How to pick the right truck size
Room counts are a rough guide. What really decides the truck is the space your furniture and boxes take up, and how well you stack them. The calculator adds up a cube sheet, the same kind of inventory movers use, then matches it to a truck. Here is the math for the default 2-bedroom.
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1
Add up the cubic feet
One queen bed (65), one full bed (45), two dressers (60), three nightstands (15), a sofa (50), an armchair (30), a dining set (50), a desk (22), two bookcases (40), a TV and stand (25) and 50 medium boxes (150) come to 552 cubic feet.
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2
Allow for gaps
Furniture never stacks like bricks. At a typical 80% packing efficiency, 552 ÷ 0.8 = 690 cubic feet of truck.
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3
Check the weight
Household goods average about 7 lb per cubic foot: 552 × 7 = 3,864 lb. The truck's max load has to cover that too.
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4
Pick the smallest truck that passes both
The 10 and 12 ft trucks are too small. A 15 ft truck holds 764 cubic feet and 6,385 lb, so it fits, about 90% full.
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5
Price the fuel
The 15 ft truck is rated at 10 mpg. Planning on 15% less, 8.5 mpg, a 250-mile drive takes 29.4 gallons. At $4.27 a gallon that's $126.
Moving truck sizes compared
Published specs from the big rental fleets. Room ranges are the rental companies' own guidance, and they lean optimistic.
| Truck | Cu ft | Max load | Usually fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | 402 | 2,850 lb | Studio, small 1 bed |
| 12 ft | 450 | 3,100 lb | 1 to 2 rooms |
| 15 ft | 764 | 6,385 lb | 1 bed house, 2 bed apartment |
| 16 ft | 800 | 4,300 lb | 2 to 3 rooms |
| 20 ft | 1,016 | 5,700 lb | 2 bed house, 3 bed apartment |
| 22 ft | 1,200 | 10,000 lb | 3 to 5 rooms |
| 26 ft | 1,682 | 10,000 lb | 3 to 5 bed house |
Notice the 16 ft and 20 ft trucks carry less weight than the 15 ft. They have more room but a lighter chassis. A home heavy on books, tools or solid wood can hit the weight limit before the box is full, which is why the calculator checks both.
How much space furniture takes
Cube sheets list a standard volume for each item. These are the values the calculator uses. Odd pieces, like a sectional or a piano, take more.
| Item | Cubic feet |
|---|---|
| King bed, frame and mattress set | 70 |
| Queen bed (used for queen or king) | 65 |
| Sofa, 3 to 4 cushions | 50–60 |
| Refrigerator | 45–60 |
| Dining table with 4 chairs | 50 |
| Dresser or chest of drawers | 30 |
| Washer or dryer, each | 25 |
| Small desk | 22 |
| Nightstand | 5 |
| Medium moving box | 3 |
Loading and driving tips
- Heavy and tall goes in first, against the cab. Appliances, dressers and the sofa on end form the front wall. Keep the weight low and centered over the axles.
- Load in tiers. Build floor-to-ceiling sections and tie each one off with rope or straps to the side rails. A load that can shift will shift on the first hard stop.
- Use the space over the cab. Most trucks have a nose compartment, often called the attic. It's made for light, fragile boxes, not dressers.
- Know your height. Moving trucks stand 10 to 13 feet tall. Watch for drive-throughs, parking garages, gas station canopies and low bridges.
- Drive like it's loaded, because it is. Double your following distance, take turns wide and slow, and use the mirrors. Backing up goes better with a spotter.
The most common mistake is renting too small to save a few dollars. A second trip on a long move means another full day plus fuel and mileage, which costs far more than one size up. The other is ignoring weight. Overloading a truck hurts braking and can void the rental's damage protection.
Bigger truck or two trips?
Across town, two trips in a smaller truck can work if the second run is short and you have helpers for both loads. On a long move, one trip almost always wins: a second run doubles the mileage charges, fuel and driving days. Between one size and the next, the rental price usually differs by a small amount per day, while the bigger truck burns a little more fuel. If the calculator says your load fills more than about 90% of a truck, book the next size up. If even a 26 ft truck is too small, compare a portable container or full-service movers in the moving cost calculator before renting two trucks.
Do I need a special license?
Not for a rental moving truck. A commercial driver's license is required for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 lb or more. Consumer moving trucks, including the 26 ft size, are built just under that line, so a regular license covers a personal move. You do need to be the age the rental company requires, usually 18 or older, and towing a car trailer behind a 26 ft truck takes extra care.
Sources and assumptions
Specs and fuel prices were checked in October 2026.
- 10, 15, 20 and 26 ft trucks (cargo space, max load, mpg, fuel type): published rental specs for the 10 ft, 15 ft, 20 ft and 26 ft trucks. The 26 ft truck is rated 8 to 10 mpg, and we use 9.
- 12, 16 and 22 ft trucks, and the 10,000 lb load we use for the 26 ft size: published rental fleet specs. The 22 ft truck is diesel.
- 7 lb per cubic foot of loaded space: Washington UTC household goods Tariff 15-C (2026).
- Item volumes: standard cube-sheet values, cross-checked with the Washington UTC sample cube sheet (king bed 70, 4-cushion sofa 60, small desk 22, night table 5). Values not on that sheet are typical industry figures and can vary by 20% or more.
- Gas ($4.27) and diesel ($6.35) prices, week of Oct 26, 2026: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update.
- CDL threshold of 26,001 lb: FMCSA, Commercial Driver's License.
- Our assumptions: 80% packing efficiency by default (70% to 90% selectable), real-world mileage 15% below the rating, one trip, and a 5-bedroom home that outgrows a 26 ft truck gets a second, smaller truck.
Common questions
What size moving truck do I need for a 2-bedroom apartment?
Most 2-bedroom apartments fit in a 15 or 16 ft truck. If you have a full dining set, a lot of books or a washer and dryer, step up to a 20 ft truck.
What size truck do I need for a 3-bedroom house?
A typical 3-bedroom house needs a 20 to 22 ft truck. A full house with a garage, appliances and patio furniture usually needs a 26 ft truck.
Do I need a CDL to drive a 26 ft moving truck?
No. Rental moving trucks up to 26 ft are built with a gross vehicle weight rating under 26,001 pounds, so a regular driver's license is enough for personal moves. Bigger commercial trucks need a CDL.
How many miles per gallon does a moving truck get?
Rental trucks are rated at about 8 to 13 miles per gallon, with smaller trucks at the high end. Loaded, on hills or at highway speed, real mileage is often 10 to 20 percent lower.
Is it better to rent a bigger moving truck?
When in doubt, go one size up. The price difference between sizes is usually small, while a second trip costs more fuel, mileage and a lost day. A load that fills the box also shifts less.
How much does a 26 ft moving truck hold?
A 26 ft rental truck holds about 1,680 to 1,700 cubic feet and about 10,000 pounds of cargo. That fits most 3 to 5 bedroom homes.