By Dianne Alcaraz, Operations Manager, Enveo National & Worldwide Movers Inc. Dianne has 15+ years in logistics and international freight. Last updated October 2026.
Short answer: A good cross-border mover from Canada to the US does three things well: it clears customs without your shipment getting stuck, it gives you a written price that shows how it can change, and it delivers door to door. Enveo National & Worldwide Movers Inc. is a Calgary-based mover that handles cross-border moves both ways between Canada and the US, from one pallet to a full home. We prepare your inventory and customs documents with you before anything is dispatched, price by the volume your goods take and the route, and deliver into your new home. Cross-border moves usually take about a week door to door once your documents are in order. Enveo is rated 5.0 stars from 96 Google reviews.
This guide covers how cross-border moves work, the types of movers you’ll find, how the price is built, and what to ask before you book anyone, including us.
At a glance
| Routes | Canada to the US and the US to Canada. Pickup across Canada, delivery to your US address |
| Size | From 1 pallet to a full home |
| How it moves | Smaller moves on pallets in a shared truck (LTL, less than truckload). Larger moves by truck |
| Service | Door to door, unloading included |
| Customs | We prepare the inventory and documents with you before dispatch and guide you through clearance. You sign your own customs forms |
| Transit | Usually about a week door to door once your documents are in order. Estimates: weather, scheduling and border times can change them |
| Price | By volume and route. Final bill based on your measured volume |
| Deposit | 30% of your estimate or CA$800, whichever is higher. Non-refundable, applied toward your total |
| Reviews | 5.0 stars from 96 Google reviews |
What makes a cross-border move different
Moving within Canada, the only document you need is an inventory list. Crossing into the US, your household goods have to clear US Customs and Border Protection before they can be delivered. That changes what you need from a mover.
A mover who’s great at local and long-distance jobs can still be new to the border. The difference shows up in three places:
- Documents before dispatch. A good cross-border mover collects and checks your paperwork before the truck leaves. A shipment that reaches the border with missing documents waits there.
- Your status. Your US status decides which documents you need. A good mover asks about your status at the start, not at the border.
- Who clears customs. Someone has to file the entry with US Customs. Know before you book whether that’s the mover, a broker the mover works with, or you.
The types of cross-border movers
| Type | How it works | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service cross-border mover | Packs or collects, ships, guides customs, delivers into your home | People who want one company handling everything | Ask who clears customs and how the price can change |
| Pallet / LTL movers | Your goods are palletized and share a truck with other shipments | 1 pallet up to a partial home | Make sure delivery is to your door, not a freight terminal |
| Self-pack containers or trailers | They drop a container, you load it, they drive it | Lowest price, people who can do the lifting | Customs is often on you, usually through a broker you hire |
| Freight companies | Commercial freight, dock to dock | Business shipments | Many don’t take personal household goods at all |
| Courier | Boxes only, priced per box | 1 to 5 boxes | Gets expensive fast past a handful of boxes |
Enveo is a full-service cross-border mover that also does pallet moves. You can pack your own boxes, and we handle the pickup, the shipping, the documents and the delivery.
How the price is built
Cross-border moves are priced by volume and route: how much space your goods take on the truck and how far they go. There’s no flat price per pallet or per room, because two homes of the same size can fill very different amounts of space.
A clear cross-border quote lists its parts:
| Line | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Pickup | Collecting your goods from your home |
| Palletization | Stacking and wrapping your goods on pallets at our warehouse |
| Packing materials | Charged on what’s used, if any |
| Transportation | Priced by the space your shipment takes |
| Customs clearance guidance | Included |
| Unloading into your new home | Included |
For scale, a real quote: a household that filled about a 10 × 20 storage unit, moving door to door from Toronto to San Jose, California, came to CA$10,650: pickup $1,200, palletization $1,500, packing materials $300, transportation $8,500, minus discounts. Customs guidance and unloading were included. It’s an example, not a price list: your quote depends on your volume and route.
How the final price works: your estimate is based on the volume we see in your photos or video call. After pickup, your goods are palletized and measured at our warehouse. The final bill reflects your actual volume and is due within 3 days, before your shipment is released for delivery.
What’s extra, because it depends on you or the government: US duties and taxes if any apply (most used household goods enter duty-free), customs fees, and storage if your new place isn’t ready.
7 questions to ask any cross-border mover
1. Who clears customs?
The mover, a broker they work with, or you? If it’s you, budget for hiring a broker and doing the paperwork yourself.
2. When do you need my documents?
The right answer is “before pickup.” If it’s “at the border,” expect delays.
3. What do you need to know about my status?
A mover who doesn’t ask about your US status is a mover who hasn’t done many of these.
4. Is delivery to my door or to a terminal?
Some pallet and freight services deliver to a terminal and leave the last mile to you.
5. How can the price change?
Volume-based prices change if you ship more than was estimated. Ask how it’s measured and when you’ll find out. You should hear before delivery, not at the door.
6. What’s the coverage, in writing?
Know what you’re covered for before you sign.
7. Have you moved people to my state?
Look for reviews that mention a cross-border move, not just local jobs.
How a cross-border move works with Enveo
- Tell us what you’re moving. Photos or a 30-minute video call. A box count and a furniture list is enough to start.
- Get your estimate. Based on your volume and route, with what’s included written out.
- Book. A deposit of 30% of your estimate or CA$800, whichever is higher, secures your pickup date. It’s applied toward your total. The deposit is non-refundable.
- Documents. We send you the checklist for your status (citizen, green card, work visa, student) and help you build the inventory. Everything is gathered before dispatch.
- Pickup. We collect your goods from your home. Our own crew in Calgary, partner movers in other Canadian cities.
- Palletize and measure. Your goods are wrapped, palletized and measured at our warehouse. You get the final bill, due within 3 days.
- Border. Your shipment crosses with its paperwork.
- Delivery. We deliver and unload at your US address.
The documents, in short
For most people moving household goods to the US:
- Passport
- Proof of US status: green card, or visa plus I-94
- CBP Form 3299, signed
- A detailed inventory in English, every box numbered and valued in US dollars
Used household goods you’ve owned for a year or more generally enter duty-free. Cars need their own entry. For the full list by status, see our guide: Customs Paperwork for Moving Household Goods From Canada to the US.
Coverage
Enveo carries general liability insurance. For more protection, you can add Total Loss Coverage through our insurance provider. We explain the coverage options when we quote, and the full terms, limits, exclusions and deductibles are disclosed before you book. It’s also worth checking whether your home or tenant insurance covers belongings in transit.
FAQ
How long does a cross-border move from Canada to the US take?
Usually about a week door to door once your documents are in order. Distance, scheduling, weather and border clearance can change that, so we give you an estimate when we quote.
Do you move from the US to Canada too?
Yes, both ways. Moving into Canada uses different paperwork, and we send you the checklist for your direction.
What’s the smallest move you’ll take?
One pallet. For a few boxes, a courier is usually cheaper.
Can you pick up outside Calgary?
Yes. We pick up across Canada, with our own crew in Calgary and partner movers in other cities, and deliver to your US address.
Can I pack my own boxes?
Yes. Number every box so it matches your inventory.
Is the estimate the final price?
Your estimate is based on the volume you show us. Your goods are measured at our warehouse, and the final bill reflects the actual volume, before delivery.
Can you ship my car too?
Yes. Vehicles need their own customs entry, so we quote them separately.
Get a quote
Tell us your pickup city, your US destination, and what you’re moving. Photos are fine.
WhatsApp or call 587-358-2992, or request a quote at enveomoving.ca/contact.
Enveo National & Worldwide Movers Inc. · 11420 27 St SE Unit 201, Calgary, AB T2Z 3R6, Canada · 587-358-2992 · Long-distance, Canada–US cross-border and international moves.
Sources
- US Customs and Border Protection: CBP Form 3299 and household effects guidance
- Enveo estimate, Toronto → San Jose, September 2026 (customer name removed)
- Google reviews, Enveo National & Worldwide Movers Inc., October 2026