Residential moving in Denver
Moving an apartment, condo or house in Denver
What makes a residential move in Denver smooth is the same at every size: an accurate inventory, access arranged at both ends, and a written estimate that reflects both. For an apartment or condo, that means the building's move rules, an elevator booking and often a certificate of insurance. For a house, it means the garage, basement and driveway. Anywhere in Denver, a truck parked on the street needs a city permit.
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Which kind of move is yours
| Home | Typical crew | What decides the time | Published local range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or one-bedroom apartment | 2 movers | Minimum hours, the elevator or stairs, and the walk from the truck | $279–$1,100 |
| Two-bedroom apartment or condo | 3 movers | Elevator window, building move hours, inventory | $625–$2,400 |
| Townhome | 3–4 movers | Interior stairs at both ends, garage contents, HOA rules | $1,200–$3,600 (3 BR) |
| Single-family house | 4 movers | Full inventory (basement, garage, shed), packing, the driveway | $1,442–$5,500 (4+ BR) |
Ranges are named third-party Denver figures for 2026; see the Denver moving cost guide for every source and date. Crew sizes are the sources' typical pairing.
The number of bedrooms is a starting point, not the job. A sparsely furnished two-bedroom can take less time than a one-bedroom full of books. A house with a full garage and basement can take longer than its bedroom count suggests. Movers price the hours, and the hours come from the inventory and the access.
Apartments and condos
Managed apartment buildings and condo associations set their own move rules, and they vary from one building to the next. Before you book a date with a mover, ask the building at both addresses:
| Topic | Question to ask management |
|---|---|
| Move hours | Which days and hours are moves allowed? Are weekends or holidays excluded? |
| Reservation | Do I reserve the move, and how far ahead? Is there a form? |
| Elevator | Is there a freight or service elevator? How long is the window? Who pads it? |
| Loading | Is there a loading dock or zone? What are its hours and clearance height? |
| Insurance | Do you need a certificate of insurance from the mover? Can you send the sample wording? |
| Fees and deposits | Is there a move-in or move-out fee or a refundable deposit? |
| Keys and access | How do fobs, garage passes and keys work on moving day? |
- Get both buildings' rulesThe move packet or the rules in writing.
- Pick a date that fits bothAllowed hours, the elevator window and the dock, at both ends.
- Book the moverSend it the rules and the certificate wording.
- Confirm in writingThe elevator, dock and certificate approval, about a week ahead.
Elevators. In buildings that have a freight or service elevator, the resident often books it through management, because the booking is tied to the unit. Give the confirmed window to the mover so the crew arrives at the start of it. If the window is short, ask management whether it can be extended and what that costs. Then ask the mover whether a bigger crew could finish inside it, and compare the two costs. One source, moveBuddha, prints an elevator charge of $50–$100 where movers charge one.
Walk-ups. In buildings without an elevator, stairs add time on every trip. moveBuddha prints $50–$75 a flight where movers bill per flight; others fold stairs into the hourly time. Tell the mover the floor at both ends, whether the staircase turns, and the size of your largest piece.
Certificates of insurance (COI)
A certificate of insurance is a short document from the mover's insurer. It shows that the mover carries liability coverage and names your building or its management as the certificate holder. Buildings ask for one so that damage to lobbies, elevators or hallways can be claimed against the mover's policy rather than against you.
- The building sets the requirement: the exact certificate-holder name and address, any "additional insured" wording, and minimum limits. Ask for its sample.
- The mover gets it from its insurer. Send the sample when you book, not the day before.
- Get approval in writing from management before moving day.
Colorado sets a floor for every permitted mover: colorado movers must carry general liability insurance or a surety bond of at least $500,000, and cargo coverage of at least $10,000 per vehicle or sixty cents per pound per article, whichever is greater. If a building asks for higher limits than a small mover carries, find out at booking. (4 CCR 723-6-6008.)
Houses and townhomes
House moves are mostly about volume and the walk from the door to the truck. Some details are easy to forget when you describe the job:
- The garage, basement, attic and shed. They are often the least packed rooms, and they hold the heaviest items: tools, bikes, outdoor furniture, a workbench.
- The walk to the truck. A long or steep driveway, a front walk with steps, or a truck that has to park on the street. Moving Brothers charges for carries past 75 feet; MoveAdvisor prints $75–$150 for a long carry.
- Interior stairs in a townhome at both ends, plus any turn too tight for a box spring or sofa.
- HOA rules in some townhome and condo communities: truck size, allowed hours, or where a truck may stop.
- What does not go. Movers commonly exclude hazardous materials, such as paint, propane and fuel. Ask for the mover's own list, and plan to dispose of those items separately.
Parking the truck in Denver
Denver requires a permit to park a moving truck or van in the street. Where there are parking meters you file a Parking Meter Request; otherwise a Right-of-Way Street Occupancy request. Street occupancy permits take at least five days to review. Denver meter bagging requests take up to 72 hours to process, and DOTI asks for them at least one week ahead. (Denver DOTI FAQ; Street Occupancy.)
| Where the truck stops | Whose rules | What to arrange |
|---|---|---|
| Your driveway or a private lot | The owner's or the HOA's | Permission, and the clearance height of any gate or overhang |
| A building's dock or loading zone | The building's | A booking and the dock hours |
| A metered street | Denver DOTI | A Parking Meter Request, at least a week ahead |
| An unmetered street | Denver DOTI | A Right-of-Way Street Occupancy request; review takes at least 5 days |
Ask your mover who files the request. Suburbs such as Aurora, Lakewood and Arvada are separate cities with their own street rules; see the Denver-area service areas.
Building an accurate inventory
The written estimate is only as good as the inventory behind it. Colorado's 110% cap protects you against overruns on the job you described, so describe the real one. A video walk-through or an in-person survey usually catches more than a typed list. Whichever you use, include:
The boxes are for your own use. Nothing is saved or sent.
Packing options
If you need somewhere to keep things between homes, see moving and storage in Denver; for a crew to load your own truck, moving labor help.
| Option | Who packs | Published cost | Good fit when |
|---|---|---|---|
| You pack | You, before moving day | Materials only | You have time, and the move is not urgent |
| Partial or fragile-only | The crew packs the kitchen, art and glass | Part of the full-packing price | You can pack clothes and books, but not dishes |
| Full packing | The crew, usually the day before | Smaller home $300–$900; larger $900–$3,000+ | There is little time, or the home is large |
Ask for packing labor and materials as separate lines. Colorado's Department of Revenue lists packing and crating among taxable sales Verify, so ask whether tax is included. Unpacking is a separate service; some movers offer it and some do not.
Heavy and special items
Pianos, safes and hot tubs have their own guide: piano and heavy-item moving.
Pianos, safes and very large furniture are usually priced per item on top of the hourly move. moveBuddha and MoveAdvisor print $192–$800 for a piano. The price depends on the type (upright or grand), the number of steps, and the turns. Send the mover photos and a step count. Ask whether its crew moves the item, or a specialist.
What the estimate and contract must show in Colorado
Before you sign, run the Colorado mover check.
- A Colorado mover must give a written estimate of the total cost, and the basis for it, at least 24 hours before a scheduled move, unless the move is booked less than 24 hours ahead. The mover cannot charge more than 110 percent of the estimate. (4 CCR 723-6-6608.)
- Before work starts the mover must leave a contract that states its PUC permit number, itemizes costs and names at least two accepted forms of payment, and must have you sign a consumer advisement. (C.R.S. 40-10.1-505.)
- The contract must offer two cargo valuation options: released value, at the lesser of sixty cents per pound per lost or damaged article, or full replacement cost, where you declare the value of the shipment. At 60 cents a pound, a 50-pound dresser that is destroyed is worth $30 to the mover.
- A mover must deliver your goods inside the home once you pay the contract amount, and may never hold back prescription medicines, medical equipment, or children's furniture, clothing or toys. Refund disputes with a mover go to binding arbitration. (C.R.S. 40-10.1-506.)
Check the mover's PUC permit before you sign. The ad and the contract must show "CO PUC permit no.", and you can search the number on the PUC permit search.
Moving out: your deposit and the walkthrough
Colorado law gives a landlord one month to return a security deposit, or up to 60 days if the lease says so, with a written statement of the reasons for anything kept. Normal wear and tear cannot be deducted. Verify (C.R.S. 38-12-103.)
- Take dated photos and video of every room once it is empty, including inside the appliances.
- Do the walkthrough with the landlord or manager if you can, and keep any written notes.
- Give your forwarding address in writing.
- Leave the city trash, recycling and compost carts at the address. If you are leaving behind furniture the city's large-item pickup takes, check the schedule first. Denver Solid Waste Management collects large items every nine weeks on your trash day: up to five items and ten bags. Furniture, rugs and bagged, wrapped mattresses qualify; appliances do not. Flattened cardboard goes in the purple recycling cart, and a second recycling cart is free through Denver Utilities Online or 311. (Denver.)
Moving in winter
Denver's average first measurable snow falls on 19 October and the last on 28 April. The 1991–2020 seasonal normal is 49.0 inches, with 8.8 inches in March. (NWS Boulder.) On a snow-season move:
- Ask how the mover handles weather rescheduling, and whether your deposit carries over to the new date.
- Clear and salt walks, steps and the driveway at both ends before the crew arrives.
- Lay down floor protection, or ask whether the mover brings it, because snow and grit come in on every trip.
- Keep electronics and anything that can freeze in your car, not the truck, if the truck will sit overnight.
Common questions about apartment and house moves
How far ahead should I book movers for an apartment move?
As soon as you know your date and both buildings' move rules. The building's elevator window should set the time, not the mover's calendar. The published peak, May through September, weekends and the last days of each month, fills up first.
Do I need a permit to park a moving truck outside my Denver apartment?
If the truck parks on the street, yes: a Parking Meter Request on a metered block, or a Right-of-Way Street Occupancy request elsewhere, from Denver DOTI. Allow at least five days for review. A building dock or private lot follows the owner's rules instead.
Who provides the certificate of insurance, me or the mover?
The mover, from its insurer, using the wording your building gives you. Your job is to get the building's sample to the mover early and confirm that management approved it.
Is a townhome priced like an apartment or a house?
By the hours it takes. Interior stairs at both ends and a full garage often make a three-bedroom townhome take as long as a small house. Describe both when you ask for estimates.
Can the mover hold my things until I pay?
Once you pay the contract amount, the mover must deliver your goods inside the home. It may never hold back prescription medicines, medical equipment, or children's furniture, clothing or toys.
Related guides
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