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Are You Licensed to Practice as a Moving Company in Chicago?

The Illinois Commerce Commission regulates the activities of individuals and businesses that engage in the transportation of household property in Chicago. Per the requirements of this agency, movers in Chicago must possess a Household Goods License before they can legally perform moving activities. To obtain this license, interested parties will be required to complete and submit a Motor Carrier of Property License Application - Household Goods Form to:

Household goods license applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements, including paying a non-refundable application fee, providing proof of insurance, submitting a financial statement, and providing any additional documentation that the commission may require. Applicants must also attend a seminar and pass a test to demonstrate their knowledge of the commission's regulatory requirements for moving companies before being issued the requested household goods license. Likewise, moving companies that wish to provide storage services may also be required to undergo a separate Personal Property Storage Registration process with the commission by completing a Personal Property Warehouse Registration Form and mailing it to the address provided above.

You can get additional information on the licensing process and the regulatory requirements for moving companies in Chicago by calling the Illinois Commerce Commission at (217) 782-4654 and pressing option one. Inquiries can also be made online or by contacting the commission's Chicago office at:

It should be noted that while the licensing of moving companies in Chicago is handled at the state level, these parties must also obtain locally issued business licenses from the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection before operating in the city. These licenses can be obtained in person by contacting the department at (312) 744-6249 and subsequently submitting a completed Business Information Sheet or online via the Chicago Business Direct portal.

Business license applicants may be required to meet other business requirements, such as registering with the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Illinois Secretary of State, and the IRS. Inquiries on the Chicago business licensing and registration process can be directed to the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection or Small Business Center at (312) 744- 6060 and (312) 744-6249, respectively.

Before hiring any movers in Chicago, you should always confirm they have met all relevant regulatory requirements. You can verify city-issued business licenses online via the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection's Business License Look-up portal. You can also verify state-issued household goods licenses online via the Illinois Commerce Commission's Motor Carrier Information System Entity Search platform. Note that if your relocation involves a move out of the State of Illinois, you should always confirm that your mover has been registered with the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Administration of the United States Department of Transportation to provide interstate moving services via this agency's online search portal.

How Much Do You Charge Compared with Other Movers in Chicago?

A good way to determine that the moving company you intend to hire is the right fit for the job is by finding out how much they charge for their services. Certain factors generally influence the total charges that you will have to pay for moving activities in Chicago, and these include:

• The distance of the move
• The number of movers involved
• The moving date
• The size/volume of the items being moved
• Accessibility to the moving locations
• The inclusion of specialty items like pianos and tubs or additional services like packing and storage

Note that, per the requirements of the Illinois Commerce Commission, Chicago moving costs are generally calculated in two ways:

• Charges for moves that are less than 35 miles or are entirely within Cook and DuPage Counties are calculated based on the number of workers and the total amount of time involved in the moving activities
• Charges for moves that are more than 35 miles or outside Cook and DuPage Counties are calculated based on the total weight of the shipment and the distance of the move.

Regardless of the calculation method being used, it is always a good idea to get written estimates from several licensed movers in the city and compare these costs before making your final hiring decision. However, it should be noted that the lowest cost estimate does not automatically translate to the best hiring choice, and you should always consider other factors like the mover's reputation and the condition of their facilities. Also, make sure that the persons providing the estimates see every item to be moved before doing so and that these written estimates are issued before the move starts.

Chicago's transportation and material moving workers earn an average annual wage of $43,380. 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 the State of Illinois as well as several other major cities in the country:

Will You Get a Moving Permit as Required by Chicago Regulations?

Chicago does not issue moving-specific permits. Nonetheless, individuals wishing to embark on relocation activities may be required to obtain a Parking Moving Van Permit from the city's Department of Transportation, especially when a large moving van or truck will be used for these activities. These permits allow holders to park moving vans or trucks in front of specified addresses for a stipulated time without receiving city-issued citations. They also ensure that other vehicles are not parked in the permit-reserved spaces during the validity period of the permits.

Note that parking moving van permits are typically only issued to licensed movers registered with the Chicago Department of Transportation. Eligible parties wishing to obtain these permits may do so via the department's Online Permit Portal. Homeowners can also get free "No Parking" signs for their moves by contacting their local alderman's office. However, it should be noted that these signs are not enforceable by law and do not guarantee that the required parking space will be preserved or available on the day of the move.

Parties requesting "no parking" signs from their local alderman's office are generally advised to do so at least 48 hours before their intended move. Likewise, requests for enforceable paring moving van permits must be made no later than five days before the planned move. Inquiries and additional information concerning the issuance of parking permits in Chicago can be directed to the city's Department of Transportation at:

What Kind of Moving Services Do You Offer?

Moving companies in Chicago provide a wide range of services, which can be broadly grouped into three categories, namely residential moving services, commercial moving services, and specialty moving services. Residential and commercial moving services involve relocation from one residential dwelling or office location to another, and they include intra-city/short-distance moves, inter-city/long-distance moves, interstate moves, and international relocations. On the other hand, specialty moving services involve add-on services like item packing and unpacking, furniture installation or assembly, and goods storage services.

To this end, you should always confirm that the moving company you intend to employ not only offers your required type of moving service but is duly equipped to provide this service satisfactorily. Get verbal confirmation on this from the company, and where possible, request an inspection of their moving vehicles and facilities to make sure that they are adequate for the nature and scope of your move. Finally, get an estimate of the company's rates and charges for your intended move before you finalize any agreements with them. Note that you should consider it a red flag if the moving company provides this estimate before visually inspecting the items that must be moved.

Cost estimates for some services that are commonly offered by movers in Chicago are provided below:

Do You Provide Packing and Storage Services?

Depending on the nature and scope of your moving activities, you may require packing and storage services before or after the actual move. In such situations, hiring a professional moving company offering these services is always a good idea instead of outsourcing them to a different company. Doing this not only makes your moving experience easier but also limits the margin for errors and problems during the move by ensuring that a single entity handles the entire process. Some common situations where relocating homeowners in Chicago typically require storage services include:

• Their new homes are not ready yet
• They have too many extra items lying around and need time to declutter
• They wish to move their items to their new location slowly and at their own pace
• They want to keep their things in a safe and secure place before or after the move

Whatever your reason for needing packing and storage services, you should always confirm that your moving company can provide your required services. Professional moving companies in Chicago offer several types of packing options, such as:

• Full packing/unpacking: this involves the movers handling the entire packing and unpacking process and typically covers all items that are being moved
• Partial packing/unpacking: this involves the movers packing or unpacking only specified items
• Self-packing/unpacking: this involves the homeowner packing their items themselves, with the movers blanket-wrapping them for transit, providing packing materials where requested, and placing the packed boxes in the right locations before the homeowner unpacks them

Always find out how items will be handled during the packing process as well as when they are in storage. It is also advisable to check out the company's storage facility beforehand and make sure that it is adequate and safe enough to keep your items in good condition. Finally, some movers include the cost of packing and storage in their total charges, while some charge separately for these services, so you should always get confirmation on this from your preferred moving company.

What is an Appropriate Tip for Your Movers in Chicago?

Moving can be a very stressful and energy-consuming experience, and thus, it is customary to show appreciation to movers who satisfactorily perform this job by tipping them. Although the common standard for tipping movers in Chicago is $5 - $10 per crew member per hour, you can also find out from your moving company what they consider an appropriate tipping amount for their movers.

It is important to note that tipping is not mandatory, and you are not under any obligation to do so. Nonetheless, if you decide to tip your movers, you should consider the following factors when determining how much to offer them:

• The complexity of the move.
• Their general demeanor
• Their punctuality
• How well they treated your items

If you are unsatisfied with the work done by the movers, if they were rude, cold, or disrespectful, or if any of your items are damaged during the move, then it is very unlikely that you will tip them. Regardless of whether you decide to do so or not, you should always make sure that you report matters like these to your moving company.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Movers in Chicago?

Road crashes are estimated to cost Americans more than $380 million in direct medical costs every year. In 2020 alone, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 1,282 fatal occupational injuries and 205,580 non-fatal injuries among transportation and material-moving workers across the country. Ensuring your intended moving company is adequately insured and bonded insulates you from liabilities if any work-related injuries or accidents occur during your move. These liabilities include bearing the cost of treating these injuries, paying for damaged items, and even possible lawsuits.

To this end, you should always ensure that any mover you intend to hire in Chicago has met all the mandatory insurance requirements laid forth by the Illinois Commerce Commission as part of its regulatory requirements. These requirements include:

• Carrying public liability and property damage insurance with a minimum amount of $750,000
• Carrying cargo insurance with a minimum amount of $10,000
• Carrying workers' compensation insurance, where applicable, to cover job-related injuries for their employees

Always request a copy of your intended mover's insurance certificate and contact their insurance provider to verify the validity of this document. Note that any active homeowners' or renters' insurance policy you may hold does not extend to damages that may occur during your move. As such, you should always find out the extent of your mover's coverage from their insurance provider and whether it will be enough for the specific nature and scope of your move. You can also contact the Illinois Commerce Commission online or by calling (217) 782-4654 and pressing option one to get additional information on its mandatory insurance requirements for movers that operate in Chicago. Inquiries can also be made in person at the commission's Chicago office located at:

Can You Provide References or Recommendations in Chicago?

Before hiring any movers in Chicago, make sure that they provide you with references or letters of recommendation from past clients who can vouch for the quality of their services. Professional and reputable moving companies in the city do not hesitate to provide interested parties with this information; consider it a red flag if the moving company you are in talks with either cannot or is unwilling to do so. This usually indicates that their services are subpar, and you should strongly consider hiring another moving company.

Note that some moving companies publish reviews and testimonials from past clients on their official websites, and they may point you to these when you request references or recommendations. However, it is always a good idea to ask them for references you can contact to get first-hand accounts of their relocation experiences with the moving company in question.