Lane · 2,669 mi
Moving from Los Angeles to Washington DC
Both ends of this lane need the curb reserved, and the two cities do it differently. Los Angeles sets a five-working-day floor with LADOT. The District needs the no-parking signs up seventy-two hours ahead at an unmetered curb — twenty-four at a metered one — before they are enforceable at all. A crew that assumes one city's rule at the other end gets it wrong at your door.
- 7–11 days written spread
- One truck no partner transfer
- Binding price after survey
- USDOT 2138595 · MC-744411 checkable on FMCSA SAFER
- Distance
- 2,669 mi driving miles, door to door
- Transit
- 7–11 days driving days once loaded
- Typical 2-bed
- 4,000–6,000 lb shipment weight
- DC signs
- 72 h ahead unmetered curb; 24 h if metered
Weight is what an interstate price is built on, so it is the number worth getting right at survey. We do not put a dollar figure on a web page: a 4,000 lb studio and a 6,000 lb two-bed are different moves, and a headline price that ignores that is a price that changes later.
What changes between the two ends
Coast to coast is the most predictable part of this move — 2,669 miles is 2,669 miles. Everything that actually goes wrong happens within a block of each door, and on this lane the two blocks work on opposite rules.
Los Angeles sets a floor. DC sets a window.
LADOT must be reached five working days before your date, and the signs go up 24 to 72 hours ahead. That is a minimum: get there earlier and nothing is lost.
DDOT issues an Emergency No Parking permit through its online permit system, and the no-parking signs must be posted seventy-two hours before the truck arrives at an unmetered curb, or twenty-four hours ahead at a metered one, to be enforceable at all. A sign posted later than that is decoration: the neighbor’s car in your loading space is parked legally.
Two more things from the same DDOT publication that catch people out. A permit is issued for no longer than two days, so it cannot absorb a slipped date. And an application that is not approved automatically can take up to two weeks — which is why a District address is the one we ask for earliest, and why we raise the permit rather than leaving it to you.
DC has almost no local regime to learn
The District is small enough that nearly every move that starts or ends there is already an interstate one. Every other city we serve sits in a state with its own intrastate rules layered under the federal ones. Arriving in DC from California, the federal rules you have just spent a week under are not the first layer — they are the only layer. That is the opposite of what “moving to a new city” usually implies, and it makes the paperwork simpler rather than harder.
What the city looks like when you get there
DC is not laid out on a grid the way Los Angeles is. It is organized in four quadrants — NW, NE, SE, SW — radiating from the Capitol, and the same street name exists in more than one of them. Check the quadrant on the lease before the truck is loaded, not after. You will also drive less: the Metro is extensive and a lot of the neighborhoods a Californian ends up in are walkable, which is the single biggest day-to-day change people report.
Weight, not volume
An interstate carrier prices by the weight of the shipment. Getting the inventory right at survey is what makes an estimate binding. A quote produced from cubic feet and a bedroom count is a guess with a bill attached.
What decides this move
Three things set the day, and the distance is not one of them
The mileage never changes. These do, and all three are settled at survey rather than on moving day.
72 h unmetered; 24 h if metered
The meter sets the DC notice
DDOT makes the no-parking signs enforceable only if they go up seventy-two hours before the truck arrives at an unmetered curb, or twenty-four at a metered one. Later than that and the signs hold nothing. Los Angeles works the other way round — a five-working-day floor, where early costs nothing. We handle both permits, and this is why they are handled differently.
7–11 days on the bill of lading
The written spread
Seven to eleven driving days, written down rather than promised on the phone. Book the flight and the lease around the far end of the spread — a truck crossing eight states in February can lose a day to weather and still be on time.
NW / NE / SE / SW the same street name appears in more than one
Which DC quadrant the address is in
DC addresses carry a quadrant and the same street name exists in several of them. It is the one detail that sends a truck to the wrong side of the Capitol, and it is checked against the lease at survey rather than on the day.
What it costs
What a Los Angeles to Washington DC move involves
Weight and transit, which is the structure of the price. Not a dollar figure — a studio and a four-bedroom are thousands apart, and a headline number that ignores that is one that changes later.
| Home size | Typical weight | Transit | Usual arrangement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bed one bedroom of contents | 2,000 – 3,500 lb | 7–11 days | shared trailer |
| 2 bedrooms the most common interstate move | 4,000 – 6,000 lb | 7–11 days | shared trailer |
| 3 bedrooms usually most of a trailer | 7,000 – 9,000 lb | 7–11 days | full trailer share |
| 4+ bedrooms often a truck of its own | 10,000 – 14,000 lb | 7–11 days | dedicated trailer |
Weight ranges are an industry rule of thumb, not a measurement of your home. Transit is driving days once loaded and both ends of the spread go on your paperwork. The only number that binds is the one after a survey.
Get a binding priceHow the run works
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Survey, and both ends
Video or in person. Fixes the inventory, the weight and the access at both ends — which is what makes the estimate binding.
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LADOT and DDOT permits
LADOT at least five working days out for the Los Angeles end. DDOT for the DC end, with the signs up seventy-two hours ahead at an unmetered curb or twenty-four at a metered one. Two rules, both ours to get right.
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Load day in Los Angeles
Wrapped, labeled and inventoried at your door, early enough to get out ahead of the freeways.
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Delivery to the right quadrant
Inside the written spread, to the right quadrant, unloaded and reassembled.
Protection
Moving insurance: what your belongings are covered for
Two levels, and the one you get by default is the better one. Released value is free and pays 60 cents a pound — you have to ask for it. Full value protection is the federal default if you make no written choice, and it is what we quote.
- 60¢ / lb
- released value — free, but you have to choose it
- Full value
- the federal default if you choose nothing
- $100 / lb
- extraordinary value — declare it in writing
Full value protection is the federal default. Released value is the one you have to ask for.
What each level actually paysGet a price for Los Angeles to Washington DC
Two ZIP codes and a date. A coordinator calls you back — no deposit, no call center.
Other lanes we run
Transit is driving days once loaded, not calendar days from booking. Both ends of the spread go on your paperwork.
On the road and at the door
From customers on our long-haul lanes
“They were on time with pick up and delivery considering I was under a time constraint to leave Washington and settle in in Cali.”
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Katelyn C.
Read on GoogleAs a real estate professional, I frequently stage homes for sale, which involves a lot of furniture and accessory movement. This has become a regular part of my job every month, and I couldn't dream of accomplishing it without the help of this fantastic moving team. Read the full review Read less
As a real estate professional, I frequently stage homes for sale, which involves a lot of furniture and accessory movement. This has become a regular part of my job every month, and I couldn't dream of accomplishing it without the help of this fantastic moving team. I've had the pleasure of working with them for over five years now. Their crew members are tremendously professional and incredibly efficient. They're always prepared and punctual, showing great attention and care to all items. They've become an integral part of my staging team, diligently assembling and placing my pieces exactly where I need them. They've even managed to pull off the seemingly impossible task of fitting a large couch through a garden door! Working in Modesto, with its crowded streets and three to four-story townhouses with tight spaces, can be quite challenging. But these movers handle it with ease and a smile on their faces. And what's more, their services come at a very reasonable price. Quite simply, I couldn't imagine moving anything without them!
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Alan E.
Have to say that these guys are amazing they are really out going and number one in my book I would like to give a shout out to Juan, and Ralph for there help thanks again guys
Read on Yelp -
Sonya D.
Read on GoogleAmidst challenging times, we discovered Cross Country Movers Group and we're incredibly pleased with our decision. They've consistently shown a readiness to accommodate our needs, even at short notice. Read the full review Read less
Amidst challenging times, we discovered Cross Country Movers Group and we're incredibly pleased with our decision. They've consistently shown a readiness to accommodate our needs, even at short notice. Their crews are professional, courteous, and maintain a positive attitude even under strenuous conditions. Despite the difficulties, they adhered to our instructions, moving our belongings while wearing masks and practicing social distancing, ensuring everyone felt comfortable with their presence. They always arrived on time, but also displayed admirable patience if there was a delay in starting the move. Their extensive knowledge of industry standards enabled them to execute the job efficiently and appropriately. Working with this team has been a pleasure from the office staff who scheduled the job, to the crew leaders and their teams who made the move happen. They delivered excellent service at a competitive price. We had a fantastic experience and will certainly be using their services again when the need arises.
Both ends of this lane
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Movers in Los Angeles
the origin, and the LADOT permit
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Movers in Washington DC
the destination, and the 72-hour rule
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Auto transport
ship the car rather than drive it
How long does it take?
Seven to eleven driving days once the truck is loaded, and both ends of that spread go on your bill of lading. It is driving days rather than calendar days from booking, so a load date and a delivery window are two different conversations.
Should I drive my car or ship it?
Across 2,669 miles, shipping is usually the cheaper of the two once you count fuel, four or five nights of hotels, meals and the wear. Driving makes sense if you want the road trip. If you ship, the car and the household can travel on one contract.
Do I need full-value protection?
You have it unless you sign it away. Full value protection is the federal default; released value at 60 cents a pound is the cheaper option you have to choose in writing. Anything of extraordinary value — over $100 a pound — has to be declared separately.
When is the cheapest time to move?
October to April. Summer is peak in both directions and the price reflects it. Mid-month and mid-week beat the first of the month, on any lane.
What if the delivery runs late?
The written spread is the commitment, and if we miss it the federal rules on delay apply rather than our goodwill. Ask any carrier for the spread in writing before you book anything at the far end — one who will not write it down is telling you something.
Can I fly out before my things arrive?
Yes, and most people do. Somebody over eighteen has to receive the delivery and check the inventory against the sheet, but it does not have to be you.
Get a price for Los Angeles to Washington DC
Eight fields, and the last two are how a coordinator reaches you. Nothing here commits you to anything.