up, and a Columbia Heights condo, though a walk-up trades the elevator for stairs. With those three settled, the rest of the day is carrying and driving.

The steps below are in the order to do them, starting three to four weeks before the move. They cover moving out as well as moving in, since the building you are leaving has rules of its own and is holding your deposit.

Step 1

Ask both buildings for their move rules

Do this three to four weeks out, by email, so the answers are in writing. Ask the building you are leaving the same questions. Move-out rules catch people off guard more often than move-in rules.

Which days and hours are moves allowed?
Do movers need a certificate of insurance, and can you send me the requirement sheet?
How do I reserve the freight elevator, and how long is a slot?
Where does the moving truck park? Is there a loading dock, an alley, or only the street?
Is there a move fee or a refundable move deposit?

Step 2

Send your mover the insurance requirements

A certificate of insurance, or COI, is a one-page form from the mover's insurer. It shows the mover's coverage and names the building, usually as an additional insured. The building reviews it before the crew can use the elevator, so a certificate that arrives late or names the wrong company can hold up the start of a move.

Forward the requirement sheet to your mover the day you book. We provide the certificate for your building at no charge.
Check the limits the sheet asks for. $1,000,000 of general liability per occurrence is the most common ask, and some buildings also want auto liability and workers' compensation shown.
Make sure the additional-insured names match the sheet exactly. Buildings often list the owner and the management company as separate names.
Ask the office to confirm by email that the certificate was accepted, at least a week before the move.

Step 3

Reserve the freight elevator and the dock

Reserve a specific time block at both buildings and get it in writing. For a one-bedroom, ask for at least two hours at the building you are leaving and 90 minutes at the new one.

Ask whether the building pads the elevator or expects the movers to.
Ask what happens if the move runs past the slot. Some buildings charge for it.
Ask for the loading dock's clearance height. A 15 foot box truck needs about 12 feet.
Measure your largest furniture against the elevator door and the turn into your hallway.
If there is only a small passenger elevator, or none, send your mover photos of the stairs so the crew size and the quote are right.
Reconfirm both reservations two days before the move.

Step 4

Reserve the curb if there is no dock

If the truck has to park on the street, the District Department of Transportation reserves the space through a permit in TOPS and printed Emergency No Parking signs. Tell us when you book if the truck will be on the street, so the permit and the signs are settled as part of planning your move.

Apply online in TOPS at tops.ddot.dc.gov, under Parking/Occupancy, and choose a moving truck.
Print the signs at a DDOT kiosk or the permit office. They cannot be printed at home.
Post the signs at least 72 hours ahead on a residential block without meters, or at least 24 hours ahead at metered spaces in a commercial area.
One permit covers up to four curbside spaces for up to 16 hours.
Take a dated photo of each sign once it is up.
If a car is in the signed space on move day, call 311 and ask for parking enforcement, with your permit number ready.
Our parking permit guide has the full steps, along with the rules for Arlington, Alexandria, and Montgomery County.

Step 5

Pack for an elevator on a clock

The elevator slot is the tightest part of the day, so pack for fast trips. Everything should be boxed, taped, and labeled before the crew arrives.

Use small and medium boxes of the same size. They stack on a dolly and fit through tight hallways.
Label each box on the side with the room it is going to.
Take apart bed frames and any piece that will not clear your door, or tell us ahead so the crew plans for it.
Tell us about wall-mounted TVs and shelves before move day.
Set aside what travels with you, such as documents, medication, chargers, and keys.
Start packing three weeks out and finish two days before the move.

Step 6

Move out without losing your deposit

In DC a security deposit cannot be more than one month's rent. Within 45 days after you leave, the landlord has to return it with interest or tell you in writing that it will be used, and then itemize the expenses within 30 more days. This is general information and your lease still matters, so read it for the notice period.

Give written notice the way your lease says, with your move-out date and forwarding address.
Fill nail holes, replace dead light bulbs, and clean the oven, the refrigerator, and the bathroom once the unit is empty.
Take dated photos and one slow video of every room after cleaning, including the hallway outside your door.
Return every key, fob, and parking pass, and ask for a written receipt.
Mark your calendar for 45 days out, and write to the landlord if nothing has arrived by then.

Step 7

Your first 60 days at the new address

If you moved to DC from another state, the clock on these starts the day you move in.

Convert your driver's license at DC DMV within 60 days.
Register your vehicle within 60 calendar days. DC requires the license conversion first, and the car has to pass a DC inspection.
Get a Residential Parking Permit if your block is zoned. It is issued with your registration and costs $55 for a household's first vehicle.
Set up Pepco for electricity and Washington Gas, if your building does not include them.
File a USPS change of address. It costs $1.25 online and is free at a post office.

What it costs

Flat-rate prices for DC apartment moves

We quote one flat price from photos of your place, so a slow elevator does not change your bill. Our ranges for local moves are below. Stairs, a long walk from the truck, and street parking push a move toward the top of its range, and weekends and the last days of the month cost more than a midweek, mid-month date.

Studio: $385 to $660
1-bedroom: $550 to $990
2-bedroom: $880 to $1,650
Text us photos of each room with both addresses and your date. We send back one flat price, usually within 15 minutes during business hours.
$100 holds your date and comes off your final bill. It is refunded in full if we cancel and is not refunded if you cancel.

Timeline

The whole move in order

DC rules in this guide were last checked in October 2026 against DDOT, DC DMV, and the DC Tenant Bill of Rights. Confirm on the official pages before you rely on them.

3 to 4 weeks out. Ask both buildings for their rules, book your mover, and send the insurance requirement sheet.
2 weeks out. Apply for the DDOT permit if the truck will park on the street. Schedule utilities and internet.
1 week out. Confirm the building accepted the certificate. Print the signs at a kiosk.
72 hours out. Post the signs on a residential block and photograph them.
2 days out. Reconfirm the elevator at both buildings and finish packing.
Move day. Check that the signed space is clear, meet the crew, and keep the permit on hand.
After the move. Photograph the empty unit, return the keys, and start on the 60-day list.

FAQ

DC apartment moving questions, answered

How much do apartment movers in DC cost?

Our flat-rate ranges are $385 to $660 for a studio, $550 to $990 for a one-bedroom, and $880 to $1,650 for a two-bedroom. The price depends on how much you have, the stairs or elevator at each end, and how far the truck parks from the door. Text us photos and we send back one number, usually within 15 minutes during business hours.

Do I need a parking permit to move in Washington, DC?

Only if the truck will park on a public street. A DDOT permit with posted Emergency No Parking signs is the only way to reserve that space. The signs go up at least 72 hours ahead on a residential block, or at least 24 hours ahead at metered spaces in a commercial area. A building with a loading dock does not need one.

What is a COI and why does my DC building require one?

A certificate of insurance shows your mover's coverage and names the building, usually as an additional insured. Most elevator buildings in DC ask for one before move day. Send us the building's requirement sheet and we provide the certificate at no charge.

How do I reserve the freight elevator for my move?

Email the management office as soon as you have a date and ask for a written time block at both buildings. Ask about the allowed days and hours, elevator pads, and any move fee or deposit, then reconfirm two days before.

How far in advance should I book apartment movers in DC?

Two to four weeks ahead for most dates, and four to six weeks ahead for the last weekend of a month or any date from June through August. Booking early also leaves time for the insurance certificate, the elevator, and the permit.

How long does a DC landlord have to return my deposit?

45 days after you leave. The landlord can instead send written notice within those 45 days that the deposit will be used, and then has 30 more days to itemize the expenses.

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