Texas to Illinois Movers
Moving from a Texas house with a two-car garage to a Chicago three-flat, a high-rise condo, or a brick bungalow off an alley is a big change in how a move gets done. Parking permits, freight elevators and narrow back stairs matter as much as the 1,000 miles between Fort Worth and the Loop. Downstate Illinois, from Springfield to Champaign to the Metro East, is a more familiar driveway-and-garage delivery. Condor Moving Systems has moved Texans to other states since 2003, using our own trucks and our own crews from locations in Fort Worth and Houston. We pick up anywhere in Texas.
Illinois household moves · Packing (optional add-on) · Crates · Storage in transit · Office and corporate relocation
USDOT 1126171 · MC-458180 · TxDMV 006041428C
Included on Your Illinois Move
- Disassembly of beds, tables, desks and similar furniture at your Texas home, and reassembly in Illinois
- Moving blankets around each piece
- A numbered tag on every item and an inventory you sign at pickup and check at delivery
- Carrying furniture into the rooms you choose, up stairs or by elevator
- A Condor consultant who stays on your move from estimate to delivery
- Released value protection, the minimum coverage federal rules require. It pays 60 cents per pound per article, the carrier's basic liability; it's moving coverage, not insurance. Full value replacement is available through Baker International; Condor doesn't sell it in-house. See your coverage options.
Packing is extra on every move. We'll box your kitchen, closets, decorations, garage and attic only if you add a full or partial pack.
Trusted by Texas Families Since 2003
Punctual, good and professional. Condor Moving System is my go-to moving guys now. Fairly priced for the level of professional moving service they provide to their customers. They were very good in communication to me and among themselves. I have had many bad experiences with multiple movers before it. Condor is the first ever company that I found nobody to complain about, which is maybe a pretty rare thing to say about relocators.Thomas C Davison
Movers did a great moving job even though it was a not smooth and it's a very long job. Best value for the money we spend. They stayed professional and were kind throughout the move process. They recognized my items and if I needed to change the things, they did it for me rapidly. Very friendly teamwork. Will surly use them again!Denis Tanney
These movers did a best job even though it was a tough and time taking job. Best value for the money it cost. Stayed professional and were helpful throughout the day of move. Honored my goods and if I required things changed they did it for me in little time. Very coordinated teamwork. Will definitely use them again for coming movers!Marks Josephine
Moving Into Chicago: What's Different
Street parking for the truck
Most Chicago homes don't have a driveway a moving truck can use. The truck parks on the street or in the alley, and on busy streets a reserved space is often needed. Chicago's Department of Transportation issues moving-van parking permits that reserve curb space with temporary no-parking signs. You apply for the permit yourself. Tell us your exact address early, and we'll tell you what's needed for your block.
Alleys and back stairs
Many Chicago two-flats and three-flats are loaded from the alley through a back porch and a narrow rear stair. Some third-floor units are easier to reach that way than through the front. Show both entrances on your video survey.
High-rises and the elevator booking
Downtown, River North, the South Loop, Streeterville and lakefront buildings usually require:
- A reserved freight elevator time slot, often on weekdays only
- A certificate of insurance from the mover naming the building
- A loading dock reservation
Get the building's move-in rules as soon as your lease or purchase is signed, and forward them to your consultant.
Winter
From December through February, cold, wind off Lake Michigan and snow can slow loading and unloading. Shovel and salt your walk and steps. Chicago also bans parking on some arterial streets overnight in winter for snow clearing, which can affect where the truck can stand.
Downstate and the Suburbs
Chicago suburbs like Naperville, Aurora, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights and Oak Park are mostly house deliveries, though many have HOA or village rules about trucks and parking.
Central Illinois. Springfield, Bloomington–Normal, Peoria and Champaign–Urbana are easier truck deliveries. The University of Illinois in Champaign–Urbana and Illinois State in Normal both move students in during mid-August.
Metro East. Belleville, O'Fallon and Edwardsville sit across the Mississippi from St. Louis. Scott Air Force Base, near O'Fallon and Mascoutah, is the area's biggest military installation.
North Chicago. Naval Station Great Lakes, the Navy's only boot camp, is on Lake Michigan north of the city.
For on-base deliveries at Scott or Great Lakes, gate access is arranged in advance. If a military move needs certified weight tickets, Condor can provide them; we don't weigh trucks on any other move. Condor handles PPM moves, where the service member arranges the move and the government reimburses it, along with retiree moves and government-arranged shipments.
Booking Around the First of the Month
In Chicago, a lot of leases start on the first of the month, so freight elevators and loading docks in big buildings fill up around month-end and the first few days of the new month. Weekday slots in the middle of the month are much easier to get. If your lease lets you choose, aim for mid-month, and book the building's elevator the moment you know your delivery window.
The Drive North
From DFW, the usual route runs northeast on I-30 to Little Rock, I-40 east toward Memphis, then I-55 north into Missouri's Bootheel and I-57 up through southern Illinois to Champaign and Chicago. Houston shipments usually start on US-59 through East Texas before meeting the same route at Texarkana. If you're driving behind the truck, note that the Illinois Tollway around Chicago has been cashless since 2020; use an I-PASS or E-ZPass, or pay by plate online within 14 days.
| From | To | Approx. miles | Approx. car time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | Belleville | 645 | 12 hrs |
| Fort Worth | Carbondale | 680 | 12 hrs |
| Dallas | Springfield | 725 | 13½ hrs |
| Fort Worth | Bloomington–Normal | 830 | 15 hrs |
| Fort Worth | Peoria | 840 | 15½ hrs |
| Fort Worth | Champaign | 865 | 15½ hrs |
| Fort Worth | Naperville | 945 | 17½ hrs |
| Dallas | Chicago | 965 | 17 hrs |
| Fort Worth | Chicago | 1,000 | 17½ hrs |
| Houston | Chicago | 1,080 | 19½ hrs |
| Austin | Chicago | 1,160 | 20½ hrs |
| San Antonio | Chicago | 1,240 | 22 hrs |
Rounded from OpenStreetMap routing. These help you plan your own drive; they aren't used to price your move.
Delivery Timeline
Plan on 1 to 10 business days for delivery to Illinois, counted from the first day you can receive your shipment. Illinois is well over an 8-hour drive from Fort Worth or Houston, so next-day delivery isn't an option here. Next-day delivery is available on dedicated trucks for destinations within about an 8-hour drive.
We guarantee your pickup date. A guaranteed delivery date, useful when a freight elevator is booked for one specific morning, is available for an additional charge.
What's Included on a Texas-to-Illinois Move
- Pickup anywhere in Texas by Condor's own crews, including our Fort Worth movers and Houston movers. We are a direct mover, not a broker.
- Delivery in Chicago, the suburbs and downstate Illinois, with the Chicago side handled for you: freight elevator reservations, a building certificate of insurance, and a street permit where the truck has to park on the street
- Moving pads on all furniture, plus basic furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Color/lot-coded stickers on every item, checked off at delivery
- Released value coverage, the basic coverage, at no extra cost. Full value coverage is available only through Baker International (moving coverage explained).
- Optional packing, crating and storage
What can't go on the truck. Propane is never accepted. Firearms travel only unloaded, and we can't carry ammunition. The full list is in our non-allowables.
How Pricing Works
Every interstate move is priced by the cubic foot of your shipment, and the trip from Texas to Illinois is already built into the rate. A survey (most people choose Zoom) measures your shipment. You then get a binding estimate in writing before loading day. If you have a lower written quote from another mover, send it over: we will match any quote you provide us.
Chicago leases tend to turn over at month-end, so freight elevators book up quickly then. We recommend booking at least 2 weeks ahead, and earlier if your delivery falls at the end of the month.
Moving to a different Texas city instead? See our long-distance movers in Texas. Heading to another state? See our out-of-state movers. Or get your free moving quote.
How Your Illinois Move Is Priced
Every Condor long-distance move is priced per cubic foot. Your survey measures the truck space your household will fill, and the trip to Illinois is already built into the rate. Long-distance moves start at $1,200.
Lines that may be added, depending on your move:
- Packing (full or partial) and boxes
- Wooden crates for art, mirrors or glass
- Stairs, elevators and long carries, which are common in Chicago
- A shuttle truck if the full-size truck can't park near the building (charged in addition to your estimate, from $450)
- Storage in transit
- Full value replacement through Baker International
- A guaranteed delivery date
Binding estimates. Your estimate is binding. Your price is set before loading day, never after delivery. If your inventory changes after the survey, the foreman revises the estimate in writing before loading begins, and you approve it first.
Quote options. Most people choose a Zoom video survey. We can also quote by phone when you give an accurate furniture list and box count (for a binding phone quote with no survey, you sign a written waiver of the survey), or survey in person if you're in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Utilities Across Illinois
ComEd supplies electricity in Chicago and most of northern Illinois, and Ameren Illinois covers much of central and southern Illinois, including Champaign, Peoria and the Metro East. Gas in the city comes from Peoples Gas; many suburbs are on Nicor Gas. Some downstate cities, like Springfield, run their own utility. Have service started before the truck arrives.
The Chicago Bungalow
The brick bungalows that line many Chicago neighborhoods, from Portage Park to Chatham, were built in the 1910s to 1930s. They often have a narrow front door, a tight turn into the basement stairs, and a finished attic reached by a steep stairway. That's where large furniture gets stuck. If you're buying one, measure the stair widths and the turns before the survey and show them to your consultant. Disassembly is part of every move, and it's often what gets a bed or a desk up into the attic bedroom.
Leaving Texas Furniture Behind
Chicago apartments are usually smaller than the Texas houses people leave. Before the survey, decide what really fits the new place. Every piece you don't bring lowers your cubic feet, and with it the price.
Illinois Cities We Deliver To
Chicago: the Loop, River North, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Hyde Park, the South Loop and every other neighborhood
Suburbs: Naperville, Aurora, Joliet, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Evanston, Oak Park, Downers Grove, Wheaton, Orland Park, Elgin
Central and southern Illinois: Springfield, Champaign, Urbana, Bloomington, Normal, Peoria, Decatur, Carbondale, Rockford
Metro East: Belleville, O'Fallon, Edwardsville, Collinsville
Texas pickups: Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio and anywhere else in Texas.
After You Move: Illinois and Chicago Deadlines
- Vehicle registration: within 30 days of becoming an Illinois resident, through the Secretary of State.
- Driver's license: you can drive on your Texas license for up to 90 days, then you need an Illinois license.
- Chicago city vehicle sticker: Chicago residents must buy and display one within 30 days of moving into the city.
Check the Illinois Secretary of State and City of Chicago websites for current requirements.
Condor Crews at Work
Illinois Move FAQ
Do I need a parking permit for the moving truck in Chicago?
Often. On many streets the only practical way to park a moving truck is a reserved space with temporary no-parking signs. Send us your address early and we'll tell you what your block needs.
My building only allows moves on weekdays from 9 to 3. Can you work with that?
Yes. Send us the rules. If the elevator is reserved for one specific day, consider a guaranteed delivery date.
How long does it take to move from Texas to Chicago?
Standard delivery is 1 to 10 business days from your first available delivery day.
How do you price a move to Illinois?
By cubic foot, with the trip already in the rate. Long-distance moves start at $1,200, and your estimate is binding.
Do you carry furniture up to a third-floor walk-up?
Yes. Stairs are part of the job; tell us about them during the survey so they're on the estimate.
Do you pack?
Only as an add-on. Choose a full pack or a partial pack.
Who handles damage claims?
We help you file and follow up after the move. Start at our file a claim page. You have 9 months from delivery to file.
How far ahead should I book a move from Texas to Illinois?
At least 2 weeks ahead. Book earlier if your delivery lands at month-end, when Chicago freight elevators and loading docks fill up first.
What can't go on the moving truck?
Propane is never accepted. Firearms can travel only unloaded, and ammunition can't go on the truck. Check our non-allowables list for paint, fuel, aerosols and perishables before you pack.
Illinois Moving Resources
- Inventory tool
- Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move
- Coverage choices
- Items that can't go on the truck
- Moving checklist: add the Illinois registration and Chicago city sticker deadlines
- Boxes and supplies
Start Your Illinois Move
Call 877-460-6683 or send us your Texas pickup city and Illinois address. We'll book a Zoom survey and send your binding estimate in writing.