What is my moving company worth?

Moving companies sold on BizBuySell average 2.52× owner earnings. Trucks, operating authority and crew depth matter, and so does whether jobs come from repeat commercial accounts or one-time household moves.

Avg SDE multiple

2.52×

Typical range

1.8–3.11×

Avg revenue multiple

0.63×

Median sale price

$350K

BizBuySell industry row: Moving and Shipping Businesses (moving is not split from shipping), plus BizBuySell's moving & shipping sold-business quartiles. Range is BizBuySell's sold-business lower to upper quartile (median 2.38×). Median sold business: $634,402 revenue, $157,000 owner earnings. Source: BizBuySell — Business Valuation Multiples by Industry (businesses sold Q3 2021–Q2 2026); BizBuySell — Moving & Shipping Valuation Benchmarks (sold 2021–2025).

Value your moving company

Let's estimate what your business is worth. Seven quick questions, no email needed.

Trade: Moving company ·

Which state is it in?

Worked example

Hypothetical. A local mover near BizBuySell's median sold moving and shipping business (about $634K revenue and $157K owner earnings). Four trucks; the owner handles sales and estimates while crew leaders run jobs.

Revenue $635,000, owner earnings (SDE) $157,000, 9 years, about 15% recurring, “I manage, my team does the work”.
Start at the published 2.52× average.
Owner involvement: I manage, my team does the work: +0.15×. Buyers pay more when the business runs without the owner.
Adjusted multiple 2.67× × $157,000 = $419,000, range $300,000 – $518,000.
Revenue cross-check: $635,000 × 0.63× = $400,000.

What raises the price

Commercial, relocation or storage revenue that repeats
Owned, well-maintained trucks
Crew leaders and a dispatcher who run jobs
Strong reviews and lead flow not tied to the owner
Storage space that earns monthly rent

What lowers it

Mostly one-time household moves sourced by the owner
Old trucks needing replacement
Claims, safety or FMCSA compliance problems
Strong seasonality with no off-season revenue

Calculating SDE for a moving company

Start from net profit on your tax return or P&L, then add back:

Owner salary and payroll taxes
Personal vehicle and fuel
Depreciation on trucks and equipment
Interest on truck loans
One-time claims or legal costs

Only add back what a buyer can verify. See SDE explained: how to calculate owner earnings and add-backs for a full walkthrough.

If there are two working owners, the second owner's salary usually stays as a cost, because a buyer will need to replace that person.

Questions

Are trucks included in the price?

In most main-street sales, operating trucks and equipment transfer with the business. Outstanding truck loans are usually paid off at closing from the sale price.

Does my DOT/MC authority transfer?

Operating authority is tied to the legal entity, so it usually transfers in a stock sale but not an asset sale, where the buyer may need their own. Ask a transportation attorney about your situation.

How this estimate works

We start from the published average multiple for businesses in this category that actually sold, adjust it for owner involvement, recurring revenue, track record and size, and apply it to your owner earnings. Read the full valuation methodology, including what we don't do.

Related trades

Compare other trades

Trade	Avg SDE multiple	Avg revenue multiple	Median sale price	Basis
Plumbing	2.61×	0.69×	$699,000	Trade row
HVAC	2.83×quartiles 1.99–3.33×	0.60×	$750,000	Trade row
Electrical	2.77×	0.63×	$1,009,000	Trade row
Landscaping	2.49×	0.72×	$449,950	Trade row
Pool service / routes	2.61×	0.83×	—	Sector average (no trade row)
Pest control	2.46×quartiles 1.69–3×	1.01×	$250,000	Trade row
Cleaning	2.25×	0.72×	$281,500	Trade row
Roofing	2.65×	0.59×	$750,500	Sector average (no trade row)
Auto repair	2.85×	0.65×	$430,000	Trade row
Salon / barbershop	2.10×	0.52×	$117,375	Trade row
Restaurant	2.18×quartiles 1.34–2.53×	0.39×	$220,000	Trade row
Daycare / child care	3.28×quartiles 1.94–4.03×	0.88×	$380,000	Trade row
Dental practice	2.75×quartiles 1.6–3.37×	0.76×	$350,000	Trade row
Gym / fitness center	2.54×quartiles 1.72–3×	0.70×	$204,000	Trade row
Insurance agency	2.87×quartiles 1.88–3.44×	1.52×	$500,000	Trade row
Accounting / tax / bookkeeping	2.27×quartiles 1.61–2.66×	1.08×	$450,000	Trade row
Moving company	2.52×quartiles 1.8–3.11×	0.63×	$350,000	Trade row
IT services / MSP	3.22×quartiles 2.2–3.87×	1.08×	$726,800	Trade row
Locksmith	2.35×	0.75×	$300,000	Trade row
Pet grooming	2.30×quartiles 1.38–2.51×	0.63×	$152,500	Trade row
Other main-street business	2.61×	0.83×	$350,000	General main-street range

Source: BizBuySell, Business Valuation Multiples by Industry, businesses sold Q3 2021–Q2 2026; quartiles from BizBuySell's per-industry valuation benchmark pages (sold 2021–2025). Pool and roofing use sector averages; “Other” uses the Service Businesses sector. Retrieved Oct 30, 2026.

Estimates for information only; not an appraisal or an offer. MainStreetKeys is not a business broker. Data retrieved Oct 30, 2026.