🚚 Moving Truck Size Calculator
Get a general starting-point truck size recommendation based on your home size. Actual needs vary with how much you own — use the storage unit calculator for a more precise cubic-footage-based estimate.
The ladder behind the answer
There is no arithmetic here, only a lookup. The dropdown value is a bedroom count, and it falls into one of four bands:
| Bedrooms | Recommended truck |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1 | 10–12 ft |
| 2 or 3 | 15–17 ft |
| 4 or 5+ | 20–22 ft |
A fourth rung, the 26 ft truck, sits above those in the code but the dropdown stops at “5+”, so it never appears on screen. If you are emptying a genuinely large house — six bedrooms, or five plus a packed garage — take the 26 ft as your answer and ignore what the box says.
Where the bands go wrong
Bedroom count is a proxy for volume, and it is a rough one. Two households with the same floor plan can differ by half a truck. Step up one size when any of these apply:
- A full garage, loft or basement that is coming with you.
- A piano, gym equipment, a chest freezer, a workshop bench.
- You are loading in one pass with no chance of a second trip.
Rental fleets publish a cubic capacity for each length. That is the number to check a borderline choice against, so work out your cubic footage on the storage unit size calculator and compare it with the truck you are quoted.
Frequently asked questions
What size truck do I need for a 3 bedroom house?
A 15–17 ft truck is the starting point. Go to 20–22 ft if the garage is full or the house has been lived in for a decade.
Is one big truck cheaper than two trips in a small one?
Over any real distance, yes. Two trips double the mileage and the driving hours, and a second load usually eats another half day. Small trucks only win on a short local move where parking is the problem.
Do I need a special licence for a 26 ft moving truck?
Consumer rental trucks are built to stay under the weight limits that trigger a commercial licence in the US. The real constraints are height and turning: know your clearance and avoid tight lanes.