Money Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. How we make money.
International Van Lines Review
By kristin MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
One of the most important decisions you’ll make when moving is which moving company you hire. International Van Lines is an option to consider for both big and small moves. It has accessible customer service and reasonable prices.
We chose International Van Lines as one of the best moving companies in the U.S. for international moves, but it also offers local and long-distance moves. Read on to learn more about International Van Lines’ services, costs and customer satisfaction.
Table of contents
- International Van Lines overview
- International Van Lines’ services
- International Van Lines’ credentials
- International Van Lines’ accessibility
- International Van Lines’ customer satisfaction
- International Van Lines FAQs
- How we evaluated International Van Lines
- Summary of Miami Herald’s International Van Lines review
International Van Lines overview
Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Coral Springs, Florida, International Van Lines is both a licensed carrier and household goods moving broker that outsources services to independent, professional movers. IVL first started as an international moving company and later expanded into domestic moving services. It handles more than 20,000 moves a year.
International Van Lines’ services
International Van Lines provides local, long-distance and international moving services for individuals, businesses, and military members. Read on for more details about its moving services and costs.
What it offers
International Van Lines’ services include:
- International moving
- Long-distance moving
- Local moving
- Business-to-business shipping
- Corporate relocation
- Government and military relocation services
- Auto and boat transport
- Assembly and disassembly
- Customized crating
- Clean-up and debris removal
- Extra protection options
- Storage solutions (short-term, long-term and temperature-controlled)
What it doesn’t offer
International Van Lines doesn’t offer guaranteed delivery dates. Its website notes that transit times for a cross-country move are typically two weeks but can take up to three weeks.
The company doesn’t include any insurance protection above the minimum required by law — you’ll only receive limited liability coverage, which covers 60 cents per pound, per article. If you want more coverage, you’ll have to purchase it.
Also, all moves require a 25% deposit upfront. IVL won’t refund your deposit if you cancel within 48 hours of your moving date, and it doesn’t refund any deposits for international moves.
International Van Lines’ cost
Moving expenses vary greatly, and your final binding price might look very different from your estimate. Here’s a breakdown of what goes into your moving costs:
- Total volume and weight of your items
- Total distance of your move
- Size and number of bedrooms of your current home
- Season and date of your move
- Insurance protection plan
- Service level and additional features you choose
International moving
You can choose from door-to-door, port-to-door, or port-to-port international moving services. You’ll work with an international moving coordinator to help you figure out your needs. Port-to-port is typically the least expensive option, while door-to-door is the most costly.
The average ranges in costs for a door-to-door international move — according to International Van Lines — are as follows:
- One bedroom: $1,500 to $3,500
- Two bedrooms: $4,500 to $6,500
- Three bedrooms: $8,000 to $12,000
Aside from packing services, supplies and loading fees, other costs may include:
- Transport of items to ports
- Ocean container transport
- Air freight transport
- Customs and port fees and paperwork
- Full-service moving
Long-distance moving
Long-distance or interstate moves are those over 300 miles from your current home or across state lines. According to International Van Lines, the average costs by house size are:
- One bedroom: $1,650 to $2,100
- Two bedrooms: $2,300 to $2,950
- Three bedrooms: $3,300 to $4,700
- Four bedrooms: $4,600 to $6,500
- Five bedrooms: $7,500 to $10,000
The cost may be greater if you’re moving all the way from one coast to another. We received sample estimates for the following cross-country moves:
- A three-bedroom house from New York to Los Angeles with loading and driving service ranges from $5,250 to $7,600
- A five-bedroom house from New York to Los Angeles with loading and driving service ranges from $9,000 to $14,063
Packing and unpacking services are optional and come at an extra cost. According to International Van Lines, the average packing and unpacking costs for a long-distance move are:
- 300 to 500 cubic feet: $375 to $625
- 600 to 900 cubic feet: $750 to $1,125
- 1,000 to 1,500 cubic feet: $1,250 to $1,875
- 1,600 to 2,000 cubic feet: $2,000 to $2,500
If you have to move but are still looking for a new home, IVL offers short-term, long-term and temperature-controlled storage options. It costs between $0.50 and $0.65 per cubic foot per month.
Local moving
Moves up to 300 miles from your current home fall under the local category. The price you pay depends on the number of movers you need and the total number of hours necessary to complete the move.
Below, we list the estimated cost per mover for both DIY packers and full-service packing, according to International Van Lines:
- Three movers: $150 per hour, or $180 per hour with full packing
- Four movers: $200 per hour, or $230 per hour with full packing
- Five movers: $250 per hour, or $280 per hour with full packing
- Six movers: $300 per hour, or $330 per hour with full packing
A sample estimate for a three-bedroom house using four movers (as per IVL’s recommendation) taking 12 hours to complete the move is $2,760.
International Van Lines’ credentials
International Van Lines is a licensed carrier with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Maritime Commission. Read on for more information about their credentials.
Licenses and registrations
International Van Lines holds licenses as both a carrier and a household goods moving broker, which means it also outsources services to licensed contractors. Its license numbers are USDOT: 2293832, FMC: 02105, and MC: 796971.
Awards and certifications
International Van Lines won Newsweek’s “Best Customer Service” for 2021 and 2022. They also won the #1 spot for Moving by WBOC News.
International Van Lines’ accessibility
International Van Lines is widely available, and it has a few different ways you can contact customer service if you need assistance. Here’s a closer look at its accessibility.
Availability
Service is available all 50 U.S. states and 150 countries internationally. IVL is based in Coral Springs, Florida, with regional offices in Arizona, California, Illinois, New York and Texas.
Contact information
You can contact customer support by phone, email or chat. You can also fill out an online form and a representative will call you within 24 hours. If you need status updates, there’s an online form that you can access from IVL’s contact page.
From our experience, representatives generally respond quickly through all channels. Customer service hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST.
User experience
International Van Lines rises above the competition for their website transparency and resources. The website is easy-to-navigate and offers in-depth, informative articles, helpful cost calculators and free instant quotes.
Limitations
The chat function on IVL’s website is only for reservations and moving quotes, not for general requests. Most queries are answered over the phone or via email.
International Van Lines’ customer satisfaction
Overall, International Van Lines receives strong ratings from customers. Read on for more information about customer satisfaction.
Third-party ratings
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) database for the Household Goods Program, IVL received 48 complaints in 2022. This number decreased from the previous year when it received 57 complaints. The top complaints have to do with discrepancies between estimates and final charges.
International Van Lines has a strong record for safety. The FMCSA database shows only one safety incident (involving only a tow) for the past 24 months.
Customer complaints
Although it isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), International Van Lines holds a B rating with the organization. Among IVL’s customer reviews published on its BBB profile, it has a rating of 3.44 out of 5 stars. Similarly on the review platform Trustpilot, it received 3.6 out of 5 stars based on 310 reviews.
Positive reviews mention on-time deliveries, easy moving process, good moving experience and honest movers. On the other hand, there were negative reviews that discuss large differences between initial estimates and the final binding estimates. Others complain about damages and unsafe moving practices.
International Van Lines FAQs
How we evaluated International Van Lines
We reviewed International Van Lines for its services, pricing, add-on options and fees. We contacted its customer service via phone, chat and email to assess response times as well as agents’ knowledge and friendliness. We evaluated IVL’s customer satisfaction and safety ratings on third-party websites and governmental databases.
Summary of Miami Herald’s International Van Lines review
International Van Lines is an option to consider for your move whether you need local, long-distance or international services. It offers a variety of service levels and stands out for its customer service and website transparency.
One of the main downsides to IVL is its fleet size, which is rather small. There’s a high chance that International Van Lines will outsource your move to other movers, which means your experience could vary depending on who fulfills your move. That being said, International Van Lines is a reputable, licensed company with a strong safety record.
Kristin Cobos has worked as a writer, researcher, and educator for 18 years. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from Webster University in Leiden, Netherlands and M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from Southern Illinois University — Edwardsville. She covers finance and technology.