How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Moving Truck?

It is a well-known fact that renting a moving truck is one of the cheapest ways to move house. Just how cheap is it though? How much does a rental truck cost? Are there any additional charges and fees? What about taxes and insurance?

There is no doubt that the cost of renting a moving truck is lower than the cost of hiring a professional moving company. Yet, if you’re not aware of all possible charges and don’t understand how the truck rental cost is estimated, you may be quite surprised with the final price.

To be able to make a realistic budget for your DIY-move and avoid unpleasant financial surprises, you need to know exactly how much it will cost you to rent a truck.

As a general rule, moving truck rental prices are based on the size of the vehicle and the number of days for which it is rented, but other factors (mileage, move date, accessorial equipment, etc.) also come into play.

The only way to get an accurate number is to get quotes from several reputable truck rental companies and compare the rates, but the in-depth information below will give you a good idea of what to expect – and will help you get the best deals on moving truck rentals.

Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about moving truck rental costs.

Average cost of moving truck rental 

The average cost to rent a moving truck ranges from $20 (for the smallest vans) to $100 (for larger vehicles) per day.

There is, however, a big difference between the daily rental rate of a moving vehicle and the total cost to rent that vehicle for a day – the final price is calculated by adding all applicable charges and taxes to the base rental fee. The complete formula looks like this:

Final truck rental price = Rental fee + Mileage fee (for local moves) + Gas refill (fuel costs) + Environmental fee + Insurance costs + Cost of requested additional equipment + Taxes

Here is a full breakdown of the factors that determine the total moving truck rental cost:

1) The rental truck cost per day depends on the size of the vehicle – the smaller the truck, the cheaper the rental:

• Smaller trucks (10 ft., 12 ft.) typically cost around $20-$30 per day;
• Mid-sized trucks (14 ft., 15 ft., 16 ft., 17 ft.) are about $40 per day;
• Larger vehicles (20 ft., 22 ft.) can cost anywhere from $40 to $80 per day;
• The biggest trucks (24 ft., 26 ft.) run between $60 and $100 per day.

Depending on the truck rental company though, the daily rates for some truck sizes can be much lower or way higher.

2) The final rental truck price is based on the duration of the move (the number of days for which the vehicle is rented) – Depending on the distance between your old home and your new one, you may need to rent a moving truck for a couple of days or for over a week – and the rental company will charge you the daily rental fee for every 24 hours.

So, how far you’re moving will have a great impact on your final bill.

3) The moving truck rental cost is contingent on the type of the move (local or long-distance):

• When moving locally, you’ll have to pay a mileage fee – anywhere from $0.59 to $1 per mile. However, you’ll only need to rent a truck for a day and will be able to pick it up and drop it off at the same location. Therefore, renting a truck for a local move usually won’t cost you more than $300;
• When moving long distance, there will be no mileage fee, but the rental company will likely give you an allotted number of miles you have to stay under (you can purchase extra mileage if you need to). Your relocation will take several days and you’ll need to drop off the vehicle at a different location from where you picked it up. Hence, the cost of renting a moving truck for a cross-country move may go up to $5,000.

You’ll find more details on how much it costs to rent a moving truck for a local move and for a long-distance move later in the post.

4) Moving truck rates vary depending on the move date – The higher the customer demand, the higher the rates. Renting a truck during peak moving season (late spring and summer), at the beginning and end of a month, around holidays, or on a weekend will cost you more than renting a truck during a less busy period.

5) The moving truck cost goes up with add-ons – Additional supplies come at an extra cost, so any moving equipment and accessories, packing materials, etc. that you request for your move will increase the truck rental cost.

The pickup and drop-off locations, the route popularity, and the type of insurance coverage you choose will also affect the final price.

Be aware that there may be some additional fees as well and you may be required to pay a deposit to reserve an appropriate size moving truck for the preferred date of your move.

Also, when budgeting for your self-move, keep in mind that in addition to the truck rental cost, you’ll also have to pay for fuel and parking fees, as well as for road tolls and meals and lodgings on the way (in the event of a cross-country move). (See also: Forgotten costs of moving on your own)

How much does it cost to rent a moving truck for a local move?

Local moving truck rental prices are quite affordable – base rental fees start at $19.95 and the additional costs (such as mileage, environmental fees, and taxes) are not too high. All in all, the typical cost to rent a moving truck for a local move is between $150 and $300.

There are several cost factors to be considered when it comes to local truck rentals:

• Daily truck rental rate (base rate) – the set amount of money you need to pay for the truck for one day. As detailed above, the typical rates are about $19.99-$29.99 per day for smaller trucks and about $39.99-$79.99 per day for larger trucks (daily rates are likely to be higher during peak season);
• Mileage fee – For local moves, rental companies charge a mileage fee on top of the base rental fee. Prices fluctuate depending on location and move date, but the typical mileage rate is $0.69-$0.79 per mile on weekdays and $0.99 per mile on weekends;
• Insurance coverage (optional) – Insurance costs vary depending on the level of protection you want, but you should expect to pay between $20 and $40 for insurance*;
• Environmental fee – the fee you pay to cover the recycling costs associated with your rented moving truck. It is usually between $1 and $5;
• Taxes – Taxes can be anywhere from 6 to 10 percent of the total cost of the rental, depending on your location;
• Charges for additional supplies (if any) –  You will be charged extra if you use any accessorial moving equipment and/or packing supplies (moving dollies, furniture sliders and furniture pads, moving blankets, moving straps, moving boxes, wrapping and padding materials, etc.) provided by the truck rental company;
• Fuel refill – You need to return the truck with the same amount of gas it had when you picked it up. The cost of refilling the tank is yours to pay;
• Deposit (usually $100) – The deposit is fully refundable as long as you bring the truck back on time and in the same condition as it was when you picked it up.

* When renting a moving truck, you need personal protection, cargo protection, truck protection, and liability insurance. Most personal insurance policies (auto insurance, home insurance, etc.) don’t provide enough coverage, so you’ll most probably need to purchase supplemental insurance from the rental company. There are different protection plans available, so you need to ask your chosen truck rental agency what types of insurance it offers and choose the coverage option that best suits your needs.

How much does it cost to rent a moving truck for a long-distance move?

Cross-country moves cost rental truck companies more because of the greater mileage, associated wear and tear, and various other factors – therefore, the cost of renting a moving truck for a long-distance move is much higher than the cost of renting a vehicle for a local move. The average truck rental cost for intrastate moves is $2,000-$3,000.

When moving long distance, you need to pick up the moving truck at a location near your old home, use it to transport your belongings to your new address, and return it at another location near your new home. Known as one-way rental, this is an extremely convenient system for renting a truck for a long-distance move. It is also quite expensive.

Let’s take a look at the cost factors for one way moving truck rentals:

• Rental truck fee – dependent on the size of the truck, as detailed above;
• Time and mileage – One-way rental policies usually include a set number of miles and days based on the distance of the move (there are rental truck companies that offer free unlimited mileage on one-way moves). In most cases, the miles and days included in your quote will be more than enough for you to safely complete your move, but you can buy extra days and miles if you think you’ll need them. If you don’t return the truck on time though (or exceed the mileage limit stated in the rental agreement), you’ll be charged an extra fee;
• Insurance coverage – Depending on the protection plan you choose, truck rental insurance costs can range up to a few hundred dollars;
• Environmental fee – about $5-$9;
• Taxes – You can expect to pay several hundred dollars in taxes on a one-way rental;
• Equipment rentals – The charges for any moving supplies and accessories you rent from the truck company (car towing equipment, for example, may cost you anywhere from $150 to $700, depending on your specific needs and preferences);
• Fuel costs – Fuel expenses for long-distance moves can be quite high, so you need to carefully calculate your gas costs. Rental truck companies provide information about how many miles per gallon their vehicles get, but you need to keep in mind that the number drops considerably when the truck is fully loaded;
• Deposit – about $100–$150.

Good to remember: There are a few more expenses to consider when renting a moving truck for a long-distance move:

• Road tolls – When driving across the country, your route will most likely include toll roads, so you shouldn’t forget about toll costs. Keep in mind that you may even need to stop at several weigh stations along the way. (It depends on the weight of your rented vehicle and the laws in the state you’re traveling through – some states require only commercial trucks to stop at weigh stations while others demand that all trucks exceeding a certain weight go through the checkpoints.);
• Meals and lodgings – When moving long distance, you’re going to be on the road for several days. Eating fast food and sleeping in the truck won’t do – healthy meals and good rest are essential for the successful end of your relocation endeavor, so be sure to plan for meals and lodgings on the way;
• Parking fees for the truck.

Extra fees and costs when renting a moving truck

You need to be aware of all possible fees and charges when renting a moving truck, so you can do your best to avoid them or budget for them (when they’re unavoidable):

• Additional driver fee – Not anyone can drive the rented truck – all drivers must be specified in the rental agreement. When you rent a moving vehicle, you can add up to three additional drivers to the rental policy for a fee of $14-$20 per driver per day;
• Young driver charge – Many rental companies have an underage charge for drivers who are 18–23 years old (about $25 per day);
• Late return fee – If you don’t return the truck on time, the rental company will charge you extra for every day you extend past your drop-off date. For long-distance moves, you may have to pay anywhere from $40 to $100 for each additional day;
• Excess mileage fee – If you go over the allotted mileage on one-way rentals, you’ll be charged extra $0.85-$1 per mile;
• Gas fee – When you pick up the rental truck, the gas level will be marked. If the gas is below the marked level when you return the vehicle, you’ll have to pay for the fuel – and some rental companies will charge you up to three times more than what it would have cost you to refill the tank before returning the truck;
• Cleaning fee – A cleaning fee will be assessed if the vehicle is not clean upon return (as clean as it was at the time of pickup);
• Damage fee – You’re required to return the truck in the same condition that it was when you got it – if you cause any damage to the vehicle, you’ll be charged a penalty (the exact amount will depend on the extent of the damage);
• Cancellation fee – Different truck rental companies have different cancellation policies, but usually you can cancel your reservation up to forty-eight hours before the scheduled pickup time without any penalty. After that, you’ll have to pay a cancellation fee of $50.

Another thing to consider: When renting a moving truck and moving on your own, the loading and unloading of your belongings will be up to you – if you don’t have enough physically strong friends or relatives to help you with the heavy lifting, you may need to hire moving labor.

The professionals have the specialized equipment, rich experience, and technical know-how to handle your items in a safe and efficient manner – they will take your belongings out of your home and load them securely on the moving truck (or unload your items and take them into your new home), saving you a lot of time and effort and reducing the risk of personal injuries and property damage. Their services, however, come at a cost.

You can expect to pay between $60 and $80 per hour for two moving helpers.

How to save money on moving truck rentals

So, how much is it to rent a moving truck? When you add up all the related costs and fees, truck rental prices can soar up into the thousands.

The whole point of renting a moving vehicle, though, is to keep your relocation costs as low as possible. Therefore, you need to find a way to keep moving truck rental costs under control.

Here is how to get the best deals on rental moving trucks – and how to reduce your rental truck related expenses to a minimum:

1. Choose the right time to move

As already mentioned above, truck rental rates are higher during busy periods when most residential moves take place and moving trucks are in high demand.

To get the cheapest rates and the lowest price per mile, plan your move on a weekday in off-peak season, when there is greater availability.

Keep in mind that prices may change on a daily basis, so if you find a rate that works well for you, be sure to make a reservation immediately to lock in the rate.

2. Find an affordable moving truck rental company

• Visit the websites of several reputable rental agencies and compare moving truck rental prices and conditions;
• Get truck rental quotes from three or four companies to see how much it will actually cost you to rent a vehicle from them;
• Compare the offers carefully – pay attention to what exactly is included in the quotes, find out what charges and surcharges may be applicable, check your insurance options, consider the return requirements and special conditions, etc. – and choose the best moving truck rental company for you.

3. Choose the right size of moving truck for your needs

Renting a moving truck that is too small to accommodate all your belongings will force you to make multiple trips between your old home and your new one (or to leave some of your belongings behind, if you’re moving long distance).

Renting a vehicle that is too big for your needs means that you’ll be paying for truck space that you don’t use (and the risk of damage to your items will be bigger as there will be too much room for them to shift around the truck during transportation).

Both scenarios will result in wasted money, so you need to be careful to pick the right size moving truck for your move.

Be sure to reserve your rental truck well in advance – if you wait until the last minute, there may not be an appropriate size truck available for your move date.

4. Check for rental truck discounts

Sometimes, truck rental companies offer attractive promotions – anything from reduced rates to free mileage – to lure more customers. So, when looking for cheap moving truck rentals, keep an eye out for seasonal discounts, student discounts, military discounts, membership discounts, or other cost-saving offers you can take advantage of. Also, be sure to ask your chosen company for special packages and other special offers.

Bonus tip: You may be able to use different coupons or promo codes to get discounts on moving trucks.

5. Avoid extra fees

• Purchase extra miles in advance if you think you won’t be able to stay under the allotted mileage;
• Return the truck rental on time;
• Return the moving vehicle with same the amount of gas it had when you picked it up;
• Return the rented truck clean and in good condition.

Bonus tip: Make sure you carefully inspect the truck before signing the rental agreement – check for existing damage (both interior and exterior) and check the condition of the tires, loading ramp, windshield glass, and other features.

• Report any damage to the truck (even minor dents, dings, or scratches) before you leave the lot to avoid being charged for damage you didn’t cause;
• Keep in mind that a truck that hasn’t been properly maintained is more likely to break down on the road and cause you great trouble.

One final piece of advice: When considering moving truck rental costs, be sure to fill in a free moving quote form to see what professional movers have to offer – you may find their prices more affordable than you would expect.