Apartment Moving Checklist: Elevators, Loading Zones and Deposits

Ask your leasing office for the move-in or move-out policy as soon as your date is set. It typically covers reserved elevator hours, allowed moving times, loading-zone use, padding requirements and whether a certificate of insurance is needed before the truck can enter.

Buildings that require a certificate of insurance usually want it days ahead, not on arrival. Tell your mover at the quoting stage so it can be arranged in time.

Freight elevator reservations are often one to three hours. That window decides the crew size: a tight window needs more hands, not a longer day. Ask whether the elevator needs padding and who supplies it.

If there is no freight elevator, expect the passenger elevator to be padded and the move to take longer. Buildings with one small elevator and long hallways are the most underestimated moves we see.

Find out where a truck can legally park, how long it can stay, and whether a permit is required. In denser downtowns, the difference between a legal loading zone and a hopeful one is a ticket and a delayed move.

Photograph walls, floors and door frames before the move. Use floor runners and corner protection during loading, and patch nail holes once the art is down. A short video walkthrough on the morning of the move is the simplest evidence you can keep.