Movers from California
to Texas
The California-to-Texas corridor is one of the busiest interstate migration routes in the country. Bay Area tech workers, families seeking more space, and corporate transfers are all heading to Austin, Dallas, Houston, and other Western US destinations. We are not a broker. We are an asset-based carrier with our own trucks, our own crews, and headquarters at 22950 Clawiter Rd, Hayward, California.
Get a Free QuoteMoving + Storage under one roof, one company, one point of contact Plus complimentary moving blankets, wardrobe boxes, and floor protection with every move.
How much does it cost to move from California to Texas?
As of July 2026, Ontrack Moving® moves households from California to Texas at a flat rate priced by the number of trucks the move requires, based on inventory volume, distance (about 1,800 miles from the Bay Area to Dallas, roughly 1,750 miles to Austin, and roughly 1,930 miles to Houston), packing, and access conditions, with transit typically 3 to 5 days. Because Ontrack Moving® is a direct asset-based carrier (USDOT #2551548) and not a broker, each long-distance move is an exclusive, dedicated relocation with no load consolidation and no subcontractor handoffs. The flat-rate quote covers the inventory and services in your estimate and is set before your move, rather than billed by the hour as a local move would be.
Ontrack Moving® is headquartered in Hayward, CA and holds a DOT inspection record that exceeds the national average under FMCSA inspection. The $10,000,000 Combined Protection Tower protects building structures and the premises, while your belongings are covered by standard $0.60/lb cargo liability per article. Verify the federal safety record by entering USDOT 2551548 at the FMCSA SAFER database.
California to Texas Moving: Quick Facts
- Route: California to Texas via I-10 east, then I-20 for Dallas-Fort Worth and I-35 for Austin, approximately 1,750 to 1,930 miles depending on origin and destination cities
- Transit Time: 3-5 days depending on the city pair and scheduling
- Pricing: Flat-rate quotes based on inventory volume and services. Contact us for a free estimate.
- Headquarters: Hayward, CA (San Francisco Bay Area)
- Credentials: USDOT #2551548 | CA License CAL-T190721 | A+ BBB
- Rating: 4.9/5 average from 2,847+ reviews
The migration corridor
Why California to Texas?
Over the past five years, California has consistently ranked as the top origin state for Texas transplants. The reasons are straightforward: no Texas state income tax, lower cost of living, larger homes with more land, and a fast-growing tech presence anchored by Austin's Silicon Hills. For the full cost-of-living and tax breakdown behind this move, see our guide on the signs it is time to leave California for Texas.
Remote work has accelerated this trend. Bay Area professionals who once needed to live within commute distance of San Francisco or San Jose now have the option to relocate to Austin, Dallas, or Houston while keeping their California salaries. Corporate relocations and company expansions continue to make this corridor one of the most active interstate routes in the country.
Tech Industry Migration
Companies like Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung have established major operations in and around Austin's Silicon Hills, with Dallas and Houston drawing finance and energy expansions. Bay Area tech workers relocating to these offices make up a significant portion of the California-to-Texas corridor traffic we handle each month.
More Space, Lower Cost
The median home price in the Bay Area is well over twice the typical Texas metro median. Families who sell a two-bedroom condo in Oakland can often buy a four-bedroom house with a yard in the Dallas-Fort Worth or Austin suburbs. That is the math driving this corridor.
No State Income Tax
Texas levies no state income tax, a major draw for high earners and retirees leaving California. Combined with lower housing costs, that tax difference is one of the most cited reasons households give us for making the move from California to Texas.
Route coverage
Popular City Pairs on This Corridor
Dedicated Route Pages
Detailed information for the most popular California to Texas city-to-city moves
California Origin Cities
We pick up from anywhere in the Bay Area from our Hayward headquarters. 40+ cities served.
Texas Destination Cities
We deliver to every major Texas metro on a dedicated truck, direct from California. All major cities covered.
- Dallas
- Fort Worth
- Austin
- Houston
- San Antonio
- El Paso
Other Long-Distance Routes We Handle
Beyond the California to Texas corridor, we operate direct routes across the Western US and the wider Western US from our Bay Area headquarters.
View all long-distance routes we service.
What affects your quote
Pricing Factors for California to Texas Moves
Distance Between Cities
The California to Texas corridor spans roughly 1,750 to 1,930 miles depending on the city pair. Bay Area to Dallas is approximately 1,800 miles, to Austin roughly 1,750 miles, and to Houston roughly 1,930 miles. Distance directly affects transit time and fuel costs.
Home Size and Inventory
A studio apartment and a five-bedroom house require very different resources. Total volume (measured in cubic feet or weight) determines truck size, crew size, and loading time. We assess this during your estimate to provide an accurate flat-rate quote.
Specialty Items
Pianos, gun safes, wine collections, and artwork require custom handling, crating materials, and specialized loading techniques. These items are quoted separately based on dimensions, weight, and the specific handling required. See our piano moving and fine art moving pages.
Access Conditions
Bay Area hillside homes, San Francisco walk-ups, and Texas master-planned communities each present different access challenges. Stairs, elevators, long carry distances, and narrow streets affect crew time. SFMTA parking permits in San Francisco typically cost $355 to $489.
Timeline and Season
Peak season (May through September) is the busiest period for this corridor, driven by school schedules and summer relocations. Month-end dates fill up fastest. Moving during the off-season (October through April) often provides more flexibility and better availability.
Packing and Add-Ons
Full or partial packing services, custom crating, storage, junk removal, and additional valuation protection are all available as add-ons. Each is priced separately so you only pay for what you need.
Final charges will be based on the actual inventory and services at pickup, access conditions, scope changes, waiting time, and any additional services requested or required to complete the move. Ontrack Moving® carries $10,000,000 in building liability, and belongings are covered by standard $0.60/lb cargo liability per article.
Carrier vs. Broker: Why It Matters for Interstate Moves
Direct carrier service, not warehouse handoffs. Your shipment rides on Ontrack trucks with Ontrack crews.
| Factor | Ontrack (Carrier) | Typical Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier Continuity | Same Ontrack carrier from California to Texas | Unloaded and reloaded multiple times at warehouses |
| Who Moves You | Our own crews and trucks | Random carrier (lowest bidder) |
| Accountability | Single point of contact throughout | Broker blames carrier, carrier blames broker |
| Price Transparency | Flat-rate quote, transparent pricing | Low quote, then add fees at delivery |
| Delivery Timeline | Scheduled window, direct route | 21-day window common, your items wait for full truck |
| Carrier Authority | Licensed asset-based carrier, USDOT #2551548 | No carrier authority of their own |
Ontrack holds USDOT #2551548 and MC #889001 as a licensed carrier, not a broker. Learn what that authority means on our out-of-state movers page. For phased office moves, see our office relocation playbook.
What you get
What Is Included in Your Interstate Move
Standard with Every Move
- Dedicated truck (no shared loads)
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Moving blankets for items in scope
- Floor runners and doorway protection
- Wardrobe boxes (free to use)
- Basic liability ($0.60/lb per article)
- Dedicated move coordinator
- Flat-rate pricing (your quote is not billed against final weight)
Available Add-Ons
- Professional packing services (full or partial)
- Custom crating for artwork and antiques
- Piano, safe, and specialty item handling
- Storage at our Hayward, CA warehouse
- Additional valuation protection
- Junk removal and pre-move decluttering
- COI for building management at both ends
- Auto transport coordination
How it works
Four Steps: California Pickup to Texas Delivery
California Pickup
Our Bay Area crew arrives at your home, protects floors and doorways, disassembles furniture, and loads everything onto a dedicated truck. For San Francisco addresses, we handle SFMTA parking permits and shuttle van logistics.
Secure Transport
Your belongings travel on a dedicated truck east along the I-10 corridor, taking I-20 east for Dallas-Fort Worth and I-35 north from San Antonio for Austin. No consolidation with other shipments. Climate-aware wrapping and transit protocols are applied during summer crossings through the Sonoran and Chihuahuan desert.
Texas Delivery
Our crew coordinates Texas delivery logistics: gated community access, HOA requirements, and unloading with floor runners and padding to protect your new home's surfaces across the Hill Country and DFW metroplex.
Setup and Walkthrough
We reassemble beds, tables, and desks. Place furniture where you want it. Then do a final walkthrough together before we leave your new Texas home.
What a California to Texas Move Looks Like
Bay Area Family to Dallas
A family of four moving for a corporate transfer from a three-bedroom home in Fremont to a master-planned community in Frisco, north of Dallas. The load included a home office, a treadmill, and a backyard playset broken down for the long-haul run east. Our Bay Area crew loaded in a single day and coordinated the Frisco HOA gate window for delivery. See our Bay Area to Dallas route page.
San Jose Tech Worker to Austin
A product manager relocating from a San Jose rental to a downtown Austin high-rise after joining a Silicon Hills employer. The job required a certificate of insurance for the tower's freight elevator and a reserved loading dock, which we arranged before load day and timed to the building's move-in window. See our San Jose to Austin route page.
Oakland Couple to Houston
A retiring couple leaving Oakland for a single-story home near Houston's Energy Corridor to be closer to family. We handled full packing for a long-held household and a dedicated truck for the I-10 run, using climate-aware wrapping for the Gulf Coast humidity at delivery.
4.9/5 Average Rating from 2,847+ Reviews
Yelp
BBB A+
Loaded in California, unloaded in Texas
Ontrack Moving made a long distance, stress-free. The packing, loading, unloading and reassemble of beds and tables, etc was done with extreme efficiency. Nelson and Caesar, plus other loaders in CA and the unloading crew in TX were kind and effective. A special family treasure, the jockey, was given extreme care and placed in his new home! This company is the best!
Verified on Google
Quick, efficient, handled with care
Alejandro, Arturo, and Carlos were amazing! Handled my move quickly and efficiently. Things were packed extra and handled with care to our new apartment. Would love to work with them again!
Verified on Google
Long-distance move done right
Carmina was great to work with, she answered all my questions and helped to set up the payment for us. Ervin, Edgar, and the moving team were amazing! They packed up everything very quickly and efficiently, making sure the furniture was covered. The wardrobe boxes and padding blankets all looked clean which was very nice. Friendly and fast movers made our long distance move a breeze!
Verified on Google
Easy process, careful with the furniture
Worked with Jordan and Geo along with ontrack team. Very easy process and moving was even easier. The team is very professional and took very good care of my furniture.
Verified on Google
Hard working crew, best experience
Jose P was incredibly hard working, so helpful, and kind. He worked so hard and we had the best experience on move in day!! We will definitely use OnTrack for our next move! If I could, I would give Jose P and his team 20 stars! Thank you again!
Verified on Google
Courteous movers, checked every step
The two movers that I had Antonio and Juan We’re extremely courteous, helpful, and asked me each step of the way to make sure they were getting the right items and securing things properly
Verified on Google
Common questions
California to Texas Moving FAQs
Ontrack Moving® prices California to Texas moves as flat-rate interstate jobs rather than by the hour. California to Texas moving costs depend on the specific city pair (Bay Area to Dallas is roughly 1,800 miles, to Austin roughly 1,750 miles, and to Houston roughly 1,930 miles), total inventory volume, specialty items, packing services needed, and access conditions at both locations. We provide flat-rate quotes for interstate moves, so the estimate you receive before your move is a clear, itemized flat rate rather than an hourly local rate. That flat rate covers the inventory and services in your estimate, and added items, access changes, or extra services can adjust it. Contact us for a free estimate tailored to your specific move.
Transit time ranges from 3 to 5 days depending on origin and destination cities. Ontrack Moving® treats delivery windows as targets, not guarantees. Bay Area to Dallas is approximately 1,800 miles, to Austin roughly 1,750 miles, and to Houston roughly 1,930 miles. The total timeline from pickup to delivery depends on loading day, route conditions along the I-10 corridor, and Texas delivery logistics such as gated community access and HOA requirements. Weather and road conditions may also affect timing.
Ontrack Moving® runs every California to Texas move on the same core scope. Every interstate move includes a dedicated truck (no shared loads), furniture disassembly and reassembly, moving blankets for items in scope, floor runners and doorway protection at both locations, wardrobe boxes, basic liability coverage at $0.60 per pound per article, and a dedicated move coordinator. Packing, specialty item handling, storage, and additional valuation protection are available as add-ons.
Yes. Ontrack Moving® crews regularly deliver to gated communities and master-planned developments across Texas, including neighborhoods around Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. We coordinate with HOA offices, handle gate access protocols, and work within community guidelines for truck access and loading times. Mention your community name and any specific requirements when booking.
Ontrack Moving® is a licensed interstate carrier, not a broker. We own our trucks, employ our crews, and operate under USDOT #2551548. Enter that number at the FMCSA SAFER database to verify our DOT inspection record that exceeds the national average, active insurance, and carrier authority. Brokers sell your move to unknown subcontractors. We do the work ourselves.
Yes. We operate a secure storage warehouse at our Hayward, CA headquarters (22950 Clawiter Rd). If your Texas home is not ready on departure day, we store your items at our California warehouse and schedule the long-haul delivery when you have the keys. No random lots or storage-in-transit sitting on a truck somewhere. Your items are inside our building, under our roof, with our team.
Peak season runs from May through September, with the heaviest demand in June and July driven by school schedules and summer relocations. Month-end dates fill up fastest. We recommend booking 4-6 weeks in advance during peak season and 2-3 weeks during the off-season (October through April). Rates are higher during peak months due to demand across this corridor.
Ontrack Moving® operates under USDOT #2551548, and the federal record is public. Enter USDOT 2551548 into the FMCSA SAFER database. You will see our DOT inspection record that exceeds the national average, active insurance filings, and carrier authority. This is a public federal database. Any legitimate carrier can be looked up the same way. If a company cannot provide a USDOT number tied to active carrier authority, they are a broker.
Ontrack Moving® is an asset-based carrier, not a broker, which decides who actually handles your belongings between California and Texas. A broker sells your move to an unknown subcontractor, often the lowest bidder. Your belongings may sit in a consolidation warehouse for 14-21 days waiting for a full truck. A carrier like Ontrack loads a dedicated truck with our own crew and drives directly from California to Texas. One company, one point of accountability from San Francisco to Dallas, Austin, or Houston.
In California, we serve the entire San Francisco Bay Area from our Hayward headquarters, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Palo Alto, Fremont, and 40+ surrounding cities. In Texas, we deliver to every major metro, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. We handle moves between any city pair across both states. See our full service area map.
Federal Safety Record: California to Texas Corridor
Our safety record is public. Look it up before you hire any mover for this interstate route.
Exceeds
Ontrack Moving
the National Average on DOT Inspections
USDOT #2551548
22.26%
National Average
National vehicle Out-of-Service Rate
Source: FMCSA, 01/30/2026
Don't Take Our Word for It. Look Us Up.
Enter USDOT 2551548 into the FMCSA SAFER database and see our official federal safety record, insurance status, and inspection history for the California to Texas corridor. It takes 30 seconds.
Verify at FMCSA SAFERThen ask your broker to provide their USDOT number. Many cannot, because they do not operate trucks.
$10M Building Liability for the California to Texas Corridor
Our $10M Tower covers damage to buildings and premises, while your belongings are covered by standard $0.60/lb cargo liability per article.
Building Liability
Our $10M Combined Protection Tower policy covers damage to floors, walls, staircases, door frames, and common areas at your California origin and Texas destination. This is the general liability coverage a Certificate of Insurance draws from when a property manager or HOA requests one.
COI at Both Ends
Bay Area high-rises commonly ask for a COI before loading day, and Texas gated communities and HOAs often request insurance documentation before delivery. We provide Certificates of Insurance with fast turnaround, naming your building or HOA as additional insured at both ends.
Belongings Coverage
All interstate moves between California and Texas include $0.60 per pound basic liability coverage as mandated by federal law. Additional valuation protection is available. Ask your coordinator for details.
General liability ($10M) covers damage to the building and premises. Household goods coverage ($0.60/lb basic) covers your personal belongings. These are separate coverages. Ask your move coordinator to explain both.
