BMBestMoving.us ResearchCompiled from the FMCSA register · Data as of 2026-08-12 ·Methodology
36 moving companies are registered in Chicago, IL, per the FMCSA federal register as of 2026-08-12. 36 of them hold carrier authority, meaning they move shipments on their own trucks, and 3 of the 36 also hold broker authority, meaning they can sell your job to another company. The median fleet is 2 trucks, and 56% run two or fewer.
Ordered by fleet size from the federal register. No company pays to appear, and we publish no star ratings: check any record yourself before you book.
What the federal register shows for Chicago
36companies with household goods authority
0are broker-only, so every company on this list can legally move your shipment on its own trucks
Also hold broker authority3 of 368.3%
A broker arranges the move and hands it to a carrier you have not met. Holding both is legal and common: ask which one your job is booked under, and get the answer in writing.
Required insurance or bond filing missing0 of 360.0%
The register lists a filing as required and shows none on file. That is the single strongest signal on this page. Companies with no authority record at all are not counted here, because absent data is not the same as a missing filing.
The three largest movers registered in Chicago
Largest by trucks on the federal registration, which is a fact of the record and not a quality rating. Every line below is checkable at the source.
NEW WORLD VAN LINES
✓Carrier and broker: ask which one your job is under
20 of the 36 Chicago moving companies that state a fleet size run two trucks or fewer. The median is 2.
This is normal for the industry and not a warning on its own: plenty of two-truck operators do careful work. It matters for one practical reason. A company with two trucks has no spare capacity, so if your date slips, a truck breaks down, or a crew calls in sick, there is rarely a second crew to send. Ask what happens if the truck does not arrive, and get the answer before you pay a deposit.
Showing the 12 largest of 36 moving companies registered in Chicago. Source: FMCSA Company Census and MOTUS authority records, US government public domain. A further 604 companies at Chicago addresses hold household goods authority among their cargo types without being moving companies, and all of them are searchable in the free checker.
Authority history in Chicago
Of the 36 moving companies registered here, 1 has an involuntary suspension on record. Losing authority usually means lapsed insurance or unpaid federal penalties. A company operating normally today can still have a history worth asking about, so look the number up before you book.
Questions about Chicago movers
How many moving companies are based in Chicago, IL?
36 companies registered in Chicago carry a moving-company name (movers, moving, van lines or relocation) and hold a federal USDOT registration covering household goods, as of 2026-08-12. A further 604 companies at Chicago addresses list household goods among their cargo types without being moving businesses, mostly freight and owner-operator carriers, which is why published counts of "movers" in a city vary so widely.
How big are Chicago moving companies?
The median Chicago mover runs 2 trucks, and 20 of 36 (56%) run two or fewer. Small does not mean bad, but it does mean there is rarely a second crew to send if a truck breaks down or your date slips.
Are there moving brokers in Chicago, IL?
3 of the 36 Chicago moving companies hold broker authority. A broker arranges your move and sells the job to a carrier, which is legal, but you should know which one you are booking before you pay a deposit.
How do I check a Chicago moving company is legitimate?
Ask for the USDOT number before you pay anything, then look it up in the free checker at https://bestmoving.us/tools/broker-check/ or on the FMCSA's own site. Confirm the company name matches your quote, the registration is active, required insurance is on file, and whether the record says carrier or broker. A mover who will not give you a DOT number is not one to hire. As of 2026-08-12, 36 companies in Chicago are registered as movers.
Check a Chicago mover before you pay a deposit
Licence status, carrier versus broker, insurance on file and any revocation history, straight from the federal record. Free, no sign-up.
