Moving from Virginia Beach, VA to Norfolk, VA
At about 20 miles, Virginia Beach to Norfolk is a local move. Movers bill it by the hour — crew size × hourly rate × hours on site, plus a travel fee — so the bill depends on how long loading and unloading take more than on the miles.
Distance estimated from city coordinates; the calculator measures your exact route. Prices from our published model, not quotes.
In short
Moving from Virginia Beach, VA to Norfolk, VA covers about 20 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $465 – $761 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 4,962 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 20 miles, crews cover Virginia Beach to Norfolk in a single day — under an hour on the road — so there is no delivery window to negotiate. What matters is access at both ends — stairs, elevators, how far the truck can park from the door — because every extra hour is billed.
- Move type
- Local move
- Driving
- under an hour
- Usually moves on
- an hourly crew with one truck
- Book ahead
- 1 to 2 weeks
Cost of moving from Virginia Beach to Norfolk
Priced by the hour; the container and freight columns show what the same hours cost with a lower-rate crew.
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $235 – $375 | $195 – $315 | $175 – $285 |
| 1 bedroom | $315 – $575 | $255 – $475 | $225 – $425 |
| 2 bedrooms | $475 – $775 | $375 – $635 | $325 – $565 |
| 3 bedrooms | $795 – $1,425 | $615 – $1,155 | $525 – $1,020 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,355 – $2,075 | $1,035 – $1,675 | $875 – $1,475 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $1,675 – $2,475 | $1,275 – $1,995 | $1,075 – $1,755 |
Inside the 100-mile local band, so these are hourly figures: crew size × hourly rate × hours on site, plus a travel fee. Container and freight columns show the same job done by a lower-cost crew. How we price it.
Worked example: a two-bedroom home, Virginia Beach to Norfolk
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $39–$49 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $465 to $761. The 20 miles only enter through the travel fee and drive time. Every parameter is on the methodology page; moving cost per mile explains why the rate falls with distance.
How many people move from Virginia Beach to Norfolk
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 4,962 people a year (±856) moved from Virginia Beach city, VA, home to Virginia Beach, to Norfolk city, VA, home to Norfolk. Going the other way: about 4,796 people a year (±895). Movers from Virginia Beach city make up 14.9% of the 33,328 people a year who moved into Norfolk city from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Norfolk City, VA | 4,962 ±856 |
| Chesapeake City, VA | 4,617 ±1,082 |
| San Diego County, CA | 1,384 ±467 |
| Hampton City, VA | 816 ±274 |
| Duval County, FL | 727 ±479 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City, VA | 4,962 ±856 |
| Chesapeake City, VA | 2,233 ±508 |
| Hampton City, VA | 1,371 ±424 |
| Portsmouth City, VA | 1,256 ±373 |
| Newport News City, VA | 1,143 ±349 |
Licensed movers at each end
55 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Virginia Beach. 11 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 22.9% of their 319 vehicle inspections ended with a truck put out of service. The largest by registered fleet:
| Carrier | Based in | Size | Inspections, 24 mo | Vehicle out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Transfer IncUSDOT 139659 | Chesapeake · 17 mi | 240 trucks | 426 | 20.2% of 247 |
| Apple MovingUSDOT 163678 | Chesapeake · 25 mi | 44 trucks | 40 | 18.2% of 22 |
| Hampton Roads Moving & StorageUSDOT 1581633 | Suffolk · 27 mi | 43 trucks | 46 | 40.0% of 25 |
| Apple MovingUSDOT 795385 | Norfolk · 16 mi | 21 trucks | 12 | 0.0% of 3 |
| Monroe Transfer & Storage Co IncUSDOT 169188 | Norfolk · 13 mi | 18 trucks | 0 | — |
| Brooks Transfer & Storage CoincUSDOT 120995 | Virginia Beach · 7 mi | 17 trucks | 0 | — |
How these figures are calculated
At the Norfolk end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Norfolk: Service Transfer Inc (Chesapeake, 240 trucks), Apple Moving (Chesapeake, 44 trucks), Hampton Roads Moving & Storage (Suffolk, 43 trucks), Apple Moving (Norfolk, 21 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in Virginia, so Virginia rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which Virginia licence or registration it holds and check it with the state. The federal 110% cap on non-binding estimates does not reach a move inside Virginia, so your protection on this 20-mile job is the estimate you sign, which on an hourly job means the rate, the minimum hours and the travel fee in writing. More in binding vs non-binding estimates.
Before you book Virginia Beach to Norfolk
Get the hourly rate, minimum and travel fee in writing
Local quotes hide in three numbers: the rate per mover per hour (about $39 to $49 for a full-service crew), a minimum number of hours, and a travel or "truck" fee of around $75. Ask for all three before you compare two movers.
Describe the access honestly
A third-floor walk-up, a long carry from the truck, an elevator that needs booking — each adds an hour or more, and on an hourly job that is the whole bill. Tell the mover before they quote, not on the day.
Arriving in Norfolk
A local move inside Norfolk later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $465 – $761 for a two-bedroom home and $777 – $1,398 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from Norfolk are Chesapeake (about 14 mi), Virginia Beach (about 20 mi), Richmond (about 92 mi).
Other routes from Virginia Beach
All routes from Virginia Beach, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach to Chesapeake, VA | ~25 mi | $465 – $761 |
| Virginia Beach to Richmond, VA | ~109 mi | $491 – $654 |
| Virginia Beach to Annapolis, MD | ~175 mi | $788 – $1,050 |
| Virginia Beach to Washington, DC | ~178 mi | $801 – $1,068 |
| Virginia Beach to Raleigh, NC | ~193 mi | $869 – $1,158 |
| Virginia Beach to Baltimore, MD | ~201 mi | $905 – $1,206 |
| Virginia Beach to Durham, NC | ~202 mi | $909 – $1,212 |
| Virginia Beach to Greensboro, NC | ~255 mi | $1,148 – $1,530 |
Also moving to Norfolk: from Chesapeake, VA, from Richmond, VA, from Washington, DC, from Baltimore, MD.
Virginia Beach to Norfolk moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Virginia Beach to Norfolk?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $465 – $761; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $777 – $1,398. Both include a travel fee of around $75. The 20 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Virginia Beach to Norfolk take?
One day. The drive is under an hour, and a local crew loads, drives and unloads in a single shift. Book ahead: 1 to 2 weeks, 3 to 4 in summer or at a month-end.
What is the cheapest way to move from Virginia Beach to Norfolk?
Do the packing yourself and hire the crew only for loading, driving and unloading. On an hourly job every hour you save is money off the bill, and packing is the slowest part. A container is rarely worth it under 20 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Virginia Beach to Norfolk an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in Virginia, so the move is regulated by Virginia rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever Virginia requires of household-goods movers; interstate authority (an MC number) is not required for this job. The federal 110% rule on non-binding estimates does not apply either, which is a good reason to ask for a binding estimate.
How many people move from Virginia Beach to Norfolk each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 4,962 people a year (margin of error ±856) moved from Virginia Beach city, which contains Virginia Beach, to Norfolk city, which contains Norfolk.
Sources for this page
The published cost model; US Census Bureau ACS migration flows (± is the 90% margin of error); the FMCSA Motor Carrier Census and Safety Measurement System; 49 CFR Part 375. Data last refreshed September 24, 2026.

