Things Not Allowed on a Moving Truck (and Why)

Perishables: Items That Can Spoil on the Truck

These banned moving items mainly include food and houseplants:

• Frozen foods
• Refrigerated foods
• Open or half-used foods
• Most kinds of produce

Houseplants fall in this category, too, since they don’t hold up well in the extreme temperatures often found in the back of a moving truck.

Aside from the risk of spoiled food or wilted plants, transporting perishables, especially plants in soil, can attract pests. This is why movers typically won’t allow them.

Combustibles and Other Dangerous Items

Transporting a gallon of ice cream in the back of a moving truck is a bad idea, but it is legal. Transporting a gallon of gasoline is not. Thankfully, it's entirely safe and lawful to put that lawn mower on your moving truck, provided you drain all the oil and gasoline out of it first.

There are plenty of other items that fall into this category, some of which might surprise you:

• Perfume
• Gasoline
• Paint and pool chemicals
• Fertilizers
• Pesticides and weed killers
• Aerosol cans
• Kitchen cleaners
• Nail polish remover

Generally, if it’s explosive or combustible, it’s not going.

To be clear, some items may or may not be forbidden, depending on the moving company or the rental truck you're using. U-Haul allows loading propane tanks onto their trucks, but Budget does not. Meanwhile, U-Pack’s list of prohibited items includes spear guns having charged heads. So it’s always best to ask for the rules and policies when you're renting your truck.

If you're moving with a major van line, check the company website for what is and isn’t allowed. Here is the United Van Lines list, which best reflects the industry standards.

Plants, Pistols, and Alcohol

Crossing state lines with certain plants or guns can be illegal. Even when you're just driving through, every state’s laws apply. To protect yourself and avoid having anything confiscated, check these U.S. state laws for plants and firearms before your move to ensure compliance.

Laws prohibiting the interstate transport of alcohol tend to be less restrictive, provided it's for personal consumption. Still, double-check with the states you’ll be entering.

Valuables, Antiques, and Irreplaceable Items

This category includes items that either have incredible sentimental value or are difficult and time-consuming to replace if lost during the move.

So, it’s best to keep the following items with you at all times during your move:

• Shoeboxes full of cash (don’t label them “CASH”!)
• Checkbooks, credit cards, ATM cards, insurance cards, and policies
• Official documents, like birth/marriage certificates, social security cards, passports, visas, residence cards
• Sentimental valuables and family heirlooms
• Bank statements, financial records, mortgages, stocks/bonds
• Tax returns
• Medical/dental records and any medications/prescriptions
• Works of art
• Laptops, PCs, and any work-related documents and research papers

Final Thoughts

The list of what’s not allowed seems pretty long. But getting your packing list right the first time could save time in the long run. Take the steps necessary to ensure that you, your stuff, and your truck all make it there safely.