Chicago Moving Costs: Hourly Billing, Published Rates, and How to Compare Estimates

Last updated: August 2026. Fetched: 2026-08-26.

This page is for people planning a Chicago, Illinois household move. It explains how local movers usually bill, which dollar figures named companies have published, and which Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) and City of Chicago rules apply before anyone loads a box. It does not list, rank, or recommend companies. Named rates below are examples you can check on the company’s own page. Confirm the performing carrier through the ICC or FMCSA as the route requires, then give every company the same inventory, addresses, travel assumptions, and building rules.

For hiring steps — licensing, truck staging, high-rise access, and winter planning — use the Chicago hiring and move planning guide.

How Chicago local moves are billed

A Chicago household move that stays inside Illinois is ICC household-goods work. Any for-hire mover transporting household property in Illinois must hold an ICC Household Goods License, publish and file a tariff of services and prices, and charge only those filed rates (ICC Household Goods Movers hub; 625 ILCS 5/18c-3203 / 18c-3206).

The 2026 Consumer Guide (ICC hub label: The Consumer Guide to Household Goods Movers in Illinois; pamphlet title HOUSEHOLD MOVES IN ILLINOIS — A CONSUMER’S GUIDE, revised 3/2026) states:

• Moves less than 50 miles, or entirely within Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will, may be based on the number of workers and hours.
• Moves over 50 miles and outside those counties are weight and distance.
• Chicago is in Cook County, so a Chicago-to-Chicago (or Chicago-to-another-Cook) local move is not in the rate-exempt “same incorporated community plus ten miles” note on that pamphlet.
• “AN ESTIMATE IS NOT BINDING.” The actual bill follows what is moved, workers, and hours (or weight and distance).
• At delivery you pay up to 110% of the written estimate. If charges exceed that, the mover must unload and give 30 days for the balance (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.610(d)).

Hourly Chicago jobs are usually some combination of:

• Crew size × hours, including travel time (1457.610 requires hourly estimates to specify “the number of hours, including travel time”)
• A minimum (Moovers Chicago publishes 2.5 hours; Windy City Movers publishes a 2+1 labor-plus-travel minimum — sources below)
• Optional packing, materials, specialty items, extra trucks, and a valuation election above the Illinois default
• Time added by stairs, long carries, freight-elevator windows, legal truck parking vs. alley access, congestion, and winter walking surfaces

A short walk-up hop can still hit the minimum plus travel. A Chicago-to-suburb job is still often billed as a local hourly move, but the drive between stops sits on the clock. Ask each company to put crew size, hourly rate from the filed tariff, minimum hours, travel time (including warehouse legs), stairs, elevator wait, packing, valuation, and any CDOT parking pass-through on a written estimate before the move starts. Illinois local estimates are not binding flats; they are a planning number plus the 110% delivery rule.

Moovers Chicago states the consumer version of the tariff rule: “For local moves inside Illinois, state regulations do not allow movers to give a binding flat price. Local moves are billed by the hour… Your exact rates come from our filed tariff and are confirmed in writing before move day.” (pricing guide)

Named published rate menus (examples to check)

These are one company’s published figures on the date fetched. They are not a Chicago metro average, not a ranking, and not a quote for your addresses. Open the source URL and confirm the current number before you plan around it. ILCC numbers below are as printed on company sites. Live ICC MCIS search returned a reCAPTCHA wall on 2026-08-26, so this page does not treat those numbers as independently verified licenses.

Moovers Chicago Inc. (dedicated pricing page — strongest original dollar table)

Source: moovers-chicago-pricing-guide (fetched 2026-08-26). Site also prints IL.C.C. 187592 and USDOT 2901815 (credentials); those identifiers are as printed, not ICC-MCIS verified.

The page states all rates are per hour with a 2.5 hour minimum. The first truck and its equipment are included. Weekdays fall at the low end of each range; Fridays, weekends, and the start and end of the month fall at the high end.

Other printed line items on the same page:

• Each additional truck: flat $200
• Stairs (third floor walk up): $75 – $95
• Elevator buildings / long carry / steep driveway: no extra fee (this company’s policy on this page, not a city rule)
• Typical totals the page labels “real world estimates… not quotes”: studio $700 – $1,100; 1 bedroom $900 – $1,400; 2 bedroom apartment $1,100 – $1,700; 3 bedroom apartment $1,600 – $2,500; 3 bedroom home $1,600 – $2,600; 4+ bedroom home $2,800 – $4,500; local residential within Illinois under 50 miles $1,500 – $3,000; Illinois 50+ miles $3,000 – $4,500; interstate $3,500 – $6,000+
• Selected materials: small box $5; medium $6; large $7; dish pack $11; wardrobe $25; TV box under 65 in $60; 65 in+ $80; mattress bag $25
• Storage: vaulted $70 – $85 / vault; hold on truck non-peak $200 – $250; peak $500 – $575
• Floor protection $50; mattress disposal surcharge $150; crating “starts at $500”; released value included (basic coverage)

The company FAQ adds: “The minimum is 2.5 hours, plus the travel fee, which is based on distance from/to our warehouse.” Travel time is defined as time to the first location and back to the warehouse after drop-off. Valuation example on the FAQ: “Moovers Chicago current charge: $2 per $100 of value.” Tipping language on the FAQ: “$5 – $10 per hour per mover” (tipping, not a company fee). (Chicago movers FAQ)

Windy City Movers (Montech Inc.) — starting-at figures and 2+1 minimum

Sources: quote, minimum blog, terms, service FAQ. Site prints ILL.C.C 153317 and USDOT 4338139 (credentials); as printed, not ICC-MCIS verified. A FMCSA SAFER snapshot for USDOT 4338139 (as of 08/25/2026, fetched 2026-08-26) listed MONTECH INC dba WINDY CITY MOVERS, operating status NOT AUTHORIZED (snapshot note: does not apply to private or intrastate), physical address Elk Grove Village, no MC on the snapshot. That is a federal interstate record, not an ICC license check. Re-check ICC MCIS and FMCSA before hiring for the route you actually have.

Company-own printed figures / policies:

• “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 moving services require a minimum of 2 hours regardless of crew size.” A one-time travel fee may apply depending on distance from the Chicago area; the amount is not printed. Additional time billed in hourly or 15-minute increments. (terms)

Service-page FAQ language labeled as typical Chicago, not a Windy City crew tariff:

• “Rates typically range from $120–$180 per hour for a two-man crew with a truck.”
• “For a local move within Chicago, expect to pay between $350–$700 for a one-bedroom apartment and $800–$1,500+ for a three-bedroom home.”

Treat the starting-at dollars and the 2+1 policy as this company’s published menu. Treat the $120–$180 band as labeled market language on the same site, not a locked tariff table.

Alliance Moving & Storage — labeled market ranges (not a locked Alliance tariff)

Sources: homepage, 2-bedroom blog. Printed figures are labeled typical Chicago / “might cost,” not Alliance’s locked hourly menu:

• Homepage: “the cost of hiring professional movers in Chicago is roughly $1,500 to $2,500.”
• “The cost to move a two-bedroom apartment in Chicago typically ranges from $700 to $1,400.”
• Typical hourly on the 2BR blog: 2 movers $120–$170; 3 movers $170–$210; 4 movers $210–$250.

Do not treat those bands as Alliance’s filed ICC tariff.

Reebie Storage & Moving — labeled market range (not a Reebie crew menu)

Source: reebieallied.com (fetched 2026-08-26). FAQ-style homepage language, labeled typical Chicago cost:

• “Depending on the size of your apartment or home, the cost starts at around $300 all the way to at least $1800 for a five-bedroom home.”
• “the move is charged by the hour”

No Reebie hourly, minimum, travel, or packing dollar tariff was found on the home, about, or contact pages fetched. Do not treat $300–$1,800 as Reebie’s locked rate.

Other published ranges (not a ranking)

These are additional company-blog bands. They are not treated here as a Chicago survey, and they are not filed-tariff PDFs.

• The Professionals Moving Specialists (2026 pricing guide): “Hourly rates in Chicago typically run $130 to $220 per hour for licensed movers, depending on crew size and season.” Company “typical” totals on that page: 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.”
• Advanced Moving and Storage (Chicago moving costs in 2026): “$150 per hour for a two-person crew with one truck, $200 to $250 for a three-person crew, and $280 to $350 for a four-person crew.” Company table: studio/1BR 2 movers 3–5 hrs $400–$800; 2BR 3 movers 5–7 hrs $900–$1,500; 3BR 3 movers 6–8 hrs $1,200–$1,800; 4BR 4 movers 8–10 hrs $2,000–$3,200. “average cost… approximately $1,800, with most local moves ranging from $1,020 to $2,600.”
• Born to Move (hourly rates, published May 24, 2026): Chicago table 2-person $100–$140/hr; 3-person $150–$180/hr; 4-person $190–$220/hr. FAQ: “Chicago typically sees $100–$130/hr for a 2-person crew.” The same article’s national 2-person band is $80–$120/hr; do not mix the national band into a Chicago total without labeling it.
• Well Known Moving (cost of movers in Chicago): 2 movers + truck $110 to $160/hr; 3 movers $150 to $200/hr; 4 movers $190 to $240/hr. Minimum: “3 hours on most Chicago books, plus roughly an hour of travel time.”
• Mighty Moving (local movers in Chicago) describes hour bands (studio 2–4 hrs; 1BR 3–6 hrs; 2BR 4–8 hrs; 3BR 6–10+ hrs) but does not publish a dollar hourly rate on that page.
• Tetris Movers 23 LLC (local moving Chicago): “Most Chicago local moves run two to five hours.” No dollar hourly rate on the page.

The published 2-mover hourly numbers that actually appear on company pages sit in different bands (Born to Move $100–$140; Reebie 2–3 person $100–$200; Well Known $110–$160; The Professionals all-crew $130–$220; Moovers $148–$195; Advanced $150). That spread is itself evidence: headline hourly rates on Chicago company pages are not one number. Do not average them into a fake Chicago survey.

Planning arithmetic (labeled; not a survey)

The products below use only Moovers Chicago’s published formula from the pricing guide: 2 movers $148–$195 / 3 movers $198–$260 per hour, 2.5-hour minimum. Hour assumptions are planning inputs, not a promise that your job will take that long. This is arithmetic, not a Chicago survey and not Moovers’ own typical-total table.

Hours for the 7-hour row are the MCHQ Illinois model assumption (~7 hrs for a 2BR), from movingcompanyhq.com/moving-costs/illinois, not a Chicago city survey. Moovers’ own 2BR typical total on the same pricing guide is $1,100 – $1,700. Those two figures are different publishers with different assumptions; do not collapse them.

Using Tetris’s “two to five hours” local band (Tetris) at Moovers’ 3-mover range: $198 × 2 = $396 to $260 × 5 = $1,300 before the minimum. Moovers’ 2.5-hour minimum still sets the floor at $495 – $650.

CDOT Moving Van parking is a separate city fee, not a mover hourly rate. If passed through at the 2025 schedule line: $25.00 per day per vehicle. Source: CDOT 2025 Permit Fee Schedule PDF.pdf). On 2026-08-26 the live official PDF was still titled 2025 Permit Fee Schedule, valid as of January 1, 2025. Confirm before relying on $25.

These products ignore packing, extra trucks, valuation upgrades, elevator-window overrun, and rush-hour drive time unless those hours are already inside the assumption.

Illinois rules that apply before anyone loads a box

A Chicago local move that never leaves Illinois is ICC household-goods consumer rules, even if the truck also has a USDOT number. If either address is outside Illinois, FMCSA rules apply instead (ICC hub; FMCSA Protect Your Move). Crossing into Indiana or Wisconsin is FMCSA even if the odometer is short.

Intrastate (both addresses in Illinois)

From the ICC Household Goods Movers hub, Before You Hire (Smart Tips PDF), the 2026 Consumer Guide PDF, and 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.610 / 1457.600 (amended effective 1/9/2025):

1. License + tariff. It is against the law to hire an unlicensed mover. The company must hold a valid ICC Household Goods License and file a tariff. No carrier may advertise or collect a greater, lesser, or different compensation than the rates on file (625 ILCS 5/18c-3206). Storage needs a separate warehouse license.
2. Trucks must display the ILCC number on both sides of the power unit (ICC Police).
3. Written estimate before the move starts, signed copy to the shipper. For hourly jobs the form must state equipment, personnel, and hours including travel time. The estimate is not binding.
4. Consumer guide must be given free, before service (1457.650).
5. 110% at delivery. Pay cash, money order, or cashier’s check up to 110% of the written estimate unless credit is arranged. If charges exceed 110%, the mover must unload and give 30 days for the rest. The mover cannot hold your goods if you tender 110% (Smart Tips; 1457.610(d)).
6. Default cargo liability. On the bill of lading, maximum liability is the lump-sum value declared (if valuation charges are paid) or 60 cents per pound per article (1457.600). Mover liability is not insurance. Never pack jewelry, money, papers, or medicines on the truck.
7. Claims. Consumer Guide: file in writing within 90 days of delivery; mover acknowledges within 30 days and pays, settles, or denies within 120 days (1457.490). Keep damaged goods for inspection.
8. Tipping is not required. If the crew demands a tip, call the company (Smart Tips).
9. Complaints. ICC household goods: 217-782-6448; email ICC.Moving@illinois.gov; mail form. ICC does not replace a cargo claim against the mover.

ICC Police staff at 217-782-6448 can verify rates on file (ICC Police FAQ). An ICC May 4, 2026 press release repeats the 110% / written-estimate / six-week list and adds: do not rely on mobile apps alone.

How to check an Illinois license (MCIS)

Use the ICC Motor Carrier Information System: https://icc.illinois.gov/emdb/mcis/search. Filter Authority Type = Household Goods Movers. Search by name, city, ILCC number, or USDOT.

Lookup snapshot (2026-08-26): the live search and entity profiles returned a reCAPTCHA wall (“Please, no robots”). This page therefore records ILCC numbers only as printed on company sites. It does not call any company ICC-verified from MCIS. Ask for the license number, match the licensed legal name to the estimate, and try the lookup yourself (or call 217-782-6448).

Hub: icc.illinois.gov/authority/household-goods-movers.

Interstate (leaving Illinois)

Confirm the performing carrier or broker through FMCSA Protect Your Move, consumer rights (last updated Nov 4, 2024), and Subpart D estimates. Complaints: National Consumer Complaint Database.

From those FMCSA pages:

• Written estimate of all charges required. A “rate quote” is not an estimate. Both parties sign.
• If origin is within 50 miles of the mover’s (or agent’s) place of business, the estimate must be based on a physical survey, unless the shipper waives in a signed writing before loading.
• Binding estimate: shipper cannot be required to pay more than the estimated amount at delivery for listed services.
• Non-binding estimate: final charges follow the tariff; be prepared to pay ten percent more at delivery; if the bill exceeds 110%, the mover must relinquish the shipment upon payment of 110% and bill the rest with at least 30 days.
• Liability: 49 CFR 375.201 — default Full Value Protection unless the shipper waives in writing down to STB released rates. Do not assume the Illinois 60¢/lb default applies to an interstate bill of lading.

Moovers’ interstate line on the pricing guide is $3,500–$6,000+ (distance/weight, not hourly). The Professionals list example corridors (Milwaukee/Indianapolis $1,500–$4,500, etc.) as company guides, not FMCSA tariffs (2026 pricing guide).

Chicago scale (why hours add up)

Chicago is a separate municipality from Evanston, Oak Park, Naperville, and Schaumburg. A “Chicago move” that actually starts or ends in a suburb is a different drive, often on the Kennedy (I-90), Dan Ryan (I-90/94), Eisenhower (I-290), Stevenson (I-55), or Tri-State (I-294).

Census Reporter (ACS 2024 unless noted):

Chicago: 1,282,248 housing units; 1,172,455 households (same Chicago Census Reporter profile). Inner-ring Evanston and Oak Park are dense; Naperville and Schaumburg are about one-third Chicago’s density. A Hyde Park↔Schaumburg job burns more clock than Lincoln Park↔Lakeview — The Professionals make that comparison explicitly (2026 pricing guide).

CMAP flags unreliable corridors including I-90 in the northern part of the City of Chicago and I-290 throughout Cook County (RTP Existing Conditions). IDOT Eisenhower Phase I materials: I-290 experiences congested conditions (LOS D or worse) for up to 17 hours each weekday (I-290 executive summary).

92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.610 requires the estimate to state hours including travel time. Ask whether the clock starts at the warehouse or at the door.

Congestion that stretches billable time

INRIX 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard (U.S. press release table, 6 Jan 2025): Chicago drivers lost 102 hours to congestion in 2024 (tied with New York for highest U.S. hours lost). Five of the ten most congested U.S. road segments were in Chicago:

Source: INRIX 2024 U.S. press release. Same ranks and 102-hour figure reported by FOX 32 Chicago. Daily Herald also names Kennedy construction and I-294 among regional causes.

A midday Lincoln Park ↔ Loop run is not the same clock time as a 4 p.m. start on the Kennedy. Ask each company how travel time appears on the written estimate, and whether the crew can avoid 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m. on I-90 / I-290 / I-55.

Lake Shore Drive / boulevard freight restriction

CDOT’s permit portal lists a separate permit type: Truck Travel Permit Travel LSD Boulevards (CDOT online permit portal). The 2025 fee schedule line is “Truck Travel on LSD and Boulevards $50.00” (fee schedule PDF.pdf)).

Chicago Municipal Code 9-72-020 makes it unlawful to operate vehicles used or designed for carrying freight on any boulevard, with a limited exception to enter at the nearest cross street for a delivery that cannot be made from an alley or side street, plus a McCormick Place / I-55–LSD carve-out. Citation: AmLegal Chicago Municipal Code 9-72-020 (the official HTML was JS-gated on 2026-08-26; the quote is from that code listing). Planning implication: moving vans generally should not treat LSD as a through truck route. Ask whether the mover will route via I-90/94, I-55, or surface streets instead.

High-rises vs 3-flats: COI, freight elevators, alleys, stairs

Chicago local moves are billed hourly, so building access changes the total even when the hourly rate does not change. Elevator hours, COI wording, dock height, and move-in fees are building / HOA rules. They are not in the ICC Consumer Guide and not in the CDOT Moving Van fee line. Confirm with that property.

Walk-ups, two-flats, three-flats, alleys

Cited mover pages (not a Census “3-flat count” — this research did not find one; Census Reporter gives total housing units only):

• Tetris Movers 23 LLC: Lincoln Park/Lakeview “vintage walk-ups, greystones, or courtyard buildings” with “narrow stairs, no elevator, and limited street parking on Clark, Halsted, Belmont, Diversey, and Fullerton.” Logan Square/Wicker Park: “two-flats, three-flats, or courtyard apartments, many without elevators.” Bridgeport/Pilsen: “two-flats and bungalows with front stairs and back-door access” and “alley access that can make loading easier.” (local moving Chicago)
• Affordable City Movers: “Chicago is built for this. If a truck can back in and leave the alley passable, curb space is irrelevant.” (permits and truck parking, 2026)
• Moovers Chicago publishes a $75–$95 charge for “Stairs (third floor walk up).” (pricing guide)

Planning questions (not facts): floor number and stair layout at both ends; whether a legal alley leaves enough unobstructed width; hallway width for a king mattress; whether the truck can park on the street, in the alley, or only around the corner (long carry).

High-rises: Loop / River North / Gold Coast / South Loop — COI and freight

• ACM Movers: managed buildings often require move windows, freight elevator reservations, loading docks, parking rules, and a Certificate of Insurance (COI) before the crew can enter. Neighborhoods named: Streeterville, River North, Gold Coast, West Loop, Downtown, South Loop, Lakeshore East, Lincoln Park, Lakeview. (Chicago condo high-rise movers)
• The Professionals: “Most Chicago high-rises require a reserved freight elevator, often in 3 to 4 hour windows on weekdays only.” Buildings “typically require a COI… usually with $1 million to $2 million in liability coverage” — company experience, not a city ordinance. (high-rise moving Chicago)
• Tetris: downtown buildings “typically have freight elevator reservations, loading dock rules, move-in time windows, and certificate of insurance requirements.” “Freight elevator reservations required 24 to 72 hours in advance.” Streets named that affect truck stopping: Michigan, Wacker, State, LaSalle, Roosevelt. (local moving Chicago)
• Affordable City Movers: COI and elevator windows “catch people far more often” than parking; “two weeks ahead is a reasonable target; four is safer in the Loop, River North, and Streeterville.” Buildings “often cap moves at a three- or four-hour block.” Dock-first in the Loop: “Street permits are almost always irrelevant because access runs through the dock.” (2026 permits guide)

A missed freight window that forces a second day is another minimum, not a city fine. That is a planning risk, not a published CDOT line item. Windy City terms: time the crew is on site and unable to proceed due to elevator waits, access issues, or unpreparedness “will be billed at the standard working hourly rate” (terms).

If either address is a managed building, get the written rules from management and give the same packet to every company quoting the move.

Curb, parking, and CDOT Occupy ROW — Moving Van Parking

Chicago does issue a dedicated household moving-van parking permit. It is CDOT Occupy ROW Permit — Moving Van Parking, not an alderman courtesy sign.

Portal and permit type

• Portal: https://ipi.cityofchicago.org
• CDOT permits page: online permit portal. Permit types include DOT Occupy the Public Right of Way. Training guide listed by name: Occupy ROW Permit Moving Van Parking.
• How-to PDF: CDOT_Occupy_ROW_Permit_Moving_Van_Parking.pdf (header dated 10/21/2015; process still linked from the 2026 portal page). The form requires an ICC Vehicle Number, start/end dates, number of vehicles, and street from/to. Arterial streets need a work-zone sketch.

2025 fee schedule — Moving Van line (confirmed from the PDF)

CDOT 2025 Permit Fee Schedule PDF.pdf), title 2025 Permit Fee Schedule — Valid as of January 1, 2025, section II.4:

> Parking Moving Van　　$25.00 per day per vehicle　　$25.00 per day per vehicle > (columns: Placement Outside CBD | Inside CBD)

The $25 line is the same inside and outside the CBD. Occupy ROW application fees in the same PDF (full closure CBD $308.77, etc.) are written for work vehicles, barricades, and operating equipment. This page does not assert that those application fees automatically attach to Moving Van Parking. Check the portal invoice.

The fee schedule also states permittees will be charged for any metered spaces rendered unusable (see MCC § 9-68-080). That can make a metered downtown space cost more than the $25 Moving Van line. No dollar for lost meter revenue is printed on the Moving Van row. Do not invent one. A long carry from a distant legal parking spot is hourly time, not the $25 line. The $25 fee is real and official, but it is small relative to a $198–$260/hr 3-mover clock; the expensive parking outcome is lost hours.

On 2026-08-26 the live official PDF was still the 2025 schedule. Re-check before quoting $25 as current. CDOT phone cited by ward offices for this program: 312-744-4652.

Alderman courtesy signs are not ticket/tow enforceable

A printed alderman “No Parking” sign is not the CDOT permit. That is ward-office guidance, not a citywide ordinance quoted here as such:

Sources:

• 1st Ward (Ald. La Spata) parking: ward “No Parking” signs for residents not using professional movers “are not enforceable by ticketing or tow.” CDOT “for a fee of $25… ticket and tow enforceable signs to eligible moving companies… requires 72 hours.” Pods “not allowed on the public way.”
• 2nd Ward (Ald. Hopkins) resident permits: “Commercial moving companies are required under city ordinance to obtain Residential Move permits from [CDOT]”; alderman signs are for self-moves. “If you are told by your moving company to get the permits from the Alderman’s Office, this is not correct.”
• 47th Ward (Ald. Martin) moving sign: office provides “non-enforceable courtesy” signs; professional movers use CDOT TOW ZONE signs. PODS on the public way can be fined $50 to $250 per day (ward page, citing municipal code).

Winter (1st Ward): Dec 1–Apr 1 arterial snow-route restrictions, including overnight 3–7 a.m. regardless of snowfall (1st Ward parking).

Winter and peak calendar

Chicago climate is humid-continental with a Great Lakes modifier (Illinois State Climatologist).

NWS Chicago (O’Hare) 1991–2020 normals — weather.gov/lot/chicago_normals:

Other monthly snow (same NWS page): Feb 10.7 in, Mar 5.5 in, Apr 1.3 in, Nov 1.8 in, Dec 7.6 in. Illinois State Climatologist: typically continental with cold winters, warm summers; lake-effect snows when winds blow from the north or northeast; Chicago gets less lake-effect than western Michigan (Climate of Chicago).

How weather changes a move (mechanism, not a fake fee): snow/ice slower carries, salt on floors, delayed trucks, overnight parking bans on snow routes; January mean 25.2°F and 11.3 in snow; July mean 75.4°F with 6.5 days ≥90°F — slower labor and hydration breaks. The MCHQ Illinois hub lists snow, ice, spring storms, and basement access as Illinois cost factors (Illinois moving costs).

Peak calendar (company pages, not a government index):

• Moovers three rate tiers: weekdays lowest; Friday/weekends higher; start and end of month highest (pricing guide).
• The Professionals: June–early September peak, winter cheaper, mid-month easier than first/last days (2026 pricing guide).
• Tetris: last 3–5 days of the month, especially April 30, July 31, August 31, September 30; Hyde Park / University of Chicago and Loyola calendars (local moving Chicago).
• Affordable City Movers: university turnover “creates severe bottlenecks in late August and September”; Wrigley event perimeters can bar commercial trucks — “Check the home schedule before locking a date” (company guidance). (2026 permits guide)

Neighborhood planning questions (not building facts)

Citywide context: Chicago 227.7 sq mi and ~2.72 million people (Census Reporter ACS 2024). For any specific building, treat unpublished details as planning questions. Confirm with that property and put the answers on every written estimate.

Sources for the table: Tetris, Affordable City Movers 2026, ACM, The Professionals high-rise, 1st Ward parking, CMAP RTP, MCC 9-72-020.

What to put on paper before anyone lifts a box

1. Legal name + ICC Household Goods License number (intrastate) and/or USDOT / MC (interstate), verified in the official lookup (MCIS was reCAPTCHA-blocked here on 2026-08-26 — try it yourself or call 217-782-6448).
2. Written estimate (Illinois: not binding; 110% delivery rule) or signed written estimate (interstate: binding or non-binding under FMCSA).
3. Whether the job is hourly including travel time (1457.610) or a long-distance weight/distance quote.
4. Travel time, warehouse mileage, stairs, elevator, long carry, extra truck, CDOT $25/day/vehicle if passed through.
5. Valuation chosen, in writing, with the 60¢/lb default understood (Illinois) or Full Value Protection / waiver (interstate).
6. Building COI entity names and freight-window length if a managed property is involved.
7. Keep the delivery copy; note damage before signing; calendar the 90-day Illinois claim window if the move stayed in state.

Give every company the same inventory, addresses, travel assumptions, building rules, and truck-access details so the written numbers are comparable. The Chicago hiring and move planning guide walks through licensing, truck staging, high-rise access, and winter planning.

The MCHQ Illinois hub is a statewide planning model (local $700–$2,400; typical 2BR $1,550). Elgin, Arlington Heights, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, New Lenox, and Minooka pages on that hub are suburbs, not Chicago. Do not reuse those suburb totals as Chicago prices.

Frequently asked questions

How do Chicago movers usually bill a local move?

Most local Chicago household moves inside Illinois are billed hourly by crew size, under an ICC-filed tariff, plus a minimum and often travel time. Named published examples include Moovers Chicago at 2 movers $148–$195 / 3 movers $198–$260 per hour with a 2.5-hour minimum (pricing guide); Windy City Movers starting-at $407 / $540 / $675 / $810 by home size and a 2+1 (two-hour labor + one-hour travel) minimum (quote; minimum blog). Alliance and Reebie homepage/blog dollars are labeled market ranges, not those companies’ locked tariffs. Illinois local estimates are not binding; be prepared to pay 110% of the written estimate at delivery (Consumer Guide; 1457.610). ILCC numbers on company sites were not independently verified here — live MCIS search returned reCAPTCHA on 2026-08-26.

Is there a Chicago moving-truck permit?

Yes. CDOT Occupy ROW — Moving Van Parking is $25.00 per day per vehicle on the 2025 fee schedule, same inside and outside the CBD (fee schedule PDF.pdf); how-to PDF; portal ipi.cityofchicago.org). The City form requires an ICC Vehicle Number. Alderman courtesy signs are not ticket/tow enforceable — that is 1st Ward, 2nd Ward, and 47th Ward guidance (1st Ward; 2nd Ward; 47th Ward), not a substitute for the CDOT permit.

What is 60 cents per pound?

Unless you pay for a higher declared lump-sum value, Illinois default carrier liability on the bill of lading is 60 cents per pound per article (1457.600; Consumer Guide). That is mover liability, not insurance. Interstate default is Full Value Protection unless you waive it in writing (49 CFR 375.201).

How long do I have to file a claim in Illinois?

For an intrastate Illinois move, the Consumer Guide says file a written claim with the mover within 90 days of delivery; the mover acknowledges in 30 days and disposes of the claim within 120 days (Consumer Guide; 1457.405; 1457.490). Do not assume 90 days on an interstate job.

How do I verify an Illinois mover?

Look the company up in ICC MCIS (Household Goods Movers). On 2026-08-26 the live form was behind reCAPTCHA; you can also call 217-782-6448 to verify the license and rates on file (Smart Tips). Match the licensed legal name to the estimate. For a move leaving Illinois, also use FMCSA Protect Your Move. See the Chicago hiring guide.

How do high-rises change the bill?

The hourly rate may not change, but hours do. The Professionals: most Chicago high-rises reserve freight elevators in 3 to 4 hour windows on weekdays only and typically want a COI with $1 million to $2 million in liability — company experience, not an ordinance (high-rise page). Confirm that building’s own rules. A 3-flat walk-up is a different job: Moovers publishes $75–$95 for a third-floor walk-up (pricing guide).

Are the totals on this page a quote?

No. Named company tables are that company’s published planning figures. The Moovers arithmetic table is labeled arithmetic from their published formula. Your written estimate (Illinois: not binding; 110% at delivery) is the number that matters. The MCHQ Illinois model ($700–$2,400 local; typical 2BR $1,550) is a statewide planning model, not a Chicago survey (Illinois hub).

Sources

Official / government

• ICC Household Goods Movers hub
• ICC MCIS search (Find a Licensed Household Goods Mover)
• ICC Smart Tips PDF — Before You Hire A Household Goods Mover
• ICC 2026 Consumer Guide PDF
• ICC Transportation Complaint Form PDF
• ICC Police
• ICC transportation
• ICC May 4, 2026 HHG press release PDF
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457 (JCAR entire part)
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1225 (tariff rules)
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.610 estimates
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.600 bills of lading / liability
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.405 claims filing
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.490 claims disposition
• 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1457.650 consumer guide
• 625 ILCS 5/Ch. 18C Sub-3 Art. II (tariff filing / charged rates)
• FMCSA Protect Your Move
• FMCSA consumer rights
• FMCSA Subpart D estimates
• 49 CFR 375.201 liability
• FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database
• Census Reporter: Chicago city
• Census Reporter: Evanston
• Census Reporter: Oak Park
• Census Reporter: Naperville
• Census Reporter: Schaumburg
• NWS Chicago O’Hare normals
• Illinois State Climatologist: Climate of Chicago
• INRIX 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard (U.S.)
• FOX 32 Chicago congestion recap
• Daily Herald gridlock recap
• CMAP RTP Existing Conditions PDF
• IDOT I-290 Phase I executive summary PDF
• CDOT online permit portal
• CDOT Occupy ROW Moving Van Parking how-to PDF
• CDOT 2025 Permit Fee Schedule PDF.pdf)
• ipi.cityofchicago.org permit portal
• Chicago Municipal Code 9-72-020 (boulevards / freight)
• 1st Ward parking
• 2nd Ward resident permits
• 47th Ward moving sign

Company published pages (examples, not a ranking)

• Moovers Chicago pricing guide
• Moovers Chicago movers FAQ
• Windy City Movers quote
• Windy City Movers minimum-charge blog
• Windy City Movers terms
• Windy City Movers service FAQ
• Alliance Moving homepage
• Alliance 2-bedroom Chicago blog
• Reebie Allied homepage
• The Professionals 2026 Chicago pricing guide
• The Professionals high-rise moving Chicago
• Advanced Moving Chicago costs 2026
• Born to Move hourly rates
• Well Known Moving cost of movers in Chicago
• Mighty Moving local Chicago cost
• Tetris Movers local moving Chicago
• ACM Chicago condo high-rise movers
• Affordable City Movers 2026 permits and parking
• SAFER snapshot USDOT 4338139 (Montech / Windy City)

Planning model (statewide Illinois; not a Chicago survey)

• Moving Company HQ: Moving costs in Illinois

Local Movers HQ

• Chicago hiring and move planning guide