Federal safety rules and plain common sense keep a short list of items off every interstate moving truck. Knowing what they are before move day saves time, protects your shipment, and keeps the crew and your belongings safe.
Here is the AmeriSafe Van Lines list of non-allowable items, plus what to do with the things you will want to move yourself.
Hazardous materials
Anything flammable, explosive, corrosive, or under pressure cannot legally ride on a moving truck. Heat and motion inside a trailer make these genuinely dangerous.
- Propane tanks, gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid, and lamp oil
- Aerosol cans, hairspray, spray paint, cleaners
- Paints, varnishes, thinners, and solvents
- Pool chemicals, bleach, ammonia, and acids
- Fertilizers, weed killers, and pesticides
- Fireworks, ammunition, flares, and matches
- Charcoal, fire extinguishers, and grills with tanks attached
- Car batteries, motor oil, nail polish, and remover
Perishables & plants
Long-haul transit times mean food spoils and houseplants do not survive. Most states also restrict moving plants across state lines to prevent the spread of pests.
- Frozen and refrigerated food, produce, and open dry goods
- Live plants and the soil that can carry pests across state lines
- Anything that can rot, mold, or attract insects in transit
Carry these yourself
Some things are too valuable or irreplaceable to hand off. Keep them with you in the car or your carry-on, never on the truck.
- Cash, checkbooks, and gift cards
- Jewelry, watches, and precious metals
- Passports, birth certificates, deeds, wills, and tax records
- Medications and medical devices you use daily
- Laptops, hard drives, and irreplaceable photos or files
- Keys and small heirlooms of sentimental value
Items we move, with special handling
These are not prohibited, but they need the right crew, crating, or paperwork. Tell your coordinator up front so we plan for them.
- Pianos, antiques, and fine art with custom crating
- Gun safes and oversized or unusually heavy items
- Firearms, unloaded and disclosed, per federal and state law
- Wine and spirits collections where state law allows
- Major appliances, drained and prepped before move day
How to prepare
Empty fuel from mowers, trimmers, and grills. Use up, give away, or properly dispose of chemicals and aerosols ahead of time, many counties hold household hazardous-waste drop-off days. Defrost and dry the freezer 24 hours before pickup. When in doubt, ask your coordinator: if an item is borderline, we will tell you exactly how to handle it.
Not sure about a specific item? Your AmeriSafe coordinator walks your inventory with you and flags anything that needs special handling or cannot ride along, well before move day.