What Movers Will Not Move: A Complete Prohibited Items List

You’ve hired professional movers, the boxes are piling up, and moving day is approaching. In the final rush, it’s tempting to toss everything into a carton and assume the crew will handle it. This assumption can lead to costly delays, refused shipments, and even legal trouble. Understanding what movers will not move is not just a minor detail, it’s a critical component of a safe, legal, and stress-free relocation. Professional moving companies operate under strict federal, state, and corporate regulations designed to protect your belongings, their crew, and the public. This guide provides a comprehensive, authoritative breakdown of the items you must handle yourself, ensuring your move proceeds without a hitch.

The Core Categories of Prohibited Items

Moving companies universally refuse to transport items that pose a hazard. These hazards fall into three primary categories: safety, legal, and logistical. Safety hazards include anything flammable, explosive, or corrosive that could endanger the crew or other shipments in transit. Legal hazards involve items whose transport is restricted or illegal. Logistical hazards are items of such high value or perishability that movers cannot assume the liability. The list of what movers will not move is extensive and non-negotiable. It’s governed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Hazardous Materials Regulations and the moving company’s own insurance and liability policies. Attempting to sneak these items onto the truck is a breach of contract and could void your coverage.

Hazardous Materials and Combustibles

This is the most critical category. These items are illegal for movers to transport in a commercial vehicle carrying household goods due to extreme risk of fire, explosion, or chemical reaction. They are strictly prohibited without exception.

Common household items in this category include:

• Fuel and Propane: Gasoline, diesel, kerosene, propane tanks (full or partially full), lighter fluid, and Sterno cans.
• Aerosols and Pressurized Containers: While some movers may accept empty aerosols, most refuse all due to pressure risks. This includes spray paint, WD-40, cooking sprays, and hairspray.
• Chemicals and Cleaners: Pool chemicals, bleach, ammonia, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and other corrosive or toxic substances.
• Flammables: Paint, paint thinners, varnishes, stains, solvents, adhesives, and nail polish remover.
• Automotive and Workshop: Car batteries, motor oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, and welding tanks.
• Firearms and Ammunition: While unloaded firearms might be moved by some specialized carriers under strict rules, ammunition is universally prohibited. You must handle transportation separately and in compliance with local laws.
• Fireworks and Explosives: Any form of recreational or professional pyrotechnics.

Disposal is key. Do not pour chemicals down drains or toss them in regular trash. Contact your local waste management facility for hazardous household waste (HHW) drop-off days or events. For items like propane, contact the supplier for proper cylinder return procedures. Planning for the safe disposal or personal transport of these items is a non-negotiable step in your moving checklist.

Perishable Food and Living Items

Movers cannot guarantee a temperature-controlled environment or timely delivery, making perishables a major liability. What movers will not move in your kitchen and pantry might surprise you.

Open or Perishable Food: Any food that requires refrigeration or freezing is prohibited. This includes everything in your fridge and freezer: meat, dairy, vegetables, and leftovers. Furthermore, open containers of dry goods like flour, sugar, pasta, or spices are often refused because they can spill, attract pests, and contaminate other belongings. It’s best to plan to consume, donate, or discard all perishables before moving day. Pack only sealed, non-perishable canned or boxed goods.

Plants: Most moving companies will not transport live plants, especially for long-distance moves. Plants can die from lack of light and water in a dark truck, and many states have agricultural restrictions to prevent the spread of pests and diseases. You will need to move plants in your personal vehicle, give them away, or discard them.

Pets: This should be obvious, but movers will not move your living animals. Pets must travel with you, either in your vehicle or via approved pet transportation services. Never place a pet in a moving truck.

High-Value and Irreplaceable Items

Moving companies offer limited liability coverage, often based on the weight of an item, not its actual value. For items whose sentimental or monetary worth far exceeds this standard coverage, you assume all risk if you allow movers to transport them. These items are not always formally “prohibited,” but moving them is strongly discouraged, and you may be asked to sign a special waiver acknowledging the risk.

This category includes:

• Personal Documents: Passports, birth certificates, social security cards, marriage licenses, wills, deeds, stock certificates, and medical records.
• Financial Items: Cash, coins, jewelry, watches, precious metals, and stamp/coin collections.
• Electronics and Data: Laptops, external hard drives, tablets, and sensitive data storage devices. While movers will pack TVs and stereos, you should personally transport anything containing irreplaceable data.
• Family Heirlooms and Sentimental Items: Wedding albums, family photos, letters, a child’s first drawing, or your grandmother’s fragile lace. Their value is emotional and cannot be replaced.
• High-Value Collectibles: Rare art, antiques, fine wine collections, trading cards, or rare books.

The rule of thumb is simple: if you cannot imagine losing it forever, or if replacing it would be impossible or prohibitively expensive, it goes with you in your “Essentials Box” or personal vehicle. This is a fundamental principle of understanding what movers will not move from a liability perspective.

Logistical and Practical Exclusions

Some items are refused not because they are hazardous, but because they are impractical, require special handling beyond standard moving services, or are attached to the property itself.

Items Installed or Attached: Movers transport household goods, not fixtures. They will not dismantle or reinstall items like ceiling fans, built-in appliances, light fixtures, shelving units bolted to walls, or TV mounts. You are responsible for hiring the appropriate tradesperson for these tasks before the movers arrive.

Vehicles and Large Equipment: Standard household movers do not transport cars, motorcycles, riding lawn mowers, tractors, or boats. These require specialized auto transporters or freight services. However, non-powered lawn equipment like a push mower must be completely drained of all fuel and oil before it can be considered.

Extremely Heavy or Bulky Items: While movers handle furniture, some items may exceed their capability or equipment limits, such as a grand piano, a massive safe, or a slate pool table. These often require a specialty mover. Discuss any exceptionally heavy items during the estimate.

To significantly reduce the stress of managing these complex logistics and ensure the safe transport of your standard belongings, partnering with reputable professional moving services is highly recommended. They can clearly outline their specific policies and help you plan for specialty items.

How to Prepare and Handle Prohibited Items

Knowledge is power. Now that you know what movers will not move, you need a proactive plan. Start by conducting a thorough walkthrough of your home weeks in advance, focusing on the garage, basement, shed, and under sinks. Identify every can, bottle, and container. For hazardous materials, research local disposal options immediately. For perishables, create a meal plan to empty your fridge and pantry. For high-value items, prepare a secure box or suitcase to travel with you.

Communication with your mover is paramount. During the initial walk-through or virtual survey, point out any questionable items. Ask for their specific list of non-allowables. On moving day, do a final sweep with the crew lead. Designate a “Do Not Move” area, like a closet or corner of the garage, where you place all prohibited items. This prevents accidental loading. Remember, the crew is obligated to refuse any item they discover in a box that violates regulations, which can lead to last-minute repacking and delays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pack prohibited items in a box and not tell the movers? Absolutely not. This is dangerous, illegal, and voids your moving contract and insurance. If discovered, the box will be removed from the truck. If an incident occurs, you could be held legally and financially responsible.

What about unopened cans of paint or full aerosol cans? It does not matter if they are sealed. The hazard is the material itself, not whether the container is open. They are still prohibited.

Will movers move a fire extinguisher? Typically, no. Even if partially used, they are pressurized vessels. Check with your local fire department for proper disposal or recharge, and purchase a new one for your home.

What happens if I forget and a prohibited item gets loaded? Inform the moving company immediately. They will advise on the best course of action, which may involve removing the item at the next stop or you arranging for its proper disposal at destination.

Are there any exceptions for local moves? The rules are generally the same, as they are based on safety regulations. However, some local movers might be more flexible with items like plants or open dry goods if you are moving them in your personal vehicle alongside the truck. Always ask directly.

A successful move is a well-planned move. By taking the time to understand and separate what movers will not move, you protect your family, your possessions, and the moving crew. You ensure your shipment is legal and insurable, and you prevent the frustration of last-minute surprises. Use this knowledge to create a detailed pre-move plan, communicate clearly with your chosen company, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from a truly professional and safe relocation experience.