Get Quotes from Top Movers in Oklahoma City, OK

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Moving Company in Oklahoma City?

Anyone engaging in the business of transporting household goods in Oklahoma City is required to obtain a household goods certificate from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC). Per the provisions of Chapter 30 of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's Rules, movers who fail to obtain this certificate before offering their services to interested parties in the city can receive fines of up to $1,000.

Movers that wish to apply for OCC-issued certificates may do so by completing and submitting an MCF 1 - Application for Intrastate Household Goods Certificate Form to the commission at:

Note that applicants will have to meet certain eligibility requirements, which include:

• Paying a stipulated filing fee
• Providing an active (USDOT) number obtained from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
• Submitting proof of acceptable liability insurance coverage
• Requesting and obtaining a current rule book containing relevant safety regulations by submitting a TDF25 Form to Order Rule Book to the commission at the aforementioned address

Inquiries concerning the requirements and procedures for obtaining a household goods certificate can be directed to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission at (405) 521-2251. You can also confirm that your intended mover possesses a valid household goods certificate by calling the aforementioned number or accessing the list of certified household movers the commission provides for this purpose.

Also, even though moving companies are not required to obtain a locally-issued business license before operating in Oklahoma City, they are generally expected to comply with certain business requirements before conducting business within the city. These include registering their businesses with the Oklahoma Secretary of State, filing necessary tax requirements with the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, and obtaining an Employer Identification Number from the IRS. You can get additional information on the necessary business registration requirements for moving companies that wish to operate in Oklahoma City by contacting the city's Business Licensing Office at:

How Much Do You Charge Compared with Other Movers in New Oklahoma City?

Movers in Oklahoma City generally base the costs of moving services they offer on the total distance of the travel involved in the move and the size of goods being moved. However, other factors influence the cost of moving household goods in Oklahoma City. These factors include packing materials, extra crew members, storage services, additional insurance, and special services.

Before you hire a mover, you must compare different quotations before signing a contract. Comparing costs before signing off on a moving contract helps you get a fair estimate when working up a budget. Getting multiple quotes lets you know how much other movers charge, which can help you determine how reasonable their prices are when compared with the services they promise to render. Note that you should not automatically hire the mover with the lowest quotation, as some fraudulent movers in the city use this technique to lure customers in before hiking their prices or including hidden charges once the move commences.

Transportation and material moving workers in Oklahoma City earn an average annual wage of $38,330. The list below compares the hourly average wages earned by these workers in the city against those of transportation and material moving workers in other parts of Oklahoma State as well as several other major cities in the country:

Will You Get a Moving Permit as Required by Oklahoma City Regulations?

Whether or not you will require a moving permit in Oklahoma City primarily depends on the nature and scope of your moving activities. Permits are not usually required for household goods movements that take place entirely within the city. However, movers crossing state lines or moving household goods from other states into Oklahoma City must obtain a 72-hour Commercial Vehicle Registration Trip Permit from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

The 72-hour Commercial Vehicle Registration Trip Permit authorizes out-of-state movers to move household goods into the city within 72 hours without possessing an Oklahoma State-issued household goods certificate. Note that this 72-hour grace period commences when the permit is obtained. Applications for the 72-hour Commercial Vehicle Trip Permit can be submitted online on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission website. You can contact the Oklahoma Corporation Commission at (405) 521-2211 for further inquiries concerning the 72-hour Commercial Vehicle Registration Trip Permit and to confirm whether your mover has obtained this permit.

Also, per the provisions of Section 50-187 of the Oklahoma City Code of Ordinances, an annual overweight permit is required for moving manufactured homes on public roads in the city. The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety issues these annual overweight permits, and they can be obtained by completing and submitting a permit request form to the department at:

You can get further information on annual overweight permits by contacting the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety at (405) 425-2059

What Kind of Moving Services Do You Offer?

A full understanding of the services that a moving company offers before retaining their services is essential, as you do not want to hire a moving company that does not provide the specific type of moving service you require. There are five major categories of moving services offered by moving companies in Oklahoma City, and these categories are:

• Local moves
• Long-distance moves
• Small moves
• Interstate moves
• International moves.

Local moves are considered moves within 100 miles, provided you do not cross the Oklahoma State borderlines. In situations where your moves are within 100 miles but involve you crossing Oklahoma State borderlines, these moves are no longer considered local moves; instead, they become interstate moves. On the other hand, long-distance moves refer to relocations that extend over 100 miles with the takeoff location and destination still within the state. Finally, small moves typically involve moving specific items, such as pianos and artwork, from one location to another. In these types of moves, emphasis is primarily placed on the weight of the goods being moved, unlike local and long-distance moves, where the distance traveled is also considered.

Not all moving companies in Oklahoma City are equipped to offer these five moving services. Hence, you must always confirm the types of services that your intended mover can satisfactorily offer and be sure that these services fall within the scope of your specific moving project.

Provided below is a list of cost estimates for moving services commonly provided by professional moving companies in Oklahoma City:

Do You Provide Packing and Storage Services?

The scope of your relocation may require that your items be stored at a secondary location before they are moved to their final destination. In that case, you may need a moving company offering storage services. Here are some of the reasons why you need a mover that provides storage services:

• Your new location is not big enough to accommodate all your items, and you need a place to store them until you get a bigger space.
• You cannot move into your new home due to renovation, but you need a place for your items.
• You plan to move soon and no longer have access to your present apartment before that time.
• You need temporary storage for newly purchased furniture, gadgets, or household appliances while waiting to move to your new home.
• Your house is currently on the market, and you need to clear out and store some items temporarily before permanently moving into your new location.

Note that not all moving companies in Oklahoma City have the facility to offer storage services. Also, some movers that provide storage services may be able to render only short-term storage, while others offer both short and long-term storage options to interested parties.

In addition, it is a good idea to find out whether the moving company you plan to hire also offers packing and unpacking options. Hiring a mover to pack and unpack your items helps you reduce stress and ensure that your items are packed professionally. Packing services commonly offered in Oklahoma City include:

• Full Packing Services
• Partial Packing Services
• Unpacking Services
• Professional box handling
• Used box pick-up services.

Always confirm the packing and storage options your mover offers before reaching any final agreement with them. You should also visit the mover's storage facility to see if it is a good place for your items and discuss payment options and accessibility to this facility with them.

What is an Appropriate Tip for Your Movers in Oklahoma City?

While it is required of your mover to do their job diligently without requesting extra charges, many homeowners in Oklahoma City acknowledge the efforts of these workers by tipping them. You may want to tip your movers if they display a high level of professionalism in any of these areas:

• Time management
• Neat packing and unpacking process
• Item handling, especially fragile items
• Item movement across multiple flights of stairs
• Attention to detail and instruction
• Interpersonal relationships and friendliness

Homeowners in Oklahoma City generally tip $4 to $5 per hour per mover or 20% of their total cost for services that do not exceed $1000. However, you should not be reluctant to discuss the issue of tipping with the moving company you hire when negotiating their services. Asking them how much they think is appropriate to tip their movers can help you determine an appropriate amount. You may adjust your tip downwards or not give a tip at all if movers provide poor services.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Movers in Oklahoma City?

While many moving companies provide their services professionally and with proper care, there is always the risk of property damage and on-the-job injuries. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, transportation and material moving workers accounted for about 20% of all on-the-job injuries recorded across the country in 2018. Working with a moving company that is not adequately insured can have serious financial implications if these injuries or other types of accidents occur during your move.

According to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's Rules, household goods movers whose principal place of business is in Oklahoma City are not allowed to conduct any operations except when an insurance policy covers them. Note that this insurance must be issued by an insurer authorized or approved by the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Per the Commission's rules, household goods movers in the city must carry minimum liability insurance of $750,000 to cover loss of life, injury, and property damage, as well as cargo Insurance of at least $5,000 per vehicle.

You should request proof of insurance from the moving company you are about to hire and ensure that their insurance is genuine and up-to-date. You can do this by contacting the Oklahoma Insurance Department at (405) 521-2991 or calling their toll-free line at 1-800-522-0071 to confirm they have approved the mover's insurer. You can further contact this insurer to confirm the details of the mover's insurance plan and find out if its coverage limits will be adequate for the scope of your moving project. If you require storage services, it is also a good idea to ensure that your moving company has full-value liability protection that covers the full cost of any damaged or missing items.

For further inquiries related to Oklahoma moving company insurance requirements, contact the Oklahoma Corporation Commission at (405) 521-2211.

Can You Provide References or Recommendations in Oklahoma City?

A reference or recommendation note is one of the ways moving companies in Oklahoma City prove to homeowners that they have a good reputation. As such, before hiring any movers in the city, always ask for references or recommendation notes from their past clients and be willing to contact these past clients to validate the mover's claim of good service delivery. If your mover is reluctant to provide a reference or recommendation, it may indicate that the mover does not have a good standing with previous clients, and you should strongly consider hiring another one.