Apartment Movers in Maryland · D.C. · Virginia · West Virginia
Apartment Movers across MD, D.C., VA & WV
Studio to 3-bedroom apartments in DMV high-rises, walk-ups, lofts, and rowhouse conversions. We handle the building Certificate of Insurance, the freight elevator reservation, the walk-up flights, and the staircase that bends 90 degrees. Binding hourly pricing, no hidden fees.
At a glance
- Licensed and insured: USDOT 4539918, MC 1801440
- COI sent to your building 5+ days before move day
- Freight elevator and dock windows reserved for you
- Walk-ups, lofts, and high-rises all in our regular rotation
- Upfront, binding hourly pricing. No hourly creep
What's different about apartment moves
Building requirements: COI, dock, freight elevator
Most apartment buildings need our certificate of insurance on file before move day, plus a reserved loading dock and freight elevator window. We handle the paperwork and the booking. You don't chase your property manager.
Walk-ups, narrow stairs, and 90-degree turns
DMV apartments range from elevator high-rises to 4th-floor walk-ups in 1920s buildings. We carry through stair turns that didn't anticipate king-size mattresses. Wall protectors and floor runners come standard.
Tight load and unload windows
Most buildings give you a 2-4 hour window to load or unload. We arrive on time, work efficiently, and stage furniture in the freight elevator queue so the building manager isn't standing over us.
Studio efficiency to 3-bedroom complexity
We size the crew and truck to the apartment. A studio gets a 2-person crew and a 16-foot truck. A 3-bedroom apartment with stairs gets a 3- or 4-person crew and a 20-foot truck. Right-sized.
How an apartment move with us actually goes
- Step 1
Quote Walkthrough at Your DMV Apartment
Phone, video, or in-person walkthrough at your apartment in Bethesda, Arlington, Federal Hill, Old Town, or wherever you are in the DMV. We measure your largest furniture, count boxes, check the freight elevator dimensions, and review the new building's access if you have it.
- Step 2
Building COI and Freight Elevator Booking
We send the Certificate of Insurance to both buildings at least 5 days ahead, naming the building, management company, and any required additional insureds. We reserve the freight elevator window with property management at both ends, and we pull a Baltimore BCDOT or D.C. DDOT street permit if your block needs one.
- Step 3
Pre-Move Prep
Optional packing the day before. Wardrobe boxes for closets, dish packs for kitchens, picture cartons for art. We bring DMV-tested supplies and label every box by room and contents. You can pack it yourself if you'd rather.
- Step 4
Move Day
Same crew start to finish. Wall protectors and floor runners go up before furniture comes out, lobby and corridor floors are protected, and we manage the service-elevator queue so we are not blocking your neighbors. We time loading to clear DC and Beltway rush-hour windows whenever your dock window allows.
- Step 5
Placement and Walk-Through
Furniture placed where you want it, beds reassembled, photos rehung, walk-through with the lead. Building elevators returned to service, your COI on file with management. We do not disappear until you sign off.
What does an apartment move cost?
Apartment moves are hourly. Pricing depends on apartment size, stairs vs elevator, distance between the two addresses, and packing scope. Every quote is binding before move day.
Starting at
$480
*Local moves: 2-mover crew with truck, 3-hour minimum on the clock.
* Eligibility and conditions
- •Off-season rate. May 1 to September 30 and end-of-month dates run higher.
- •Available Monday through Thursday. Weekend and Friday rates run higher.
- •Excludes the last week of every month and federal holidays.
- •Subject to crew and truck availability on the date you request.
- •Travel time, packing materials, stairs, long carries, and specialty items are billed separately.
- •Final binding price is set after a free walkthrough and supersedes any starting-at quote.
Studio / Efficiency
$400 – $1,000
2-person crew, 2-3 hours typical. Walk-up adds $100-$200 per flight above the second floor.
1-Bedroom Apartment
$600 – $1,500
2- or 3-person crew, 3-4 hours typical. Add 20-30% for high-rise dock windows or walk-up flights.
2-Bedroom Apartment
$900 – $2,200
3-person crew, 4-6 hours typical. Most common DMV apartment size. Full packing adds $400-$1,000.
3-Bedroom Apartment / Loft
$1,400 – $3,200
3- or 4-person crew, 5-8 hours typical. Lofts with industrial layouts and oversized furniture quoted separately.
What affects your final price
- Walk-up flights add labor time. Each flight above the second floor adds 15-30 minutes per crew member.
- Full packing service adds $400-$1,500 depending on apartment size and inventory.
- Long-carry distance (truck more than 100 ft from the door) adds time at both ends.
- Peak season (May-September) and end-of-month dates run 10-20% higher.
- COI to the building is included at no charge. Specialty crating quoted separately.
DMV building rules and apartment move requirements
Apartment moves in the DMV live or die on building paperwork. COIs, freight elevators, dock windows, and historic-district rules all vary block to block. Here is what we coordinate before move day.
Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring high-rises and condos
Most Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring high-rises and luxury condos require a moving-crew Certificate of Insurance naming the building and management, plus a reserved freight elevator and dock window. We issue the COI before move day and book the elevator window so we are not paying you to wait at the lobby.
Washington, D.C. condos, lofts, and rowhouse apartments
D.C. condos in Logan Circle, Dupont, NoMa, and Navy Yard require COIs and dock reservations. Rowhouse apartments in Capitol Hill, Shaw, Petworth, and Adams Morgan often need a DDOT public space permit so the truck can hold curb space. We pull the permit and post the no-park signs 48 hours ahead.
Arlington, Crystal City, Tysons high-rises
Arlington high-rises in Rosslyn, Pentagon City, Crystal City, and Ballston, plus Tysons mid-rises, require building COIs and dock reservations. Some buildings limit moves to weekday business hours; some restrict end-of-month dates. We confirm the building's move policy at booking so we are not surprised on move day.
Old Town Alexandria and historic-district apartments
Old Town Alexandria parking permits are required on most residential streets and historic-district size restrictions on King Street and the side blocks limit truck access. When the truck cannot reach the front door, we shuttle on a 26-foot truck and stage at a closer drop point.
Baltimore rowhouse apartments
Federal Hill, Fells Point, Mount Vernon, and Hampden rowhouse apartments benefit from a Baltimore BCDOT moving-truck permit so we hold curb space at the front door. Without the permit, you are paying us to walk an extra hundred feet on every load and the truck is competing for parking on a one-way street.
Walk-ups and 90-degree stair turns
Older DC, Baltimore, and Alexandria buildings have walk-up flights and 1920s stairwells that bend 90 degrees mid-flight. We bring the right dollies, hump straps, and rigging, plus extra crew for fourth-floor walk-ups. King-size mattresses and oversized sectionals sometimes need to come out a window with a hoist; we have done this many times.
Best time of year to move apartments in the DMV
DMV apartment lease cycles drive demand more than weather does. Here is how we plan the year so freight-elevator availability and peak pricing do not bite.
Spring (March to May)
Demand starts rising in April for May lease turnovers. Mild temperatures and dry stairs are ideal for furniture protection. Book 3-4 weeks ahead for end-of-April and end-of-May dates. May 31 and June 1 are the busiest weekend of the spring cycle in DC and Arlington high-rises.
Summer (June to August)
Peak season. The August 31 and September 1 weekend is the single busiest 48 hours of the year for DMV apartment moves, driven by graduate-school cycles in Bethesda, College Park, Arlington, and around Johns Hopkins. Book 6-8 weeks ahead and expect freight-elevator slots in popular buildings to fill first. We add early-morning starts to clear the worst summer humidity.
Fall (September to November)
September stays busy with grad-school turnover. After Labor Day demand softens for non-end-of-month dates and pricing eases. Cool dry weather is ideal for furniture and fragile boxes. Book 2-3 weeks ahead.
Winter (December to February)
Lowest demand and the most flexible freight-elevator availability of the year. Some buildings restrict moves on holiday weeks; we confirm with management at booking. We salt and shovel lobby and dock paths before a single piece moves on icy days.
Meet the crew on your out of the state move
Out of the state moves mean trusting a small team with your entire household for a week or more. Here is who shows up.
Igor Stevanovic
Co-Owner
Twelve years walking DMV homes before move day. Igor co-founded Blue Crab Moving in Gaithersburg, MD, and still runs binding-quote walkthroughs himself on out of the state jobs. Native Serbian speaker, fluent English.
Milan Jovanovic
Co-Owner
Long-haul driver and crew lead on most of our out of the state jobs. Milan co-founded Blue Crab Moving and still loads, drives, and unloads the same shipment from the DMV pickup to your front door, so the same hands that wrap your furniture set it down at the destination.
DMV cities where we move apartments
We serve every city below. Each city page covers the local permits, neighborhoods, and quirks our crews handle on every apartment pickup.
Apartment from Gaithersburg
Maryland
Apartment from Baltimore
Maryland
Apartment from Annapolis
Maryland
Apartment from Bethesda
Maryland
Apartment from Silver Spring
Maryland
Apartment from Rockville
Maryland
Apartment from Columbia
Maryland
Apartment from Frederick
Maryland
Apartment from Washington D.C.
District of Columbia
Apartment from Arlington
Virginia
Apartment from Alexandria
Virginia
Apartment from Martinsburg
West Virginia
Apartment from Charles Town
West Virginia
Apartment from Harpers Ferry
West Virginia
Apartment from Shepherdstown
West Virginia
Why hire Blue Crab for an apartment move?
- 12+ years moving DMV apartments: Bethesda high-rises, Arlington and Crystal City towers, Capitol Hill walk-ups, Federal Hill rowhouse conversions, Reston and Tysons mid-rises
- Federally licensed and insured: USDOT 4539918, MC 1801440 (verifiable on FMCSA SAFER), with general liability and workers' comp on every job
- We send your building's Certificate of Insurance 5+ days ahead and reserve the freight elevator window so you are not turned away at the lobby
- Same crew start to finish, with floor runners and wall protectors in the lobby and corridor before a single piece comes out
- Binding hourly rate. No surprise creep when the freight elevator queue runs long
- We pull Baltimore BCDOT and D.C. DDOT street permits when your block needs one, included in the binding quote
Apartment moving FAQ
Do you handle the Certificate of Insurance for my DMV apartment building?
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Yes. We send the COI to property management at both buildings (origin and destination) at least 5 days before move day, naming the building, management company, and any required additional insureds. Most DMV apartment buildings (Bethesda, Arlington, Crystal City, Tysons, Capitol Hill, Old Town) require this. We do it for every apartment booking at no charge.
Can you move me out of a DMV walk-up apartment?
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Yes. Walk-ups are part of our regular rotation, especially in older DC, Baltimore, and Alexandria buildings. We add a flight charge per crew member per flight above the second floor, bring the right dollies and rigging, and confirm during the walkthrough whether your largest piece can clear the stair turns. King-size mattresses and oversized sectionals sometimes need to come out a window with a hoist — we have done it many times.
Will you reserve the freight elevator and dock window?
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Yes. Once you confirm the move, we contact property management at both buildings to reserve the freight elevator and the loading dock. Some Bethesda and Arlington buildings limit moves to weekday business hours and end-of-month restrictions; we work around that and confirm in writing before move day.
Do you pull a street permit for my DC or Baltimore rowhouse apartment?
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Yes. We pull Baltimore BCDOT and Washington D.C. DDOT moving-truck permits and post the no-park signs 48 hours ahead. The permit fee is built into the binding quote, not a surprise add-on. Without a permit on a tight rowhouse block, the truck competes for street parking and you pay us to walk an extra hundred feet every load.
How early should I book my DMV apartment move?
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For end-of-month dates and the entire May-September peak season, book 4-6 weeks ahead. For the August 31 / September 1 grad-school weekend, book 6-8 weeks ahead. For off-peak weekday moves, 7-10 days is usually enough. Same-day apartment moves are available subject to crew availability.
How much does it cost to move a 1-bedroom apartment?
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Typical 1-bedroom apartment moves run $600 to $1,500 depending on stairs, distance, and packing scope. Three factors drive the high end: walk-up flights above the second floor ($100-$200 per flight per crew member), full packing service ($300-$600 for a typical 1-bedroom inventory), and long-carry distances when the truck has to park more than 100 feet from the entrance. Three factors keep it lower: elevator-accessible buildings, weekday off-peak scheduling outside the May-September peak season, and self-packing of non-fragile boxes. Most 1-bedroom moves with elevator access wrap in 3-4 hours with a 2- or 3-person crew. Every quote is binding before move day, the COI is sent to your building 5+ days ahead at no charge, and the freight elevator window is reserved for you.
Do you handle the COI to my apartment building?
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Yes. We send the certificate of insurance to property management at least 5 days before move day for both buildings (origin and destination). Most buildings need the COI naming them as additional insured. We do this for every apartment booking.
Can you move me out of a walk-up?
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Yes. Walk-ups are part of our regular rotation, especially in older DC and Baltimore buildings. We add a flight charge per crew member per flight above the second floor, and we bring the right dollies and rigging. Pianos and oversized furniture in walk-ups sometimes need a hoist out the window — we've done it many times.
How early should I book my apartment move?
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Book 30-45 days ahead for end-of-month dates and the entire May-September peak season. 7-10 days ahead is usually fine for off-peak weekday moves. Same-day apartment moves are available subject to crew availability.
Will you handle the freight elevator booking?
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Yes. Once you confirm the move, we contact property management at both buildings to reserve the freight elevator and the loading dock window. Some buildings limit moves to weekday business hours; we work around that.
Can you also pack my apartment?
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Yes. We offer full and partial packing as add-ons, with materials sized for typical apartment kitchens, closets, and bedrooms. Most customers do a full pack the day before move day.
Do you do same-day apartment moves?
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Sometimes, depending on crew availability. Same-day bookings run 15-25% higher than scheduled rates. Call us early in the day if you need it; we'll tell you yes or no within 30 minutes.
What if my new apartment isn't ready yet?
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We can store your inventory at our Maryland storage facility for 1-30+ days and deliver when your new place is ready. Pricing runs $0.50-$1.00 per cubic foot per month plus a one-time loading and one-time delivery fee. Often cheaper than asking the truck to wait.
Related reading from the Crab Shack
Tactical how-tos from 12+ years of moving DMV families. The same playbooks our crews run.
Crab Shack
Pack Like You've Done This Before
A field guide to packing your home like a professional. Photo tricks, supply list, and strategic packing order.
Read playbookCrab Shack
Your Move-Day Grab Bag: 13 Things Within Reach
The 13-item essentials bag that keeps move day running smoothly and what to do when the truck arrives.
Read playbookCrab Shack
Unpack Less, Feel Settled Faster
The counterintuitive day-after unpacking playbook. Why you shouldn't unpack everything and which boxes to skip.
Read playbookOur Rates
Starting from. Off-peak weekdays.
from
$100/hr
2 Movers + Truck
from
$140/hr
3 Movers + Truck
from
$180/hr
4 Movers + Truck
1st Month Free*
*ask if you qualify
from
$49/mo
Storage
Weekends, end-of-month, summer, and holidays run higher. Real quote always wins.
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Long distance? We move anywhere in the US.
Truck, Pod, or furniture handling. We do it all and then some.
What our customers say
Real words from customers we've moved across the DMV and beyond.
“Absolutely phenomenal service! The Blue Crab team arrived on time, wrapped everything carefully, and had us moved in by early afternoon.”
“Moving from DC to Virginia was stressful enough, but these guys made it seamless. Professional, friendly, and incredibly efficient.”
“We've moved 4 times in 10 years and this was BY FAR the best experience. Fair pricing, no hidden fees, and they treated our antiques with extra care.”