Moving from Virginia to District of Columbia
An interstate move, so the FMCSA's rules apply from the first quote. Between Virginia Beach and Washington it is about 178 miles and about 3 hours; the 5 city pairs we price between the two states run from 4 to 185 miles.
Prices from our published model (last updated ), not quotes. Distances marked ~ are estimated from city coordinates. Carriers: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census, snapshot 2026-09-24. We do not move anyone.
- ~178 miVirginia Beach → Washington
- 1–3 daysTypical transit
- $801+2-bedroom, movers
- 5City routes priced
In short
About 7,200 people moved from Virginia to District of Columbia in 2024 (Census estimate, ±2,204), and about 9,953 went the other way. Between Virginia Beach and Washington it is about 178 miles; a two-bedroom move with full-service movers runs $801 – $1,068 in our model, delivered in 1–3 days. 263 movers based in Virginia hold interstate authority.
Who moves from Virginia to District of Columbia
The Census Bureau's 2024 survey puts the flow at about 7,200 people a year (±2,204), against about 9,953 (±2,300) from District of Columbia to Virginia, so District of Columbia loses about 2,753 people a year on this exchange. Virginia sends more people to District of Columbia than any other state; District of Columbia took in about 52,701 from other states in all.
| From | To | People a year |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington County | District of Columbia | 2,881 ±512 |
| Fairfax County | District of Columbia | 2,217 ±690 |
| Alexandria City | District of Columbia | 1,308 ±326 |
| Loudoun County | District of Columbia | 391 ±160 |
| Chesterfield County | District of Columbia | 339 ±380* |
US Census Bureau: ACS 2024 state-to-state migration and ACS 2016–2020 county-to-county flows; people a year with a 90% margin of error. County names link to their cost guides. * Margin as large as the estimate.
Virginia Beach to Washington, the representative route
Each state is represented by its largest city we cover. The map shows that corridor; the table further down prices every city pair between Virginia and District of Columbia.
Cost of moving from Virginia to District of Columbia
At about 178 miles, full-service movers should land around $801 – $1,068 for a two-bedroom home and $921 – $1,228 for three bedrooms. Load a container yourself and the two-bedroom figure drops to $577 – $769; a freight trailer is $384 – $513.
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $601 – $801 | $433 – $577 | $288 – $384 |
| 1 bedroom | $721 – $961 | $519 – $692 | $346 – $461 |
| 2 bedrooms | $801 – $1,068 | $577 – $769 | $384 – $513 |
| 3 bedrooms | $921 – $1,228 | $663 – $884 | $442 – $590 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,041 – $1,388 | $750 – $1,000 | $500 – $666 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $1,202 – $1,602 | $865 – $1,153 | $577 – $769 |
Transport only, for an estimated 178 miles, from our published model: distance × home-size factor × service rate, shown as −10% to +20% around the base figure. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items sit on top. How we price it.
City-to-city routes from Virginia to District of Columbia
Every pair of cities we cover in the two states, nearest first. 4 have a full route page with a map, transit and licensed movers.
| Route | Distance | Transit | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington to Washington | ~4 mi | Same day | $465 – $761 | $777 – $1,398 |
| Richmond to Washington | ~112 mi | 1–3 days | $504 – $672 | $580 – $773 |
| Norfolk to Washington | ~172 mi | 1–3 days | $774 – $1,032 | $890 – $1,187 |
| Virginia Beach to Washington | ~178 mi | 1–3 days | $801 – $1,068 | $921 – $1,228 |
| Chesapeake to Washington | ~185 mi | 1–3 days | $833 – $1,110 | $957 – $1,276 |
Routes without a link are priced on estimated distance only; the calculator measures the exact drive.
Roadside inspections: interstate movers based in Virginia
107 of the 263 interstate movers listed here had at least one roadside inspection in the 24 months to September 13, 2026, 1,338 inspections in all. Inspectors put the vehicle out of service in 164 of 765 vehicle inspections (21.4%), above the 19.0% for listed movers nationally. Drivers were put out of service in 163 of 1,338 driver inspections (12.2%, against 13.0%). None has an acute or critical violation from an FMCSA investigation in the past 12 months.
| Carrier | Inspections | Vehicle out of service | Driver out of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Transfer IncChesapeake, VA · USDOT 139659 | 426 | 50 of 247 | 3 of 426 |
| JK Moving ServicesSterling, VA · USDOT 1065394 | 107 | 7 of 57 | 8 of 107 |
| Stewart Moving and StorageMidlothian, VA · USDOT 1194537 | 102 | 13 of 50 | 9 of 102 |
| Quality Services MovingLorton, VA · USDOT 819924 | 54 | 16 of 32 | 11 of 54 |
| Hampton Roads Moving & StorageSuffolk, VA · USDOT 1581633 | 46 | 10 of 25 | 2 of 46 |
| Apple MovingChesapeake, VA · USDOT 163678 | 40 | 4 of 22 | 4 of 40 |
FMCSA Safety Measurement System carrier summary, 24-month window. How the comparison is calculated.
Licensed movers at both ends
411 listed household-goods carriers are based in Virginia, 263 of them with interstate authority, which this move requires; the Virginia directory ranks them. At the District of Columbia end, 6 are based in the state, useful for a local crew after delivery: movers in District of Columbia, moving costs in District of Columbia, or the reverse trip, District of Columbia to Virginia. The federal rules for the move itself are in who regulates movers and binding vs non-binding estimates.
Other moves from Virginia
Virginia to District of Columbia moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Virginia to District of Columbia?
Between the two states' main cities, Virginia Beach and Washington, the distance is about 178 miles. From our model that is $801 – $1,068 for a two-bedroom home and $921 – $1,228 for three bedrooms with full-service movers, transport only. A container you load yourself is about $577 – $769 for the two-bedroom home; a freight trailer about $384 – $513. Across the 5 city pairs we price between Virginia and District of Columbia, distances run from 4 to 185 miles, so use the table for your own cities.
How long does a move from Virginia to District of Columbia take?
Virginia Beach to Washington is about 3 hours. The move itself typically takes 1 to 3 days, because at this distance it usually travels on a dedicated truck, because the corridor is too short to be worth consolidating. Get the delivery window in writing. Book ahead: 2 to 4 weeks, 4 to 6 in summer.
Do I need an interstate-licensed mover for Virginia to District of Columbia?
Yes. A move from Virginia into District of Columbia is regulated by the FMCSA, so the carrier needs active interstate operating authority as well as a USDOT number. Of the 411 listed movers based in Virginia, 263 hold that authority; the rest can only move you within Virginia.
What is the cheapest way to move from Virginia to District of Columbia?
Load a freight trailer yourself: about $384 – $513 for a two-bedroom home over 178 miles against $801 – $1,068 with full-service movers. A container, about $577 – $769, splits the difference and gives you days to load.
How many people move from Virginia to District of Columbia each year?
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey estimates about 7,200 people (±2,204) moved from Virginia to District of Columbia that year, against about 9,953 (±2,300) from District of Columbia to Virginia. No other state sends more people to District of Columbia.