Moving day in New York: a downsizer's checklist

Hiring a licensed mover in New York

Moves within New York State

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) regulates household goods movers that operate within the state. Its consumer page for movers tells you to make sure the carrier is licensed by the Commissioner of Transportation. That covers a move from Manhattan to Brooklyn, or from Queens to Long Island.

To check a mover, NYS DOT directs you to call (518) 457-6512 or email nymoving@dot.ny.gov with the company's exact name and its NYDOT number if you have it. In practice:

• Ask each mover for its NYDOT number before you request an estimate, and get it in writing on the estimate.
• Confirm the name and number with NYS DOT, giving the company's exact name as it appears on the estimate.
• Do this even if a friend or your building recommended the company.

NYS DOT's licensing page says that before it issues a probationary certificate, an applicant mover must file a tariff of its rates and proof of liability and cargo insurance and pay a vehicle identification fee. New companies start on a probationary certificate that lasts up to a year, and a permanent certificate comes after at least six months of probationary operation. That process is why it is worth asking the mover which certificate it holds.

Complaints about an in-state move go to NYS DOT's Office of Safety and Security Services using its consumer complaint form. Contact details are on the consumer page above.

Moves to another state

If you are leaving New York, the mover is regulated federally by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). NYS DOT's consumer page sends complaints about interstate moves to FMCSA at 1-888-368-7238. FMCSA runs a consumer site, Protect Your Move. Ask an interstate mover for its USDOT number, and check it against FMCSA's records there before you sign. Leaving the state can change your tax situation, so raise it with your attorney and CPA.

Sources: NYS DOT, moving consumer page; NYS DOT, registration and licensing; FMCSA Protect Your Move (link above).

Getting moving estimates in New York

NYS DOT's consumer page recommends getting at least three estimates, preferably from movers who inspect your home in person. It also warns not to assume that any phone or written estimate will be the actual cost of your move, and it tells you to get an Order for Service before the move begins, stating the dollar amount you will pay at delivery.

For a downsizing move, timing the walk-through matters. Have the estimator visit after you have decided what is going, so the estimate reflects a smaller load. Tag or tape the items headed to an estate sale, consignment or donation so nothing extra gets counted.

Compare estimates line by line:

• Number of movers and trucks, and whether the price is hourly, fixed or an estimate that can change
• Charges for packing, materials, stairs, elevators, long carries and disassembly
• The mover's NYDOT number for an in-state move, or USDOT number for a move out of state
• How the mover values your belongings if something is damaged, and what extra coverage costs
• Deposit amount, refund terms and how you may pay at delivery
• What happens if the building's elevator schedule forces a new date
• The Order for Service, with the amount due at delivery written on it

A senior move manager can coordinate the movers, packing and unpacking for you. Several that serve New York are on our resources page.

Floor plans and measuring for a smaller home

The most common downsizing problem is furniture that does not fit. Before you pay to move a piece, confirm it has a place.

• Get the new home's floor plan from the listing, the seller or the building, or sketch one on graph paper with room measurements.
• Measure door openings, hallway turns, stairwells and the elevator cab (height, width and depth). A sofa that fits the living room may not fit the elevator.
• Draw your largest pieces to scale on the plan, leaving space to walk.
• Label every box and piece with the room it goes to, and tape a copy of the plan by the front door on moving day.

If you are still choosing between a co-op, condo, townhouse or house, our guide to choosing a home type lays out the trade-offs.

Building move rules: what to ask your managing agent

If you live in or are moving into a co-op, condominium or other managed building, the building's move rules shape the day as much as the mover does. Rules differ from one building to the next, so this guide does not state any as standard. Ask your managing agent for the building's move rules in writing at least a few weeks ahead, and pass them to the mover. Questions to ask:

• Do moves need an elevator reservation, and how far ahead must you book a day and time?
• Does the building require a certificate of insurance from the mover, and what does it need to say?
• Which days and hours are moves allowed, and which entrance or elevator do movers use?
• Is there a move-in or move-out fee, or a refundable deposit, and how is it returned?
• Do floors, hallways or the elevator need protection, and who supplies it?
• Is there a place for the truck, and who can you talk to about it?
• Does the building have rules for hauling out bulk items and construction or packing debris?
• If you are selling a co-op apartment, does the building need a move-out inspection or walk-through before it releases any deposit?

The same applies at both ends. Tell both buildings the date and the mover's name early. If a fee or requirement seems out of line, ask where it appears in the building's house rules or lease, and ask your attorney. Our co-op and condo buying guide covers the documents worth reading before you buy.

Ask your mover how it plans to handle parking the truck at each address.

Protecting medications and important documents

Pack one first-night bag and one document box that ride with you, not in the truck.

• At least a week of every prescription in original bottles, plus a written list of medications and doses
• Glasses, hearing aids, chargers and any medical equipment you use daily
• Photo ID, Medicare and insurance cards, checkbook and a small amount of cash
• Closing documents, deed or shares, wills, powers of attorney and insurance policies
• Keys, fobs and remotes, and the new building's contact numbers
• Jewelry and small valuables

Transfer prescriptions to a pharmacy near the new home before you move and tell your doctors' offices your new address.

What not to move: disposal under DSNY rules

Whatever is left after your sale and donations still has to go somewhere. In the five boroughs the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) sets the rules. Our estate sale and donation guide covers them in detail. The points that matter most on moving week:

• Large items. DSNY says pick-up appointments are no longer offered and cannot be scheduled. Residents may set out up to six items at the curb per collection day, and DSNY may refuse items that do not follow the rules and fine you.
• Mattresses and box springs. They must be sealed in plastic bags and set out on your trash-only day. DSNY says you may be fined up to $300 for incorrect disposal.
• Refrigerators and air conditioners. These need an appointment. Removal is free for residents, and you can book through 311 or DSNY's online form.
• Electronics. It is illegal to dispose of certain electronic devices with trash or recycling. DSNY lists drop-offs, community events, SAFE events and ecycleNYC for buildings of 10 or more units.

Sources: DSNY large items; DSNY furniture and mattresses; DSNY CFC removal; DSNY electronics.

DSNY's rules apply in New York City only. If you are moving out of the city, ask your new town or building what applies.

Changing your address after a move

• Mail forwarding. File a change of address with USPS online or at a post office. USPS says the online process carries a $1.25 identity verification fee and that standard forwarding lasts 12 months, with paid extensions available. USPS advises allowing up to two weeks for forwarding to start, so file early. Update senders directly instead of relying on forwarding.
• Driver license, ID and vehicle registration. New York DMV says you must change your address on your license, permit, non-driver ID and vehicle records within 10 days of moving. As of September 2026 the page listed a DMV office visit or a mailed request and said the online transaction was unavailable. Title certificates update automatically when registration changes.
• Everyone else. Social Security and Medicare, pension and retirement accounts, banks and credit cards, insurance companies, doctors and pharmacies plus any subscriptions.

Updating STAR and senior exemption registrations

Moving changes your property tax picture, so do this in the first weeks, not the following spring. The dollar figures and rules are on our senior property tax exemptions guide. In short:

• STAR. The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance says eligible property includes condominiums and cooperative apartments. New buyers can no longer get the STAR exemption and register with the department for the credit. The credit requires you to own and live in the home on July 1. Existing exemption holders keep it on the same property while eligible. For a co-op, ask the managing agent how the building handles it.
• NYC Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption (SCHE). It applies to a primary residence owned by someone 65 or older within the income ceiling, and it renews every two years. Co-op owners apply through a separate application. The statute sets a March 15 deadline (March 16 in 2026, when March 15 fell on a weekend). Ask the NYC Department of Finance how to apply for the new home.
• Co-op and condo tax abatement. Owners do not apply for it directly. The board of managers or board of directors applies for the whole development by February 15, and it requires that the unit be your primary residence. Ask the managing agent how it affects your new unit.
• Outside NYC. Senior exemptions in Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester are local options run by local assessors. Ask your new assessor about deadlines.

Sources: NYS Department of Taxation and Finance STAR pages (eligibility); NYC311 on SCHE; NYC Department of Finance. Rules and income limits change each year.

Week-by-week moving checklist for downsizers

8 weeks out

• Get the new home's floor plan and measure furniture, doorways and the elevator
• Decide what moves; start the sale, donation and disposal plan for the rest
• Ask both buildings for move rules, elevator booking and insurance requirements

6 weeks out

• Get three written estimates, ideally with an in-person walk-through; check each mover with NYS DOT
• Sign with a mover; send the building's insurance requirements; reserve the elevator
• Order packing supplies or book a packing service

4 weeks out

• Pack the rooms you use least and label boxes by room in the new home
• Transfer prescriptions and request medical records if changing doctors
• Schedule utility and internet start and stop dates

2 weeks out

• File the USPS change of address
• Confirm the mover's date, arrival time and crew size, and the Order for Service, in writing
• Set aside the first-night bag and document box
• Book charity pickups and, if needed, a DSNY appointment for refrigerators or air conditioners

Moving week

• Defrost and clean the refrigerator; empty and disconnect appliances that are moving
• Confirm the elevator reservation at both ends
• On moving day, walk the old home with the crew lead, keep a copy of your paperwork and check the inventory before signing
• Walk the old home one last time: closets, storage areas and the mailbox

First 30 days

• Update your DMV address within 10 days
• Register for STAR or apply for senior exemptions on the new home as your situation requires
• Send new addresses to banks, insurers, doctors and pharmacies

Moving day is the last step of a longer plan. The New York Downsizing Guide lays out the steps before it, including whether to buy or sell first, and costs and money covers what a sale involves. If you want help coordinating a sale and purchase around your moving date, request an introduction. Introductions go to agents on the operating team at eXp Realty, so this is not a search of the whole market.