Federal regulations and our cargo insurance prohibit certain items from being loaded onto a moving trailer. Other items are technically allowed but never a good idea (irreplaceable, very high value, or fragile beyond what insurance can cover). Below is what MoveSpace will not haul. By booking, you confirm that none of these items will be in the load.
Important: internal combustion engines on small outdoor equipment (lawn mowers, weed trimmers, generators, etc.) must be drained of all fluids — gasoline, diesel, propane, motor oil — before loading. This is a Department of Transportation requirement, not a preference.
Hazardous Materials
Anything classified by DOT as hazardous, flammable, corrosive, or explosive.
Combustible & corrosive liquids
- Alcohols and alcoholic beverages
- Antifreeze
- Battery acid / batteries with acid
- Bleach and disinfectants
- Camphor oil
- Cleaning fluids
- Dyes
- Flame-retardant compounds
- Iron / steel rust preventatives
- Paint, varnish, and paint-related materials
- Pool chemicals
Flammables & solvents
- Acetone
- Adhesives (large quantities)
- Ammonia
- Charcoal briquettes
- Denatured alcohol
- Enamel and lacquer
- Gasoline
- Insecticides and pesticides
- Kerosene
- Lamp oil
- Leather dressing or bleach
- Lighter fluids
- Matches
- Motor oil
- Nail polish & remover
- Oil-based stains for wood
- Paint & varnish remover
- Petroleum products
- Polishes (liquid)
- Shellac
- Shoe polish
- Stains
- Turpentine
- Weed killer / Compound-3
- Wood filler
Explosives, ammunition, firearms
- Ammunition of any kind
- Black powder and smokeless powder
- Blasting caps
- Dynamite, plastics, or any similar explosive
- Firearms (assembled, unassembled, loaded or unloaded)
- Firearm parts
- Fireworks
- Fuse lighters, igniters, primers
- Propellants
- Propane tanks
- Signal flares
- Souvenir explosives / instruments of war
- Spear guns with charged heads
- Sterno
- Toy propellant or smoke devices
Firearms can sometimes be transported with separate paperwork; ask before move day.
Compressed gases & aerosols
- Aerosols (large quantities)
- Chlorinated hydrocarbons
- Engine-starting fluid
- Fire extinguishers
- Helium / nitrogen / oxygen tanks
- Scuba diving tanks
- Welding gases
- Any other material termed combustible, corrosive, or flammable
Perishables
Items that spoil, attract pests, or are otherwise unsafe in a sealed trailer for days.
- Live plants (most states restrict interstate transport)
- Open or partially used food
- Frozen foods
- Fresh produce
- Refrigerated foods
- Food packed in glass jars
- Any opened container of liquid
Irreplaceables & high-value items
Technically loadable, but never a good idea. We strongly recommend you transport these personally.
- Cash, coins, collectible currency
- Jewelry, watches, precious gemstones
- Important documents (passports, deeds, wills, financial records)
- Photos and photo albums
- Family heirlooms and irreplaceable items
- Original artwork
- Antiques of significant value
- Stock certificates and bonds
- Keys (vehicle, safe, safety-deposit)
- Medication (especially prescriptions)
- Medical records
- Personal electronics you may need in transit (laptops, tablets)
Vehicles & powered equipment
Anything with its own engine or fuel tank generally requires a separate transport service.
- Automobiles
- Motorcycles, mopeds, scooters
- ATVs and UTVs
- Boats and trailers
- Riding lawn mowers (engine drained, may be allowed — ask)
- Generators with fuel
Bicycles are fine. Standard pedal bikes (adult, kids, e-bikes with the battery removed) load on the trailer like any other household item — they don't count as a “vehicle” here. We'll wrap handlebars and protect the frame.
Living things
Trailers are not climate-controlled cabins.
- Pets of any kind
- People (no riders in the truck or trailer)
- Live aquarium fish or reptiles (tank can be moved empty)
Contraband & restricted goods
Anything illegal to possess or transport under federal, state, or local law.
- Hemp in raw form
- Medical or recreational marijuana (federal Schedule I — carrier cannot transport across state lines)
- Stolen property
- Counterfeit goods
- Untaxed tobacco
Gypsy moth / agricultural restrictions
Federal quarantine items.
Any used outdoor household article shipped from a federally regulated gypsy moth area into California (or any state with similar restrictions) must be inspected and certified to not contain gypsy moth egg masses, per the California Food and Agriculture Code. Questionable items should not be shipped.
What to do with restricted items
- Hazardous liquids and solvents: drop off at a local hazardous-waste facility (most cities have one) at least a week before move day.
- Propane tanks: most propane suppliers will accept full tanks back for credit.
- Firearms: transport personally in a locked case, or use a licensed firearm shipper.
- Important documents and valuables: pack a personal “essentials box” you keep in the car.
- Plants and pets: drive separately or use a specialty plant / pet transport service.
- Vehicles: use an auto-transport carrier — many of which we can recommend.
Acknowledgment
By booking a move with MoveSpace, you acknowledge that you have read this list and confirm that none of the restricted items will be in the load on move day. If we find restricted items during loading, our crew may refuse to load them — you'll need to take them in your own vehicle. Some items (especially hazardous chemicals) can void your insurance coverage for the entire shipment if found, so this list isn't hypothetical.
Policy version: 2026-05-14. We track which version of this policy was in effect at the time of each booking, so your acknowledgment is anchored to the exact list you saw.
