We move households from Washington, DC to Toronto, and from Toronto back to Washington, DC, with the customs paperwork prepared on both sides. About 772 km by road.
Brands we work with
A move between Washington, DC and Toronto means declaring your goods to the Canada Border Services Agency, filing itemized forms, and confirming your duty status before the truck reaches the border. New Ontario residents also have provincial steps, such as health coverage and a driver’s licence. Motion handles the customs side for you.
Moving household goods into Canada requires a BSF186 for goods to follow and a BSF186A for the accompanying list. Both are filed with the Canada Border Services Agency at the port of entry. Motion prepares these forms as part of the move.
Used personal and household effects are generally duty-free when relocating to Canada. Returning residents must have owned and used the goods abroad for at least six months under tariff item 9805.00.00. Settlers bringing goods in for the first time are assessed under different conditions.
Trucks from the Washington area usually travel I-81 and I-90 to Buffalo, then cross at the Peace Bridge or Queenston-Lewiston before joining the QEW toward Toronto. The same carrier handles the whole run with no transfer at the border.
Motion runs the Washington, DC and Toronto corridor each way and fills trucks on the return leg. A Toronto to Washington move uses the same one carrier model, with customs paperwork handled for the customer on each side.
Fill in the quote form at the top of this page and we will set up a video call.
Get my free quoteRoad distances to Toronto
772 km
Washington, DC ↔ Toronto
739 km
Baltimore, MD ↔ Toronto
779 km
Alexandria, VA ↔ Toronto
703 km
Frederick, MD ↔ Toronto
Moving from Washington, DC or a nearby city to Toronto? We pick up across the Washington, DC area and the rest of Washington, DC and deliver to Toronto, the GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, London and the rest of Ontario, or the other way round. Your move is assessed on a video call, the rate is locked in writing, and we help you prepare the customs paperwork before the truck reaches the border.
Moving from Washington, DC to Toronto is a run of roughly 770 km, normally up I-81 and I-90 to Buffalo, across the Peace Bridge or Queenston-Lewiston, then along the QEW. Motion keeps one carrier on the whole move, so nothing is transferred at the border, and we handle the customs paperwork. Washington households often move a full rowhouse or apartment, and one shipment covers it from pickup to the Toronto door.
Motion runs this corridor in both directions and fills trucks on the return, so a Toronto to Washington move rides on space that would otherwise go back empty. Winter on I-90 near Buffalo can bring lake-effect snow, which is why flexible dates help.
Check building access early. Washington rowhouses, Alexandria streets and Toronto condo towers all have access limits. Tell us about stairs, elevators and parking permits on the video call so the truck arrives ready.
Write your inventory before packing. Customs forms need an itemized list with values. Build it room by room as you pack, because a clear list makes the border filing faster and the Toronto unload easier.
Keep documents out of the truck. Carry passports, immigration papers and proof of residence with you. CBSA may ask for them at the port of entry, so they should not be packed in the shipment.
Plan around Ontario winters. Toronto winters are colder and snowier than Washington’s, so schedule delivery with some flexibility and have warm clothing and essentials in your car rather than the truck.
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Origin, destination, rough timeline. A specialist texts you back within five minutes, Mon-Sun, 9am-7pm ET.
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We assess your move accurately over a video call, no in-person visit needed, then lock your rate in writing. Klarna available on deposits $500+.
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Picked up at your door and delivered to your new one, in Washington, DC or in Canada. Cargo-liability insured. Balance due after delivery, before offloading.
Sources: Canada Border Services Agency (Form BSF186, Memorandum D2-2-1) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP Form 3299). Rules depend on your situation; confirm yours with the border agency.
The same carrier moves your goods from the Washington pickup to the Toronto door, with no handoff at the border.
We prepare the BSF186 and BSF186A forms for CBSA so your load is not held up at the port of entry.
Toronto to Washington moves run on the same one carrier model, with trucks filled on the return leg.
We plan the Peace Bridge or Queenston-Lewiston crossing around your load and your arrival date.
Pricing comes after a video call where we walk through your home, so the quote matches what actually moves.
“I was helping my daughter to relocate from New Jersey to Toronto and we worried so much about the cross border move. … The pick up in New Jersey was made so smooth that we didn't need to worry about even the packing. The shipment arrived Toronto in 3 days, without needing us to clear the customs!”
ada choungNew Jersey → Toronto · July 2026
Read the full review on Google →“Moving from Montréal to Texas felt like a lot to handle at first. … His approach was different — his communication was on point, he was thorough, and everything he said matched the reviews I read. … The team worked hard, took care of my stuff, and made the whole thing way easier than I expected.”
André LavoieMontréal → Texas · December 2025
Read the full review on Google →“We are moving to the United States and so far Charles and Brent have made our movement swift and smooth. I am sure just as the stuff was picked up on time, it will be delivered on time . Thank you for promptly answering our calls always… wishing your company the very best.”
Shilpa ThackerMoving to the United States · November 2025
Read the full review on Google →Reviews quoted word for word from Motion Transport’s Google Business Profile (5.0 from 216 reviews); … marks a shortened review.
5.0 · over 200 Google reviews
Real customers. Real moves. A moving specialist personally answers every quote.
Read all reviews on GoogleExpect roughly a few days on the road, but timing is a ballpark, not a promise. The route is about 770 km, and actual dates depend on the fulfilment partner, border processing and weather near Buffalo.
Usually the Peace Bridge at Buffalo or Queenston-Lewiston, reached by I-81 and I-90. The choice depends on traffic, your load and timing. Either way, the same carrier takes the shipment across, so there is no transfer at the border.
Used personal and household effects are generally duty-free when relocating. Returning residents must have owned and used the goods abroad for at least six months under tariff item 9805.00.00. Settlers bringing goods to Canada for the first time are assessed under different conditions.
You need a BSF186 for goods arriving later and a BSF186A listing goods that travel with you, both filed with the Canada Border Services Agency at the port of entry. Motion prepares and handles this paperwork for you.
Yes. Motion runs this corridor in both directions with one carrier end to end and fills trucks on the return, so Toronto to Washington moves are a regular part of the schedule. Customs paperwork for the US side is handled as part of the move.
Tell us your dates and we will arrange a video call to quote.
