2025 North American Van Lines Review

North American Van Lines is one of our recommended moving companies. Known for its extensive service offerings and customer-focused features like à la carte moving options and 24/7 customer service, North American continues to stand out in a competitive market. While the company has a few downsides—such as no discounts or price matching—its longevity and commitment to service make it a solid choice for cross-country moves.

See where North American Van Lines ranks on our list of the best moving companies.

North American Van Lines (NAVL) has been delivering moving services for more than 90 years, growing from nine agents in 1933 to more than 500 today.¹ North American has been one of our top picks for long-distance movers for the past several years.

The company boasts a nearly 100-year history and consistently offers more features and services than many competitors. However, we noticed that North American stopped offering free used moving boxes (one of our favorite features) sometime between May and August 2022.

As North American rounds the corner towards 100 years in business, it holds the distinction of having pioneered several moving industry trends.

• North American was first to use WorldTrac^® satellites to track drivers so customers can keep track of their belongings during transport.
• NAVL was the first long-distance mover to transport belongings on the Alaska Highway.
• It was the first moving company to train its drivers using interactive driving simulators.
• North American pioneered the use of crane vans to move heavy equipment without the use of a loading dock.

North American Van Lines personalizes every quote, so it can be difficult to get an average quote price. Its website states that the average cost of a 1,000-mile move is $3,500, based on an average weight of 7,000 pounds, which equates to around seven rooms.²

To get your quote, a North American Van Lines representative will need to examine the details of your move, including what you're moving, where you're moving it, and when you're moving. You’ll probably need to set a formal appointment time for an in-home or virtual quote. More estimate examples from North American's website are listed in the table, below.

To help our readers, North American was willing to give us some ballpark estimates for both interstate and regional moves: 

• 3-bedroom cross-country move: $4,500–$7,000
• 3-bedroom regional move: $3,500–$6,500

North American provides binding and non-binding estimates. A North American representative told us, "A binding estimate is a contract that specifies, in advance, the precise cost of moving based on the services requested or deemed necessary at the time of the estimate. If additional moving services are requested or required at either origin or destination, then the total cost will increase." 

They also explained how the company handles non-binding quotes, "A non-binding estimate charges you according to the actual weight of your shipment, along with the cost of any moving services that are performed." North American's drivers verify the weight of your belongings by weighing their trailer before and after your shipment is loaded. If your move incurs any additional charges during the delivery process, the driver will let you know about extra costs at your destination. North American assured us that additional charges upon delivery are rare, but it does occur in certain cases.

Regardless of whether you get a binding or non-binding estimate, you'll still complete a thorough estimation process to give you an idea of what the move may cost. 

Our favorite thing about North American Van Lines is that it lets you pick and choose the moving services you want. Here's a look at the variety of services and resources NAVL offers to help with different parts of your move:

• Appliance installation
• Fragile item packing
• Full-service packing
• Furniture assembly
• Loading and unloading
• Moving guides
• Moving tips
• Packing materials
• Packing supplies
• Self-packing assistance
• Storage options
• Valuation coverage
• Vehicle transport

Many companies require you to pay a flat fee even if you use only a few of its moving services. Flat fees can result in spending thousands of extra dollars for things you might be willing to do yourself, like packing and furniture assembly. Similarly, you could end up paying for storage services you don’t need.

North American Van Lines gets rid of all that nonsense. You pay for the services you need — nothing more. It’s one of the best possible company features if you’re trying to move on a budget.

You can use North American Van Lines to move almost anywhere. The company has physical locations in nearly 180 countries. It can also move you to seven continents (some companies mainly serve the United States, Canada, and some of Europe and South America).

It does more than help you move, though. North American Van Lines publishes lists of international moving tips, country guides, and even instructions for dealing with customs and immigration. The company also has excellent moving coordinators who can help you with as many one-off questions as you have.

You can track the status of your belongings 24/7 when you move with North American. While the company’s website is generally sub-par, it has cutting-edge tracking capabilities. All you need is your last name, a six-digit tracking number, and an internet connection. Enter the requested information on the company website, and North American will instantly spit out the location of your household goods using WorldTrac® satellite technology. 

Want a moving company GPS tracking?

GPS tracking isn’t the only feature North American Van Lines offers around the clock. This moving company also has 24/7 customer service. That kind of availability is a rarity among the professional movers we've researched and worked with. Many of the companies we review aren’t open on the weekends, let alone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

North American is also one of the only cross-country movers that makes it easy to find customer service contact information on its website—and it includes worldwide contacts, not just those for the U.S.

We like how easy NAVL makes it to communicate during your move. If you track your belongings and have questions, you can call and talk to someone no matter the time of day. If there’s a hiccup on the day of delivery, just pick up the phone. On top of that, every customer gets a dedicated moving coordinator to help from planning through delivery.

We were surprised to discover that a company with over 90 years in business has so few customer reviews. Unfortunately, the majority of the reviews on sites like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) are from frustrated customers whose moves didn't go to plan. NAVL has 2.1 stars (out of 5) on Trustpilot, although it only has nine total reviews.

North American has been accredited with BBB since 1984 and enjoys an A+ rating, as of December 2024. The BBB rating means the company has a reasonable complaint volume, is responsive to customer complaints, has transparent business practices, and is in good standing with industry regulators, among other things.³ But its customer rating is 1.26 stars (out of 5) on BBB. Again, there are only 31 reviews and they're mainly from unhappy customers, which doesn't give us a very well-rounded idea of what satisfied customers think.

The majority of complaints are related to delays in delivery, lost or damaged items, and extra charges upon delivery. It's important to note; however, that these complaints usually refer to third-party agents that NAVL uses, not North American Van Lines' direct employees. We encourage you to try to find out what agents may be helping with your North American Van Lines move and research them as well.

There is some good news, though. As far as complaints with the FMSCA, North American has seen a 65% decrease year over year, falling from 17 complaints in 2023 to just six as of November 2024.

We haven't assisted anyone with a North American Van Lines move, but we plan to get some first-hand accounts in 2025. After we've gone through a move or two with NAVL, we'll share what a real customer experience is like.

North American Van Lines is one of our top-rated moving companies. It’s one of the only companies that doesn’t charge a deposit, and it has nearly a century of experience helping people move. North American told us that a 3-bedroom cross-country move would cost between $4,500 and $7,000—lower than most of the other ballpark quotes we received. NAVL serves customers in all 50 states and doesn't offer any discounts; however, a deposit isn't required to book your move. 

We like North American Van Lines for its nearly 100 years of experience, nationwide accessibility, and mix-and-match customization. Its à la carte services let you pick which services you want to meet your needs and budget. And, unlike most other moving companies, North American has 24/7 customer support—so help is always just a phone call away. While its customer reviews are mixed, NAVL's A+ rating from the BBB reflects its strong industry standing and commitment to resolving complaints. Whether you're moving across the country or around the globe, North American Van Lines is a mover worth considering.

Pick and choose the moving services you want

For our North American Van Lines review, we contacted the company to get information about its services, customer polices, practices, and pricing. We received multiple quotes for cross-country and regional moves so we could evaluate North American's value compared to other movers. We also dove into the company's licensing, authorization, and safety record. On top of that, we conducted independent research to validate what the company told us and dove into customer reviews and complaints from industry regulators, aggregate review sites like the Better Business Bureau, and forums like Reddit.

In late 2024, Move.org adopted an updated, more rigorous editorial strategy. This change included new editorial leadership and in-depth data collection and analysis from a dedicated data analyst. Our new approach is rooted in cutting through the noise to provide readers with honest, unfiltered information and reviews they can rely on. We are committed to bringing expert-backed insights that go beyond surface-level research.

We aim to clarify misleading marketing, uncover real customer experiences, and highlight the best each company offers. We know that moving is a deeply personal experience, and that’s why we’re on a mission to identify the good, the bad, and the ugly so you can find the cross-country mover that meets your unique needs—while avoiding the common pitfalls that can be both financially and emotionally costly. Here’s how we do it:

1. In-depth research and mystery shopping.
2. Industry verification and regulatory compliance.
3. Real-world moving experiences.
4. Collaboration with moving companies and cross-verification.
5. Ongoing monitoring and updates.
6. A 5-point rating systems that looks at pricing and value, customer service and experience, services and extras, availability and scheduling, and reputation.

To learn more about how we evaluate and review cross-country moving companies, read our full methodology.

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1. North American Van Lines, "Celebrating 90 Years." Accessed December 16, 2024.
2. North American Van Lines, "Long Distance Movers." Accessed December 16, 2024.
3. Better Business Bureau, "Overview of Ratings." Accessed December 16, 2024.