Best Movers in Chicago, IL (public-record ranking)

Last updated: August 2026. Company sites and SAFER fetched: 2026-08-26. FMCSA Chicago-area household-goods city list: data as of 7/31/2026 (209 records; 176 with Chicago HQ).

This page is for people planning a Chicago, Illinois household move. It ranks local household-goods movers by how complete and checkable their public record is — an Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) number printed on the company site, a matching FMCSA SAFER snapshot when a USDOT is printed, published rates, identity consistency, and complaint counts only if they appear in the FMCSA city-list JSON. It is not a paid list, not a popularity contest, and not a guarantee of move-day results.

Live ICC license status was not independently confirmed. The ICC Motor Carrier Information System search and entity pages returned a reCAPTCHA wall (“Please, no robots”) on 2026-08-26. ILCC / Ill.C.C. numbers below are copied as they appear on company sites (or, where noted, on an IMAWA member page). This page does not call any carrier ICC-verified. Re-check MCIS yourself, or call the ICC household-goods helpline 217-782-6448, before you book.

The FMCSA Chicago-area household-goods city list has 209 names (176 Chicago HQ). This page matches the 11 rostered companies by USDOT or legal name. It does not dump the other names. Appearances on that list are a federal directory snapshot as of 7/31/2026, not an Illinois license and not a quality score.

For hiring steps (license, travel time, alleys and 3-flats, CDOT truck parking, high-rise COI), use the Chicago hiring and move planning guide. For how hourly bills, published menus, and Illinois paperwork work, use Chicago moving costs.

Direct answer

MOOvers Chicago Inc. ranks first on this page because it has the most complete, internally consistent public record we could check on 2026-08-26: IL.C.C. 187592 and USDOT 2901815 printed on the company site, a SAFER snapshot for 2901815 that resolves to the same legal name at the same West Grand Avenue Chicago street with the same phone, a matching row on the FMCSA Chicago-area HHG city list (Chicago HQ, hhg_authorized, entity type carrier), and a dedicated pricing guide that prints a crew hourly table, a 2.5-hour minimum, extra-truck and walk-up line items, and typical totals, and that ties local prices to a filed ICC tariff. The same city-list row records 1 household-goods complaint in 2025 — a snapshot fact, not a verdict on your job. Sources: mooverschicago.com; credentials; contact; SAFER USDOT 2901815 (as of 08/25/2026, fetched 2026-08-26); FMCSA Chicago-area HHG city list as of 7/31/2026.

That is a record-completeness ranking. It does not mean MOOvers Chicago will be the cheapest, the fastest, or the best fit for your building. Midway Moving & Storage is close behind on printed ICC + USDOT that SAFER and the city list match at the same Ferdinand Street address (Satisfactory safety rating; 0 complaints in the last four years on that list), but it published no dollar menu on pages fetched.

How we ranked

Five public-record tests, in this order:

1. Printed ICC number, plus SAFER if a USDOT is printed. Illinois intrastate household-goods movers must hold an ICC Household Goods License and a filed tariff (ICC Household Goods Movers hub; 625 ILCS 5/18c-3203 / 18c-3206). We record the ILCC string as printed. We do not treat it as MCIS-verified. If the site also prints a USDOT, we opened the matching SAFER snapshot. USDOT numbers that appeared only in third-party directories were not queried on SAFER. The FMCSA city-list JSON is a separate match by USDOT or legal name (HHG-authorized flag, entity type, complaint counts, safety rating, HQ address).
2. Published rates. Dollar figures copied from the company’s own pages. A locked crew hourly table scores higher than “starting at” floors. Market-range language on a blog (“Chicago typically…”) is weaker than a company tariff presentation. No rates = a lower rank even if a number is printed.
3. Identity consistency. Legal name, DBA, street, phone, and USDOT should match across the website, SAFER, and the city-list row. Chicago marketing vs a suburb physical address, a non-Chicago area code, a legal name that only appears on SAFER, two federal rows under similar names, and interstate pages paired with SAFER NOT AUTHORIZED (or city-list hhg_authorized: false) are flags — not smears.
4. Complaints / enforcement. Only counts from the FMCSA Chicago-area HHG city-list JSON (as of 7/31/2026), plus any source we actually opened. BBB Chicago pages returned a JavaScript/cookie interstitial on this pass, so this page does not print BBB ratings or complaint counts.
5. Sourced reviews. Only quotes from pages we opened. Company widgets that say “4.9 Google” are company claims unless we opened Google. We did not independently open Google review listings.

This is not paid placement. The shortlist is 11 companies with a fetched Chicago consumer site. IMAWA Chicago-addressed members whose official consumer sites were thin or not fetched (A-Plus Movers LLC, The Moving Crew LLC, A Move To Remember LLC, Clean Slate Movers LLC) are not ranked.

What this ranking is not. It does not predict damage, on-time arrival, or the number on your written estimate. Illinois local estimates are not binding. Be prepared to pay 110% of the written estimate at delivery; the mover must unload and give 30 days for any remainder (ICC Smart Tips; 2026 Consumer Guide; 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.610(d)). Interstate jobs use a different rulebook (FMCSA Protect Your Move).

Ranked table (checkable local record)

ILCC strings are as printed on company sites. ICC MCIS was not readable on 2026-08-26. FMCSA city-list fields are as of 7/31/2026. Re-check before you hire.

Also on the FMCSA Chicago-area city list (209 names total, 176 Chicago HQ; not ranked here as a dump): the roster matches in the table above. The list is a federal household-goods search snapshot as of 7/31/2026, not an Illinois license and not a quality score.

Deep sections (top of the public record)

1. MOOvers Chicago Inc.

Why first. Three public surfaces say the same operating identity: Moovers Chicago Inc., USDOT 2901815, 5201 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60639, (773) 474-2691 (contact; credentials; SAFER 2901815). The site also lists 5359 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago 60625. Site prints IL.C.C. 187592 (wording varies: IL C.C. #187592 MC / Illinois Commerce Commission: MC 187592). Live ICC MCIS was captcha-blocked; do not read that as verification.

SAFER (as of 08/25/2026, fetched 2026-08-26): legal name MOOVERS CHICAGO INC; ACTIVE; AUTHORIZED FOR: Motor Carrier of Household Goods; MC-1281320; physical 5201-5211 W Grand Ave Chicago 60639; phone (773) 474-2691; 26 power units, 20 drivers; cargo Household Goods. The federal MC was not printed on fetched site pages. That is a documentation gap, not a name mismatch.

FMCSA Chicago-area HHG city list (as of 7/31/2026): MOOVERS CHICAGO INC, USDOT 2901815, MC 1281320, 5201-5211 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL; hhg_authorized; entity type carrier; safety rating Not Rated; 1 complaint recorded in 2025. A complaint count is a snapshot fact, not a quality score.

Published rates (pricing guide, fetched 2026-08-26). The page states local Illinois moves cannot be a binding flat price; they are billed hourly; figures are ranges; exact rates come from the company’s filed ICC tariff and are confirmed in writing before move day. All rates per hour with a 2.5 hour minimum; first truck included; weekdays at the low end; Friday/weekend/month-start-end at the high end:

• 2 movers, 1 truck: $148 – $195
• 3 movers, 1 truck: $198 – $260
• 4 movers, 1 to 2 trucks: $248 – $330
• 5 movers: $298 – $395
• 6 movers: $348 – $460
• 7 movers: $398 – $525
• 8 movers: $448 – $590

Same page: each additional truck $200; stairs (third floor walk up) $75 – $95; elevator / long carry / steep driveway no fee (this company’s policy, not a city rule). Typical totals labeled not quotes: studio $700 – $1,100; 1BR $900 – $1,400; 2BR apt $1,100 – $1,700; 3BR apt $1,600 – $2,500; 3BR home $1,600 – $2,600; 4+ $2,800 – $4,500. FAQ: minimum is 2.5 hours plus the travel fee based on distance from/to the warehouse (Chicago movers FAQ).

Chicago logistics on fetched pages: condos, high-rises, townhomes, and HOA moves priced by size of the move; no elevator fee; high-rise moves welcome; no long-carry fee (pricing guide). The third-floor walk-up line is the closest fetched match to Chicago 3-flat stairs. CDOT Occupy ROW, alley geometry, and Lake Shore Drive truck limits are not spelled out on those pages.

Reviews. Credentials page widgets the roster copied: “Google: 4.9 ⭐ (876) | Yelp: 4.8 ⭐ (415)”; “BBB Rating A+ Accredited”; “20,000+ successful moves; 95% referral rate.” Those are company claims. BBB live HTML was a JS wall; Google listings were not independently opened. No BBB number here.

Services claimed on the homepage: local, residential, commercial, long-distance, packing, storage, loading/unloading, furniture.

2. Midway Moving & Storage, Inc.

midwaymoving.com footer: 4100 W Ferdinand St, Chicago, IL 60624; Dot #730844; Illinois Commerce Commission #78520; 800-300-0002. Site claims 40 years of experience and a Chicago Cubs mover relationship (company copy).

SAFER 730844 (as of 08/25/2026): MIDWAY MOVING & STORAGE INC; ACTIVE; AUTHORIZED FOR: Motor Carrier of Property (Except Household Goods); Motor Carrier of Household Goods; MC-334274; 4100 West Ferdinand St Chicago 60624; phone (773) 588-7000; 19 power units, 40 drivers; cargo General Freight and Household Goods; safety rating Satisfactory. Address matches. The federal MC was not printed on fetched site pages. Live ICC MCIS for 78520 was not readable.

FMCSA city list (as of 7/31/2026): MIDWAY MOVING & STORAGE, INC., USDOT 730844, MC 334274, 4100 West Ferdinand St, Chicago, IL; hhg_authorized; entity carrier; safety Satisfactory; 0 complaints in the last four years.

Rates. Home, about, and contact pages fetched do not print hourly, minimum, travel, or packing dollar figures.

Chicago logistics on fetched pages: “apartment movers in Chicago handle elevator scheduling, parking permits, and tight stairwells every day”; downtown high-rises, historic neighborhoods, suburban communities (homepage).

Reviews. Company copy: “over 700 reviews from happy customers”; “accredited business with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau”; Google widget “GOOD Based on 597 reviews”; about-page footer “BBB Rating: A+ As of 4/23” (year not fully captured). BBB not independently readable. No BBB number here.

Services claimed: local, commercial, apartment, national/long-distance, piano, office equipment, auto transport, junk removal, packing, storage, document shredding.

3. New World Van Lines, Inc.

nwvl.com tagline positions the firm as the largest independent van line devoted exclusively to global corporate relocations. Included because of a Chicago address, a printed ILCC number, and an IMAWA listing — not as a typical hourly apartment mover.

Footer/site: New World Van Lines of Illinois, 5875 N. Rogers Avenue, Chicago, IL 60646; US DOT No. 258748; ICC No. MC 162485; ILCC No. MC 7776; (773) 685-3399 and (800) 422-9300. IMAWA prints 7776 MC at the same Rogers Ave address.

SAFER 258748 (as of 08/25/2026): NEW WORLD VAN LINES INC; entity type CARRIER/BROKER; ACTIVE; authorized for property (except HHG), Broker of Household Goods, broker of property, and Motor Carrier of Household Goods; MC-162485; 5875 N Rogers Avenue Chicago 60646; phone (773) 509-5937; 204 power units, 189 drivers; Satisfactory safety rating. Name, street, and federal MC match. The broker authority is in addition to carrier authority — documented so you can see it, not because this is a broker-only listing. Phone on SAFER differs from the site’s (773) 685-3399. Footer labels federal MC 162485 as “ICC No. MC 162485” while separately printing “ILCC No. MC 7776.”

FMCSA city list (as of 7/31/2026), same street, three legal names:

• NEW WORLD VAN LINES, INC., USDOT 258748, MC 162485, 5875 N Rogers Avenue; hhg_authorized; entity carrier (the city-list field; SAFER still says CARRIER/BROKER); safety Satisfactory (review date 2/5/2004 on that row); 1 complaint in 2025.
• NEW WORLD VAN LINES OF ILLINOIS, USDOT 2215840, MC 256659; not HHG-authorized; entity none listed; 0 complaints in the last four years.
• NEW WORLD TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CORP, USDOT 1463697, MC 739036; hhg_authorized; entity broker + carrier (lic_broker Yes, lic_carrier Yes); 0 complaints in the last four years.

Ask which legal name and USDOT will be on the bill of lading. Rates. Homepage fetched does not print consumer hourly or packing dollar figures. Services claimed: corporate relocation, logistics management, international, storage, government services.

4. The Professionals Moving Specialists

thepromove.com contact: 3918 N Western Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60618; (773) 478-1365; toll-free 888-225-7351. Credentials page prints ILCC MC#: 136144 (moving-credentials). No USDOT on fetched pages; SAFER was not queried from a site number. Live ICC MCIS captcha.

FMCSA city list legal-name match (as of 7/31/2026): THE PROFESSIONALS MOVING SPECIALISTS INC, USDOT 3383907, MC 1086504, 3918 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL; hhg_authorized; entity carrier; safety Not Rated; 0 complaints in the last four years. A second Chicago-HQ row, THE PROFESSIONALS INC (USDOT 1505885, MC 615715, 3801 North St Louis Avenue), is not HHG-authorized. Put the performing legal name on the estimate.

Rates on home/credentials/contact: none. A separate company article, How Much Does It Cost to Move in Chicago? Your 2026 Pricing Guide, prints typical Chicago language, not a locked Professionals crew card: hourly “typically run $130 to $220 per hour for licensed movers”; company “typical” totals labeled “realistic 2026 ranges… not a gig-economy crew” — studio $300–$600; 1BR $400–$800; 2BR apartment/condo $600–$1,200; 3BR house $1,000–$2,000; 4BR+ $1,800–$3,500+; full-service packing for a 2BR “usually adds $400 to $1,000, plus materials.”

Chicago logistics: a high-rise article states most Chicago high-rises require a reserved freight elevator, often in 3 to 4 hour windows on weekdays only, and buildings “typically require a COI… usually with $1 million to $2 million in liability coverage” — company experience, not a city ordinance (high-rise moving). Site nav lists Chicago Winter Moving; that dedicated URL timed out on this pass.

Identity flag: long-distance services marketed without a printed USDOT/MC. Reviews are company claims (“Over 850+ 5 stars reviews on Yelp!”; “Better Business Bureau Members Since 2005!”; Shopper Approved 4.8/5 based on 2433 ratings). BBB not independently readable.

Services claimed: local, residential, commercial, long-distance, student, piano, senior, emergency, art & antique, packing, storage, winter moving, junk removal.

5. Move-tastic! (Move-Tastic, Incorporated)

move-tastic.com contact/footer: 3100 N. Tripp Ave., Chicago, IL 60641; Il.C.C. 158678; 773.715.3227. About page: Pete and Rachel; family-owned, woman-operated; used truck purchased September 2008. IMAWA member page prints 158678 MC. Live entity MCIS 158678 returned reCAPTCHA. No USDOT on fetched pages; SAFER not queried from a site number. No identity mismatches recorded on the site roster.

FMCSA city list legal-name match (as of 7/31/2026): MOVE-TASTIC, INCORPORATED, USDOT 1906350, MC 675927, 3100 N Tripp Ave, Chicago, IL; hhg_authorized; entity carrier; safety Not Rated; 0 complaints in the last four years.

Rates. None on home/about/contact. URL /moving-costs-in-chicago/ returned a page-doesn't-exist body while still printing the Il.C.C. footer.

Chicago logistics: “Tight staircases, narrow hallways, heavy furniture? No problem.” Related services listed: plastic rental bins, packing supply delivery, parking permit coordination, Certificates of Insurance (COI) (homepage).

Services claimed: residential, commercial, packing, storage (overnight, vault, rack, micro), intrabuilding, loading/unloading, interstate loading.

6. Windy City Movers (Montech Inc.) — rates with identity flags

Official site: windycitymoversinc.com. HQ 5222 N. Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60630 (Jefferson Park / Northwest Side). Phone (773) 275-4100. Credentials: US DOT 4338139, MC 1694629, ILL.C.C 153317. IMAWA: Montech Inc. dba Windy City Movers, IL License Number 153317 MC, same Elston address. Site says founded 1982 by Chicago native Anthony George.

SAFER 4338139 (as of 08/25/2026): MONTECH INC dba WINDY CITY MOVERS; CARRIER; ACTIVE; operating status NOT AUTHORIZED (snapshot note: does not apply to private or intrastate); no MC listed; physical 1211 Diane Ln # ELK Elk Grove Village, IL 60007; phone (505) 681-0119; 5 power units, 6 drivers; cargo General Freight and Household Goods.

Not on the FMCSA Chicago-area HQ city list (as of 7/31/2026): that extract’s cities are Chicago, Skokie, Cicero, Elmhurst, Oak Lawn, Oak Park, and Berwyn. Elk Grove Village is not in it, so there is no city-list complaint count for USDOT 4338139 on this page.

Identity flags (must be visible to a customer checking the same pages):

• Site Chicago Elston HQ vs SAFER Elk Grove Village physical.
• Site (773) vs SAFER (505) phone.
• Site MC 1694629 vs SAFER with no MC and NOT AUTHORIZED while the site markets long-distance/expedited interstate-style services.
• Credentials page labels ILL.C.C 153317 as “Illinois DOT (IDOT)” and MC 1694629 as ICC household-goods registration — mixed state vs federal labeling.
• Printed USDOT does not appear on the Chicago-area HQ city list used here.

Those flags are why this company does not win the completeness ranking despite printed prices.

Published company figures: “Local moves start as low as $407 for studios and 1-bedrooms, $540 for 2-bedrooms, $675 for 3-bedrooms, and $810 for 4+ bedroom homes” (quote). “For most local moves, our minimum is a two-hour labor minimum plus a one-hour travel fee” (2+1) (minimum blog). Terms: all hourly services require a 2 hour minimum; a one-time travel fee may apply (amount unpublished); elevator waits and building delays billed at the working hourly rate (terms). Service-page FAQ $120–$180/hr for a two-man crew is labeled as typical Chicago, not a locked Windy City crew menu (service).

Reviews. Company claims: “4.7/5 (700+ Reviews)”; “BBB Rating A+”; “Over 200,000 successful moves.” BBB not independently readable.

7. Melendez Moving Inc. — numbers printed, address and authority flags

melendezmoving.com: 3900 N Normandy Ave, Chicago, IL 60634; phone +1 (206) 803-7770; DOT #3120049; MC #087428; IL Lic/Cert #220206; City License #70318261.

SAFER 3120049 (as of 08/25/2026): MELENDEZ MOVING INC; ACTIVE; NOT AUTHORIZED; MC-87428 (matches the site integer); physical 6610 W Dakin St, Chicago, IL 60634; 2 power units, 2 drivers; cargo Household Goods.

FMCSA city list (as of 7/31/2026): MELENDEZ MOVING INC, USDOT 3120049, MC 87428, 6610 W Dakin St, Chicago, IL; hhg_authorized: false (“NOT authorized by FMCSA to transport or arrange the transportation of Household Goods”); entity none listed; safety Not Rated; 0 complaints in the last four years.

Identity flags: Normandy Ave vs Dakin St (same ZIP); interstate/lower-48 marketing vs SAFER NOT AUTHORIZED and city-list not HHG-authorized; 206 area code on a Chicago presentation.

Rates. Hourly vs flat-rate/binding explained; “No surprise stair or long-carry fees. No last-minute truck or fuel charges. Standard equipment included at no fee.” No printed $/hr, minimum hours, or packing prices.

Chicago logistics (strongest fetched neighborhood/access copy in this set): Certificate of Insurance for high-rises; freight-elevator and loading-dock windows; “We walk you through Chicago's moving-truck permits and posted signage”; walk-ups and vintage stairwells; courtyard/bungalow West Side “rear-alley access, shared driveways, gate clearance”; winter: floor protection, salt and slush, icy steps; “From a Streeterville high-rise to a Logan Square two-flat” (homepage).

8. Alliance Moving & Storage (SAFER: HK&RP LLC)

alliancemoving.com: 4305 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 and 3201 Tollview Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008; 847-378-4949; USDOT: 2882675; footer ICC MC: 214854. About: founded 2015 after ICC application; family-operated.

SAFER 2882675 (as of 08/25/2026): legal name HK&RP LLC; DBA ALLIANCE MOVING & STORAGE; ACTIVE; AUTHORIZED for property and household goods; MC-967507; physical 3201 Tollview Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008; phone (847) 414-4682; 14 power units, 10 drivers.

Not on the FMCSA Chicago-area HQ city list (as of 7/31/2026): Rolling Meadows is outside that extract, so there is no city-list complaint count for USDOT 2882675 on this page.

Identity flags: site does not print HK&RP LLC on fetched pages; footer ICC MC 214854 vs federal MC-967507; phone mismatch; Chicago Lincoln Ave on the site vs SAFER physical Rolling Meadows only. Treat 214854 as an as-printed string, not a confirmed ILCC.

Rates are labeled typical Chicago / “might cost,” not Alliance’s locked hourly menu: 2BR apartment $700 to $1,400; typical hourly 2 movers $120–$170, 3 movers $170–$210, 4 movers $210–$250 (2BR blog); homepage “roughly $1,500 to $2,500.”

Identity flags and unverified ICC (not a smear list)

Live ICC MCIS was reCAPTCHA-blocked on 2026-08-26 for every lookup attempted (including entity URLs for 158051, 153317, 220206, 234543, and 158678). icc_verified is null for all 11 companies. A number on a website is a lead. Confirm it yourself.

These are the identity and verification issues a customer can re-check. They are not accusations of fraud.

• Windy City / Montech Inc. Site Elston Avenue, Chicago vs SAFER Elk Grove Village; (773) vs (505); MC 1694629 not on SAFER; interstate NOT AUTHORIZED; USDOT 4338139 absent from the Chicago-area HQ city list. See rank 6.
• Melendez Moving Inc. Site Normandy Ave vs SAFER/city-list Dakin St; 206 area code; SAFER NOT AUTHORIZED and city list hhg_authorized: false while the site markets interstate. See rank 7.
• Alliance Moving & Storage / HK&RP LLC. Site does not print the SAFER legal name; footer ICC MC 214854 vs federal MC-967507; Rolling Meadows physical vs Lincoln Ave marketing; USDOT 2882675 absent from the Chicago-area HQ city list. See rank 8.
• New City Moving & Storage LLC. Printed IL ICC #158051 and Campbell Ave vs a Carrollton, TX compliance department (2400 Old Mill Rd.). No USDOT on fetched pages. City list has two rows at 2929 N Campbell Ave: LLC USDOT 4020807 (hhg_authorized, 3 complaints: 1 in 2025, 2 in 2026) and NEW CITY MOVING USDOT 3078026 (not HHG-authorized, 1 complaint in 2025). Homepage vs about-page fleet/headcount split. /pricing/ 404.
• New World Van Lines. Printed USDOT 258748 matches SAFER and a city-list carrier row, while SAFER still shows CARRIER/BROKER. Two other city-list legal names share 5875 N Rogers Avenue (see rank 3). Site phone vs SAFER phone. Homepage is corporate/global, not a local hourly menu.
• Reebie Storage & Moving. Claims ICC and federal licenses with no number on fetched pages; no city-list match under Reebie. Do not treat an Allied van-line USDOT as Reebie’s.
• Sweet Home Movers Chicago Inc. Official pages claim ILCC and DOT/MC without printing numbers. Three addresses in play (Scott St, Barry Ave, IMAWA Nelson St). IMAWA 234543 MC is not MCIS verification. City list legal-name match USDOT 3932260 at Scott St Apt 10N is hhg_authorized with 0 complaints — useful for a lookup, not a number the site printed.
• The Professionals. Printed ILCC MC#: 136144 at Western Ave. City list has two Professionals legal names in Chicago (Moving Specialists Inc 3383907 HHG-authorized at Western Ave; The Professionals Inc 1505885 not HHG-authorized at St Louis Ave).
• MOOvers / Midway / Move-tastic. Printed ILCC strings still unverified in MCIS. MOOvers and Midway have matching SAFER files; Move-tastic’s federal numbers come from a city-list legal-name match, not the site.

How to verify (do this yourself)

1. Illinois (both addresses in Illinois). Find a Licensed Household Goods Mover — Authority Type = Household Goods Movers. Search by name, city, ILCC number, or USDOT. On 2026-08-26 this form showed reCAPTCHA. Complete it yourself. Confirm the legal name and that a Household Goods License is on file. Consumer hub: icc.illinois.gov/authority/household-goods-movers. Helpline 217-782-6448; email ICC.Moving@illinois.gov. ICC Police: trucks must display the ILCC number on both sides of the power unit (ICC Police).
2. Rates on file. Smart Tips: visit the ICC website and call 217-782-6448 to verify rates on file (Smart Tips PDF). Carriers must charge the filed tariff, not a secret discount (625 ILCS 5/18c-3206).
3. Federal snapshot (if a USDOT is printed, or if the job crosses a state line). SAFER company snapshot by USDOT. Match legal name and street. “NOT AUTHORIZED” interstate means do not assume the company can take a job out of Illinois even if the website quotes other states. Interstate consumer rules: FMCSA Protect Your Move. Search: Protect Your Move search. The city-list hhg_authorized flag and complaint counts on this page are from the FMCSA household-goods city search as of 7/31/2026; re-check the live record.
4. Written paper before anyone lifts a box. Illinois: written estimate before the move starts; an estimate is not binding; pay up to 110% at delivery; 30 days for the rest; default liability 60 cents per pound per article unless you pay for a higher declared value (2026 Consumer Guide; 1457.610; 1457.600). The carrier must give you the consumer guide before service (1457.650). Interstate: written binding or non-binding estimate; default Full Value Protection unless you waive in writing (49 CFR 375.201).
5. Chicago curb. CDOT permit type Occupy ROW Permit Moving Van Parking at ipi.cityofchicago.org (how-to: Moving Van Parking PDF). The City form requires an ICC Vehicle Number. 2025 fee schedule line (still the live PDF on 2026-08-26): Parking Moving Van $25.00 per day per vehicle inside and outside the CBD (2025 Permit Fee Schedule.pdf)). Re-check the schedule before relying on $25. Ward courtesy “No Parking” signs are not ticket/tow enforceable; 1st Ward, 2nd Ward, and 47th Ward say professional movers use CDOT (1st Ward parking; 2nd Ward; 47th Ward). 2nd Ward: if a mover tells you to get the permit from the alderman, that is not correct.
6. Lake Shore Drive / boulevards. CDOT lists Truck Travel Permit Travel LSD Boulevards ($50.00 on the 2025 schedule). Municipal Code 9-72-020 restricts freight-designed vehicles on boulevards; moving vans generally should not treat LSD as a through truck route (AmLegal listing).

Related Local Movers HQ pages: Chicago hiring guide · Chicago moving costs.

FAQs

Who is the best moving company in Chicago, IL on this page?

MOOvers Chicago Inc., on public-record completeness: printed IL.C.C. 187592 and USDOT 2901815, a SAFER snapshot that matches that legal name at the same Grand Avenue address and phone, a Chicago-HQ hhg_authorized carrier row on the FMCSA city list (1 complaint in 2025 on that list), and a published local hourly table tied to a filed tariff. That is not a promise about your quote or your sofa, and it is not an ICC-MCIS verification.

Does a number printed on a website mean the mover is licensed?

No. Illinois requires an ICC Household Goods License and a filed tariff, confirmed in MCIS (or by calling 217-782-6448). This pass could not read MCIS because of reCAPTCHA. A printed ILCC string is a lead, not a green light.

Why isn’t Windy City Movers #1 if it publishes starting prices?

Completeness includes identity. SAFER for the USDOT on Windy City’s credentials page shows an Elk Grove Village physical address, a (505) phone, no MC, and NOT AUTHORIZED interstate, while the site lists Elston Avenue, a (773) phone, MC 1694629, and long-distance-style services. That USDOT is also absent from the FMCSA Chicago-area HQ city list used here. Printed floors do not outrank that mismatch.

Why is Sweet Home last if the site talks about COI and high-rises?

The about page claims an ILCC license and DOT/MC numbers without printing them. A customer cannot type a blank into MCIS or SAFER. IMAWA’s 234543 MC is an association listing, not ICC verification. A city-list legal-name match (USDOT 3932260) exists; it is not a number the official site gave you. Logistics copy is useful; it is not a substitute for a checkable number on the truck and the estimate.

Why does Alliance show up as HK&RP LLC?

Because that is the legal name on SAFER USDOT 2882675. The consumer site uses Alliance Moving & Storage and prints ICC MC 214854; SAFER lists federal MC-967507 and a Rolling Meadows physical address. That USDOT is not on the Chicago-area HQ city list. Put the legal name that will perform the move on the estimate.

Is New World Van Lines a Chicago apartment mover?

Its homepage is corporate/global relocation. SAFER entity type is CARRIER/BROKER with household-goods broker and carrier authority. The city-list row for USDOT 258748 is labeled entity carrier and records 1 complaint in 2025; two other legal names share the Rogers Avenue address on that list. It ranks here because Chicago HQ, printed ILCC No. MC 7776, and USDOT 258748 match SAFER on name and street — not because it published a local hourly menu.

Why are there 209 names on FMCSA’s Chicago-area list but only 11 here?

The FMCSA household-goods city search is a federal directory snapshot (209 records, 176 Chicago HQ, data as of 7/31/2026). This page only ranks carriers we could tie to a fetched official site in the Chicago roster. Dumping 209 names is not a consumer ranking.

Should I use BBB ratings from this page?

No. We could not read live BBB HTML (JS/cookie interstitial). Check BBB yourself if you want it; do not take company “A+” badges as verified here.

Are Illinois local estimates binding?

No. The Consumer Guide’s headline is “AN ESTIMATE IS NOT BINDING.” Be prepared to pay 110% of the written estimate at delivery. If the bill is higher, the mover must unload and give 30 days for the balance. Tipping is not required; if a crew demands a tip, call the company (Smart Tips).

Do published hourly rates include travel, CDOT parking, and elevator wait?

Usually not automatically. Ask for crew size, hourly rate from the filed tariff, minimum, warehouse travel, stairs, long carry, elevator wait, packing, valuation, and whether the $25/day CDOT Moving Van fee is passed through. See Chicago moving costs.

What about a move that crosses into Indiana or Wisconsin?

That is FMCSA even if the odometer is short. Illinois 60¢/lb default does not automatically apply to an interstate bill of lading. Use Protect Your Move.

Sources

• ICC Household Goods Movers hub: https://icc.illinois.gov/authority/household-goods-movers
• ICC MCIS search (reCAPTCHA on 2026-08-26): https://icc.illinois.gov/emdb/mcis/search
• ICC Smart Tips: https://icc.illinois.gov/downloads/public/SmartTips-HHG_Movers-R1.pdf
• ICC 2026 Consumer Guide: https://icc.illinois.gov/downloads/public/mc/2026ConsumerGuide.pdf
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.610 / 1457.600 / 1457.650
• 625 ILCS 5/18c-3203 / 18c-3206
• FMCSA SAFER snapshots as cited per USDOT (MOOvers 2901815, Midway 730844, New World 258748, Windy City/Montech 4338139, Melendez 3120049, Alliance/HK&RP 2882675)
• FMCSA Chicago-area household-goods city list (209 records, 176 Chicago HQ; data as of 7/31/2026; used only to match roster companies by USDOT or legal name — not dumped)
• FMCSA Protect Your Move: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move
• CDOT Occupy ROW Moving Van Parking PDF and 2025 Permit Fee Schedule (Moving Van $25.00 per day per vehicle)
• 1st Ward, 2nd Ward, and 47th Ward moving-sign pages
• Company pages cited in each section (fetched 2026-08-26)
• IMAWA find-a-mover listings cited as association leads, not ICC verification
• Live LMHQ Chicago hiring guide: /movers/illinois/chicago/

evidence_gaps for this page: ICC MCIS profiles unread (reCAPTCHA on 2026-08-26); BBB ratings unread; Google listings not opened; five rostered companies print no USDOT so SAFER was not queried from a site number (city-list legal-name matches are labeled as such); Professionals winter page timed out; Move-tastic costs URL empty; New City pricing URL 404; MOOvers Hyde Park case-study URL identified in search but not independently fetched; Windy City and Alliance USDOTs are absent from the Chicago-area HQ city list so that list has no complaint count for them; Reebie has no city-list match.