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What a move costs in Ottawa: the bill, line by line

A local move in Ottawa is a time bill. Below: how the hours add up, what the City charges for street space, and the source of every number.

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In short

  1. 01Two movers with a truck: typically $110–130 an hour in Ottawa; larger established companies list $139–155.
  2. 02Expect a 2–3 hour minimum plus a travel fee, often a flat amount or one extra hour at the same rate.
  3. 03Home size, stairs, elevators, long carries and packing set the number of hours and the crew size.
  4. 04Out-of-town moves are usually quoted on volume or weight and distance, in a written estimate.
  5. 05Under Ontario law, the final bill can exceed the written estimate by 10% at most, unless you agree to extras.
Two movers carrying a blanket-wrapped sofa up the steps of a red-brick Ottawa house in autumn

Typical ranges

JobAreaNotesTypical range
2 movers + truck, local Ottawa 2–3 h minimum; travel fee on top $110–130/h
2 movers + truck, larger established companies Ottawa some list a 3 h minimum plus 1 h travel $139–155/h
Extra helper, no truck Ottawa Kijiji Ottawa listings, 2026 from about $45/h
Example: 4 h on site + 1 h travel at $120/h Ottawa our arithmetic on the rates above $600 + HST
Studio or 1-bedroom, local Ottawa Let’s Get Moving’s own estimate (vendor) $450–770
2–3 bedroom, local Ottawa same vendor estimate; sizes merged in the source $800–1,225
Storage container on the road: City permit Ottawa simple encroachment permit plus space rental, 10 business days to process $101 + from $41/day

Source Hourly rates and minimums, seen 29.10.2026: U-Haul Moving Help, Ottawa ON, Kijiji Ottawa moving & storage ads (2026), MovingWaldo: Professional Movers Ottawa and UpMove. Home-size bands and the $139 rate: Let’s Get Moving, Moving cost in Ottawa (vendor; its own figures vary across the page). Permit: City of Ottawa, Temporary construction related encroachments, 2026 fees. 10% rule: Ontario, Hiring a mover.

How the bill is built

An Ottawa local move is a time bill. The company multiplies the crew’s hourly rate by the hours worked, applies a minimum, and adds travel. Two movers with a truck typically cost $110–130 an hour; a third or fourth mover raises the rate. Packing, if the crew does it, is more hours on the same clock.

The hours depend on what you own and how hard it is to reach. Stairs, elevator waits, a long walk from the door to the truck and furniture that has to come apart all add time. A larger home needs more hours, a bigger crew, or both.

A worked example

Two movers and a truck at $120 an hour work 4 hours on site. The company adds 1 hour for travel. That is 5 hours, $600, plus HST. If the same company charged a flat $150 travel fee instead, the bill would be $630 plus HST. This is arithmetic on the published rates, a way to read a quote.

The home-size bands

Let’s Get Moving, a national chain, posts Ottawa totals by home size: about $450–770 for a studio or one-bedroom and $800–1,225 for two or three bedrooms. Read them as one vendor’s rough guide. The same page gives different totals in other places, and no independent Ottawa source breaks the sizes out.

Costs outside the mover’s bill

  • A storage container on the street needs a City encroachment permit, $101 for a simple one plus at least $41 a day for the space, with 10 business days to process.
  • Condo buildings usually ask you to book the service elevator and may ask for a deposit; check with your building.
  • Unsigned streets allow 3 hours of parking from 7 am to 7 pm, so plan for a driveway on a long move.

Moving out of Ottawa

For Toronto, Montreal or anywhere farther, the quote usually rests on the volume or weight of your things and the distance. Ask for it in writing after the company has seen what you own, in person or on video. The Competition Bureau warns against quotes and contracts given over the phone.

Getting a quote through 613 Pros

Send one request with both addresses, the home size and the date. 613 Pros passes it to one independent Ottawa moving company, which calls you with its own price.

Questions

01How much is a small move in Ottawa?

The floor is the minimum booking: 2–3 hours at $110–130 for two movers and a truck, which is $220–390 before the travel fee and HST.

02Is the travel fee always charged?

Ottawa listings typically add one: a flat amount such as $150, or one extra hour at the hourly rate. Ask which one and get it in the written estimate.

03Do I pay for a City permit for the truck?

The truck itself needs none while it parks by the posted rules. A portable storage container on the road does: the City charges $101 for a simple encroachment permit, plus space rental from $41 a day.

04Can the price change on moving day?

Only within 10% of the estimate in your written contract, under Ontario law. A bigger jump needs your agreement to extra services or supplies. Any moving contract over $50 has to be on paper.

05How do I compare two quotes?

Put them on the same base: the hourly rate for the same crew size, whether the truck is included, the minimum hours and the travel fee. Then compare the hours each company expects.