National Van Lines Review: Cost, Services, Reputation

Here’s the bottom line: National Van Lines is a well-established full-service American moving company known as one of the best for interstate moves. Whether you are embarking on a cross-country, or even international move, National Van Lines has an excellent reputation for getting the job done.

National Van Lines isn’t just highly rated by us, but also by the hundreds of happy customers on the Better Business Bureau website. They are highly rated by the BBB (they currently have an A+ rating) for long-distance moves.

Most happy customers love the full-service aspect of National Van Lines, reporting that they booked the company to help pack their items prior to loading them into the truck. Many report that their move happened on schedule, and that items were packed carefully—arriving at their destination in one piece.

National Van Lines isn’t the cheapest moving company, but many reviews note that the services provided by the moving company go above and beyond and are well worth the higher price.

In this National Van Lines Moving review post, we’ll cover the general costs of moving with NVL, what to expect come moving day, and tips to avoid some common issues.

But first, let’s check to see if National Van Lines is the right choice for your move.

Pros and cons of moving with National Van Lines

Key takeaways

• National Van Lines (US DOT: 76628) provides full-service long-distance moves at very competitive pricing.
• Whether you need help packing or unpacking your household goods (or both) NVL has you covered.
• They have excellent customer service ratings, but when you work with National Van Lines, you may not always be working directly with their agents because they are an FMCSA moving broker.
• National Van Lines can provide short term storage during your move, but do not expect them to store items more than a few days.

Jump to the National Van Lines info you’re looking for:

• National Van Lines pricing: How much it costs to move
• National Van Lines offers a wide variety of services
• How National Van Lines stacks up against the competition
• How moving with National Van Lines works
• National Van Lines is perfect for customers who…
• FAQ

National Van Lines pricing: How much it costs to move

One thing customers love about NVL is the ability to submit for a free quote online. You will need to provide your contact information in order to receive your quote.

The quotes given online are non-binding, and a National Van Lines agent will need to contact you before providing a binding estimate.

National Van Lines has transparent pricing, and while some customer reviews report that they ended up paying more than their estimate, it is almost always because they underestimated how much stuff they had.

If you live in an area with a local agent, it is recommended to request a walk-through quote to ensure NVL can accurately quote the cost of your move.

National Van Lines does tend to cost more than other companies in the moving industry, however customers love their experience with National Van Lines and report that it is worth every penny.

It is recommended to purchase extra insurance if you are utilizing National Van Lines’ packing services, as customers report on Yelp that the base insurance package doesn’t cover the cost of broken items. Although most customers have no issue with broken items, those that do are often caught unaware as they didn’t read what the basic insurance covered.

So when you request your quote, it might be a good idea to include the extra insurance as part of your quote from National Van Lines. Their prices vary widely depending on the move, so be sure to check out our moving cost calculator to see if National Van Lines is the right choice for you.

National Van Lines offers a wide variety of services

National Van Lines is based in Chicago, Illinois and offers several full-service options to make the moving process a breeze. Customers on Yelp found them to be professional, quick, and communicative.

• • Local Moving: They have local agents that provide customized local moving services. All items loaded on the truck are added to a full inventory list during pick up. Expedited options are available. If you want to work with a local company, check out our list of the best local moving companies.
  • Long-Distance Moves: Interstate and cross-country moving services are available nationwide, even last minute. While National Van Lines can handle these, they didn’t make the top 5 for our best interstate movers or best long distance movers.
  • International Moves: They have secured licensure as a Federal Maritime Commission as a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC). They are also a certified Registered International Mover (RIM). Shipment tracking is available on all international moves, which are completed by air or sea. Those moving internationally are encouraged to select the Extended Protection Program to cover lost or damaged items. Here’s our list of the best international moving companies.
  • Commercial Moving: They offer customized relocation services for businesses of all sizes using movers that are all background checked. The operations team has expertise in logistics and they have handled many special projects for medical facilities, the hospitality industry, and more.
  • Packing and Unpacking: National Van Lines offers professional packing and unpacking services as part of their full-service moving programs for both residential and commercial customers.
  • Specialty Services: They offer specialty services including piano and pool table moving, customized crating, and vehicle transport.
  • Storage: Agents can offer temporary in-transit storage services and warehouse storage options with climate-controlled unit availability.
  • Government and Military Moves: They have many years of experience in meeting General Service Administration standards and regularly handle military relocations for the Department of Defense (DOD). Here’s our guide on choosing the best military moving companies.

How National Van Lines stacks up against the competition

There are many reasons movers choose National Van Lines compared to Safeway and American Van Lines, two of our other best interstate moving companies. One Yelp reviewer chose NVL because she had to move 400 miles and had a hard time finding movers who serviced her area. NVL showed up on time, packed her items like pros, and got her all moved into her new home with no issues!

Another Yelp reviewer chose NVL because she had to move delicate art works from a storage unit to a home across the country. She loved NVL’s professionalism, especially when she had to change a few things just days before the move resulting in an all new quote needing to be generated at the last minute!

Whether you are moving across the city or from Oregon to Florida, the customer satisfaction ratings for National Van Lines don’t lie, they work their hardest to ensure customers are happy when their move is done!

How moving with National Van Lines works

National Van Lines works hard to ensure every move goes as planned. Let’s take a look at what the moving process with National Van Lines looks like.

Getting a Quote

The National Van Lines website has everything you need to get a free quote and then some. You’ll fill out a few boxes, and lease your phone number and an agent will call you with your preliminary non-binding quote.

Before you can receive a binding quote, you will need to set up a FaceTime with your moving coordinator. You will walk them through your home and they will estimate the weight of your items. If you live in an area directly served by NVL, an agent will come to your property and conduct an in person walk through.

In some cases, you will be given a quote on the day you have the FaceTime walk through, but some customers may have to wait a few days for their quote. This is because NVL is a contract mover, meaning they may contract another company to help you with your move.

In these cases, your move coordinator will make a few phone calls and get back to you once a company has picked up your move. The benefit of this is that National Van Lines is one of the few companies which can book last minute moves because they aren’t relying on the availability of their own employees to facilitate the move.

Once you have decided to use National Van Lines, you will sign a binding quote locking in your amount (except for unforeseen issues like requiring a shuttle service for your items).

As of 2023, National Van Lines doesn’t require a deposit for most of their moves.

Moving with National Van Lines

When your move date draws near, a National Van Lines agent will give you a call to confirm all of the details. If you have booked their packing services, then there is nothing you need to do until move day.

On move day, the company specified by your agent will arrive to expertly take apart and pack your items. They will take special care with large and delicate items. They will then load the truck and begin the drive to your new home.

While your items are in transit, you can use the Movement Tracker on www.nationalvanlines.com to track your move. This service isn’t available for all moves, but you can always call your moving coordinator for an update on your items.

When your items arrive at your new home, the moving crew will help you unload. If you have booked unpacking services, they will complete these as well and will also reassemble your furniture.

Most customers with National Van Lines report that they worked with the same team throughout their entire move, though it is possible you will have different companies helping you pack and unpack depending on the distance of your move. Either way, your moving coordinator will be with you every step of the way.

If you would rather work with a company that directly handles all aspects of your move, take a look at our best interstate movers page for some alternative options.

National Van Lines is perfect for people who…

Those making cross-country or long-distance moves who want full-service help with every aspect of their move should consider National Van Lines. NVL is perfect for customers who

• • • Are making an interstate or international move
    • Have a confirmed moving date and won’t need long-term storage options.
    • Want a full-service move (and don’t wish to do any of the loading/unloading or packing themselves)
    • Don’t mind that they aren’t working directly with National Van Lines

Because National Van Lines is a moving broker with contracted companies all over the country, they’re able to get you a competitive price on your move, even if you book at the last minute.

Just remember to give as much information as you can about your move to your agent up front, as it can be difficult to change aspects of your move when working with a moving broker like National Van Lines.

While NVL is considered one of the better North American moving companies, we highly recommend purchasing the extra insurance protection when you work with them, as most of the negative reviews are due to the basic insurance policy not covering an item damaged during a move.

Remember: When looking for a moving company, it’s critical to take a look at all the available options, compare costs, and get instant moving quotes from multiple professional movers before making your final decision.

National Van Lines FAQ

What is the difference between a van line and a moving company?

In general, a moving company only handles local moves, while van lines handle cross-country moves, though sometimes they will handle both, as National Van Lines does.

Does National Van Lines handle local moves?

National Van Lines does offer local and long-distance moving services, however their local moving services aren’t available in all metropolitan areas. For example they don’t offer local moves in the New York City area.

Is National Van Lines insured?

National Van Lines is insured, however the basic policy offered may not completely cover the costs of damages to your items so it is recommended to purchase the additional coverage offered.