Complete Local Moving Company Setup Checklist
☐ 1. Business Setup & Legal Requirements
☐ Choose a business name and legal structure
- Choose a name that sounds trustworthy and local.
Example: “Philly Muscle Movers” or “Garden State Haulers” - Register as an LLC (recommended for liability protection) using your state’s business portal.
Example: In New Jersey, use njportal.com to register.
☐ Apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number)
- Apply online for free at irs.gov.
- Needed to open a business bank account, pay employees, and file taxes.
☐ Get a local business license and permits
- Contact your city/county clerk’s office.
Example: In Philadelphia, you’ll need a Commercial Activity License from the Department of Licenses & Inspections. - Ensure zoning compliance if operating out of a garage or commercial warehouse.
☐ Apply for mover-specific state licenses if required
- Some states require permits for intrastate moves.
Example: California requires a PUC license; New York requires NYDOT registration. - Interstate movers need a USDOT number from the FMCSA.
Apply at fmcsa.dot.gov- Add DOT and company name visibly on all vehicles in 2-inch lettering.
☐ 2. Insurance & Compliance
☐ Purchase commercial auto insurance
- Covers liability, collision, and vehicle damage
- Include coverage for non-owned vehicles if subcontracting drivers.
Example: A policy through Progressive for a 16-ft box truck might run $2,000–$5,000 annually.
☐ Get general liability insurance
- Covers property damage or bodily injury during moves (e.g., scratched hardwood floors or broken banisters).
- Consider bundling with business owner’s policy (BOP) for savings.
☐ Buy cargo insurance
- Protects customer items in transit, a must-have for credibility and for large jobs.
Coverage amounts often range from $5,000–$50,000 per vehicle.
☐ Purchase workers’ compensation insurance (if hiring employees)
- Mandatory in most states even for part-time or temporary movers.
- Protects your business from claims if an employee gets hurt on the job.
☐ Understand DOT compliance for operations
- Track driver hours and vehicle inspections.
- Keep logs of truck maintenance, fuel usage, and accident history.
☐ 3. Financial & Business Planning
☐ Write a business plan with clear goals
- Identify services offered:
E.g., local residential moves, apartment moves, furniture disassembly, packing services, small office relocations. - Startup cost example breakdown:
- Truck lease: $500/month
- Equipment: $2,000
- Uniforms & branding: $500
- Insurance: $3,500/year
- CRM (Moverbase): starts at $0 and scales with your needs
☐ Open a business bank account
- Choose banks with free checking and online bill pay.
Example: Chase Business Complete or BlueVine. - Link your account to Moverbase to track invoice payments.
☐ Set up bookkeeping software
- Use QuickBooks or Wave Accounting.
- Connect with Moverbase to auto-sync invoices and track job payments and tax categories.
☐ 4. Equipment & Tools
☐ Purchase or lease a moving truck
- Recommended starting size: 16–20 ft box truck with a loading ramp or liftgate.
Used truck: $20,000–$30,000; Lease: $450–$700/month from Penske or Enterprise. - Wrap your truck with branding and contact info (e.g., vinyl decals: $800–$2,000).
☐ Buy essential moving tools
- Must-have equipment:
☐ Hand trucks
☐ Appliance dollies
☐ Moving blankets (50+)
☐ Tie-down straps
☐ Shrink wrap and tape
☐ Tool kits (for disassembly/assembly) - Buy from suppliers like ULINE, Home Depot, or Amazon.
☐ Provide uniforms and ID for staff
- Logoed t-shirts, gloves, name tags = professional image and trust
Cost: ~$20 per uniform set per mover.
☐ 5. Set Up Moverbase (CRM & Job Management)
☐ Create your Moverbase account
- Go to moverbase.com
- Choose the Local Mover template to get pre-loaded service types, schedules, and forms.
☐ Set up services and rate structures
- Examples:
- 2 movers + truck: $145/hour (2-hour minimum)
- Packing service: $60/hour per packer
- Travel fee: $35 (outside 20-mile radius)
- Add flat-rate long-distance services if offered.
☐ Add branding and contact info
- Upload your company logo
- Enter phone, address, service zip codes
- Enable text message confirmations (SMS)
☐ Embed online quote form into your website
- Clients can request quotes 24/7
- Form auto-feeds directly into Moverbase dashboard
Example: Website form sends lead data → you send estimate within 5 mins.
☐ Customize estimate and email templates
- Add terms & conditions, policies, payment details
- Create automatic follow-ups for abandoned quotes
☐ Set up Stripe or Square for payments
- Collect deposits and final payments digitally
- Reduce no-shows with pre-job deposits
☐ Use the dispatch calendar to manage crews
- Schedule jobs by drag-and-drop
- Assign movers and vehicles with time windows
- Color-code jobs by status (quote, booked, dispatched, completed)
☐ 6. Hiring & Training Movers
☐ Hire your first movers and drivers
- Look for:
- Strong communication
- Clean driving record
- Ability to lift 100+ lbs safely
- Post job ads on Indeed, Craigslist, and local community boards
☐ Train your team thoroughly
- Customer service: greetings, problem-solving, upsells
- Packing and lifting technique: safe and efficient
- How to use Moverbase Mobile: clock in/out, update job status, collect e-signatures
☐ Document SOPs and protocols
- Create a manual for:
☐ Morning truck inspection
☐ Arrival checklist
☐ Item condition reporting
☐ End-of-day debriefing and equipment check
☐ 7. Marketing & Customer Acquisition
☐ Build a website with quote integration
- Include:
☐ Services & pricing
☐ Testimonials
☐ “Get Quote” form (linked to Moverbase)
☐ Blog (moving tips = SEO boost)
☐ Register Google Business Profile
- Add photos of jobs, team, truck, logo
- Ask every client to leave a 5-star review
- Respond to reviews to boost rankings
☐ Create a social media presence
- Post:
☐ Behind-the-scenes moving jobs
☐ Client shout-outs
☐ Promotions or last-minute availability - Run low-cost Facebook ads targeted by ZIP code
☐ Build referral relationships
- Leave flyers with real estate agents, apartment managers, storage units
- Offer $25–$50 per referral
“Refer a friend and get a Visa gift card” campaign
☐ 8. Managing Moves with Moverbase
☐ Create digital estimates and contracts
- Email quotes that can be signed and paid online
- Add job notes and special requests (e.g., stairs, piano)
☐ Assign crews and track them in real time
- Use GPS check-in via Moverbase mobile
- Monitor job start/end time and truck usage
☐ Collect digital signatures and payments
- Crew uses mobile app to:
☐ Get client signature
☐ Take photos of completed move
☐ Mark job as complete
☐ Send automated review requests and thank-you emails
- Sample: “Thanks for choosing Philly Muscle Movers – leave us a Google review!”
- Offer 10% off next move for review submissions
☐ 9. Growth & Optimization
☐ Review business performance monthly
- Track:
☐ Revenue per job
☐ Quote conversion rate
☐ Top referral sources - Use Moverbase reports or export to spreadsheets
☐ Scale services and fleet
- Add second truck when demand exceeds 15–20 jobs/month
- Consider expanding to nearby cities
- Offer new services (junk removal, storage)
☐ Automate and delegate
- Hire a dispatcher or virtual assistant
- Set up automated email drip campaigns using Moverbase + Mailchimp
