What Size Moving Truck Do I Need?
Picking the right rental truck matters: too small means a second trip, too big means wasted fuel. This free moving truck size calculator recommends a rental truck length — 10, 12, 16, 22, or 26 feet — from your home size, then nudges the recommendation up if you have extra rooms like a garage, office, or storage unit. It also shows the typical box volume each truck holds so you can sanity-check the pick.
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How to use this calculator
Select your home size — studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, or 4+ bedrooms. Then, optionally, enter how many extra furnished rooms you are moving besides the home itself: a garage, a home office, a storage unit, a workshop. Each extra room adds load, so the calculator nudges the truck size up when you have enough of them.
The result is an estimate, not a guarantee. Rental companies do not all stock the same truck lengths (some fleets skip 12 ft and jump from 10 ft to 15 or 16 ft), so treat the recommendation as the target size and book the closest available truck. When in doubt between two sizes, size up — a slightly bigger truck is cheap insurance against a second trip.
How it works
The calculator uses the standard rental-truck sizing chart used across the US industry: studio → 10 ft, 1-bedroom → 12 ft, 2-bedroom → 16 ft, 3-bedroom → 22 ft, 4+ bedrooms → 26 ft. Every two extra furnished rooms move the recommendation up one step (so a 2-bedroom plus a garage and an office gets bumped from 16 ft to 22 ft), capped at 26 ft.
The box-volume figures are typical manufacturer numbers, not exact measurements: roughly 400 ft³ (10 ft), 450 ft³ (12 ft), 800 ft³ (16 ft), 1,200 ft³ (22 ft), and 1,700 ft³ (26 ft). Real trucks vary by model, and poor stacking can waste 20–30% of usable space — so packing technique matters as much as the truck you pick.
These are planning estimates. Confirm the actual box dimensions and load capacity with your rental company, since fleets and truck models differ.
Frequently asked questions
What size moving truck do I need for a 2-bedroom apartment?
A 2-bedroom apartment usually fits in a 16 ft rental truck, which typically holds about 800 cubic feet of box volume. That is enough for two beds, a sofa, a dining set, and roughly 40–50 medium boxes — as long as you load to the ceiling. If you also have a garage, an office, or a storage unit to clear out, size up to a 22 ft truck.
What size moving truck do I need for a 3-bedroom house?
A 3-bedroom home typically needs a 22 ft rental truck, with about 1,200 cubic feet of box volume. If your home has lots of furniture, a garage, or you are a heavy packer, consider the 26 ft truck instead. The price difference between a 22 ft and a 26 ft rental is usually small compared with the cost of a second trip.
Can I rent a 26 ft moving truck without a special license?
In most US states, a regular driver's license is enough to rent and drive a 26 ft truck for a personal move — rental companies stay just under the commercial-vehicle weight limits. That said, rules vary, so confirm with the rental company before you book, especially if you are crossing state lines.
What should I do if I'm between two truck sizes?
Size up. A truck that is slightly too big costs a little more in rental fees and fuel; a truck that is slightly too small costs you a second trip — double the mileage, double the fuel, and hours of extra loading. The only common exception is tight city streets, where a smaller truck is easier to park and maneuver.
Are the cubic-footage figures for moving trucks exact?
No — they are estimates. The figures used here are typical manufacturer numbers: about 400 ft³ for a 10 ft truck, 450 ft³ for 12 ft, 800 ft³ for 16 ft, 1,200 ft³ for 22 ft, and 1,700 ft³ for 26 ft. Actual box volume varies between truck models, and sloppy stacking can easily lose 20–30% of the usable space.