What Not to Pack in a Moving Truck
Household goods movers are legally restricted from transporting certain hazardous items, regardless of how the request is framed. Here’s what falls into that category and what to do instead.
Items movers generally cannot transport
- Batteries — particularly automotive and other lead-acid batteries
- Household cleaning products — many contain chemicals unsafe for transport in bulk alongside other belongings
- Corrosive chemicals or poisons
- Lawn and garden chemicals — fertilizers and pesticides fall into the same hazardous category
- Flammables and explosives — this includes items people don’t always think of as flammable, like certain aerosols
- Live animals or plants — pets and plants need to travel with you directly, not on a moving truck
- Gas and oil products — includes items like propane tanks and motor oil
- Compressed gas cylinders
Why these restrictions exist
These aren’t arbitrary rules — they’re safety restrictions tied to what’s legal to transport in bulk in a commercial vehicle. Combining hazardous materials with the rest of your household goods creates real fire and safety risks during transport.
What to actually do with these items
- Batteries and chemicals — many can be dropped off at designated hazardous waste collection sites rather than moved
- Plants — transport them yourself in your own vehicle, ideally in a way that protects them from temperature extremes
- Pets — should always travel with you or a trusted person directly, never in a moving truck
- Propane tanks and similar items — often can be exchanged or disposed of locally rather than transported to a new address, depending on your situation
What to do if you’re not sure about a specific item
Ask your mover directly before move day, not on it. A borderline item is much easier to plan around in advance than to discover as a problem while the truck is already being loaded.