We move households from Washington, DC to Montreal, and from Montreal back to Washington, DC, with the customs paperwork prepared on both sides. About 939 km by road.
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Moving between Washington, DC and Montreal means declaring your goods to the Canada Border Services Agency, filing the right lists, and sorting out Quebec licensing once you arrive. Your belongings are itemized on BSF186 and BSF186A forms, and your status as a returning resident or a first-time settler shapes how duty is assessed.
Goods are declared on 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, which for this route is typically Lacolle-Champlain. Motion coordinates the filing, and you supply the inventory.
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, so confirm which applies.
Quebec’s SAAQ handles driver licences, and the process for converting a US state licence depends on the state, so check before you arrive. A vehicle you bring has its own import steps, separate from your household goods and the customs forms for them.
Motion runs Washington to Montreal with one carrier end to end, typically via I-81 and the I-87 Northway to Lacolle-Champlain. Your goods are not transferred to a second company at the border, and the same corridor runs in both directions.
Tell us about your Washington and Montreal move in the quote form at the top of this page.
Get my free quoteRoad distances to Montreal
939 km
Washington, DC ↔ Montreal
880 km
Baltimore, MD ↔ Montreal
953 km
Alexandria, VA ↔ Montreal
920 km
Frederick, MD ↔ Montreal
Moving from Washington, DC or a nearby city to Montreal? We pick up across the Washington, DC area and the rest of Washington, DC and deliver to Montreal, Laval, Longueuil and the rest of Quebec, 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.
The Washington, DC to Montreal run is about 940 km. A truck normally takes I-95 or I-270 to I-81 north through Pennsylvania, then the I-87 Northway past Albany and across at Lacolle-Champlain onto Autoroute 15. One Motion carrier drives it end to end, with no transfer at the border, and we handle the customs paperwork.
Montreal has its own calendar. Most leases end on June 30, so July 1 is a heavy day on the Quebec side, and the weeks around it are tight.
Plan around July 1. Montreal leases mostly turn over on that date, so book early if your move lands near it. A date a few weeks either side gives the schedule far more room.
Reserve your loading space. Rowhouse streets and apartment buildings in the District often need advance arrangements for a large truck. Sort out street permits or building loading docks before the pickup date.
Write the inventory early. Your BSF186 and BSF186A lists are only as good as your inventory. Start listing items and values before packing begins, and keep identification handy for the border.
Check licence and vehicle rules. Ask Quebec’s SAAQ how your US state licence converts, since rules vary. A car you bring has its own import steps, separate from your household goods.
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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.
One carrier from your Washington door to your Montreal door, with no transfer to a second company at the border.
We prepare and coordinate the BSF186 and BSF186A filings with CBSA at the port of entry for you.
Trucks run Washington to Montreal and back, so a southbound move is as well served as a northbound one.
Routing is built around Lacolle-Champlain, with the border crossing planned into the schedule rather than left to chance.
You get a quote after a video call where we see your home, so the estimate reflects what is actually moving.
“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 GoogleThe drive is about 940 km, so distance is rarely the constraint; scheduling, customs and the pickup and delivery windows set the pace.
Used personal and household effects are generally duty-free when you relocate. Returning residents must have owned and used the goods abroad for at least six months under tariff item 9805.00.00. Settlers arriving for the first time are assessed under different conditions, so confirm yours.
Usually Lacolle-Champlain, reached by the I-87 Northway from Albany and joining Autoroute 15 into Montreal. It is the direct road link between that corridor and the city.
A BSF186 for goods to follow and a BSF186A accompanying list, filed with the Canada Border Services Agency at the port of entry. Both itemize your belongings. Motion handles the filing; you supply a detailed inventory and identification, so start the list before packing.
Yes. Motion runs this corridor in both directions and fills trucks on the return, so a Montreal to Washington move is part of the regular schedule. Entering the United States has its own customs process, which we coordinate with you.
Show us the home on video and we quote once we have seen what is moving.
