TV Moving by Movers: What They Do, What It Costs

Affinity Moving · October 20, 2026

Yes, professional movers move TVs, and a good crew does it better than most homeowners can. They pad the screen, keep it upright, bag the hardware and load it where nothing can lean on it. What varies from company to company is the fine print: whether wall unmounting is included, whether your own box is required, and how much a company pays if a screen cracks. This guide covers all three, plus what to do before the crew arrives.

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TL;DR

Most full-service movers will move your TV, and most will also unmount it, though often as an extra service. Confirm that before booking.
A TV travels upright, padded and never flat. This matters most for thin OLED panels.
Default coverage on interstate moves can pay 60 cents per pound, about $30 for a 50-pound set. Ask for Full Value Protection in writing.
Photograph your setup, bag the screws and remote, and tell the estimator about every TV so it appears on the written estimate.

Do movers move TVs?
What movers do with a TV, step by step
What to do before the movers arrive
Packing a TV without the original box
Does the TV need special handling by size or type?
What happens if your TV is damaged
Red flags when you hire for a TV move
Our perspective on moving TVs
Moving day, then the move-out clean
How we handle TVs at Affinity Moving
Questions to put in front of any mover about your TV
FAQ
Sources

Do movers move TVs?

They do. A television is one of the most common single items on a household inventory, and any licensed residential mover has a routine for it. The crew wraps the set in moving pads or a purpose-built box, secures it upright on the truck, and unwraps it at the new address.

What you should expect to ask about is the scope. “Moving a TV” can mean four different jobs:

Carrying it as is. A small set on a stand, wrapped and loaded.
Taking it off the wall. Unmounting the TV from a bracket and bagging the hardware.
Packing it. Wrapping or boxing the screen and the stand.
Setting it up at the other end. Placing it on furniture, reattaching a stand, or reconnecting basic cables.

The Movers Labs guide to TV setup notes that experienced crews follow set processes for dismantling, packing and reassembling electronics, which helps you avoid lost cables and missing hardware. Ask which of the four jobs your mover includes in the price, and get the answer in writing.

What movers do with a TV, step by step

Crews differ in detail, but a careful TV move follows this order.

At pickup

The crew lead looks at each set, notes its size and condition, and confirms what is mounted and what stands. Existing scratches or cracks should be written down before anything is wrapped. If you have a wall-mounted set, the crew removes the panel from the bracket, collects the screws and puts them in a labeled bag taped to the TV or the box.

Packing

The screen gets a layer of soft protection first, then padding on the corners and edges, which take most of the knocks. Stands and bases come off when they can, because a loose base is easier to carry and less likely to stress the panel. Packers often use a cushioned box built for flat screens, or several thick moving pads wrapped and secured around the set.

Affinity Moving crew on a Twin Cities move

Loading and transit

The TV goes on the truck on its edge, standing upright against a wall of the cargo area, with padding between it and anything hard. Nothing heavy is stacked against the screen. Manufacturers such as LG recommend that OLED sets be transported upright rather than flat, because laying a thin panel down puts uneven stress on it. The same habit is sensible for any modern flat screen.

Delivery

At the new place, the crew carries the TV in last-in, first-out or straight to the room you choose, unwraps it and sets it on its stand or leaves it ready for mounting. Plug it in only after it has sat at room temperature for a while, especially after a cold-weather move. That matters in Minnesota, where a truck can sit well below freezing in January.

What to do before the movers arrive

You can save the crew time, and sometimes money, with a few small jobs.

Take photos. Shoot the back of the TV and the cable connections so reconnecting is easy. Capture the model number sticker too, in case of a claim.
Bag the small stuff. Put remotes, power cords, wall-mount screws and the stand bolts in one clear bag and tape it to the set or keep it with you.
Remove cables. Unplug everything and coil each cord. A tangle of HDMI and power cables is the most common reason setup takes longer than it should.
Find the original box. If you still have it, tell the crew. If not, say so. Boxless moves are common and a good crew has materials for them.
Decide who unmounts. Some companies prefer you to take the mount off the wall before the team arrives so the job is shorter, as one mover’s guidance on taking down wall mounts suggests when it describes unmounting as an extra. If you are not comfortable doing it, ask for it to be added to the estimate.
Clear a path. Move rugs and open doors so the crew can carry a large set without turning it sideways.

Our own guide to preparing for movers has a wider checklist for the rest of the house.

Packing a TV without the original box

This is a very common question, and the answer is yes, it can be done safely. A cushioned “cocoon” works: pads or blankets over the whole set, taped or strapped so they cannot slip, with extra padding on the corners. A flat-screen box sized for the set is the most solid option, and a mover can supply one.

Avoid these shortcuts:

Wrapping the screen in plastic wrap alone, which adds no cushioning
Laying the set flat under other boxes
Using a regular small moving box, which does not fit the shape
Leaning the TV against something on the truck with nothing holding it

If you want us to handle this, our packing services include packing materials and a full-pack option, so a boxless TV is not a problem.

Does the TV need special handling by size or type?

TV type	Main risk	How it should travel
Older LCD or LED, under 40 inches	Corner and edge damage	Padded, upright, in a box or pads
Large LED/LCD, 55 inches and up	Flexing under its own weight; two-person carry	Upright, supported at the edges, never carried by the screen
OLED	Thin panel, stress when flat	Always upright, padded, ideally a fitted box
Wall-mounted set	Lost mounting hardware, scuffs at the wall	Unmounted, hardware bagged, wall holes noted
Older tube or cabinet TV	Heavy and awkward	Treated as heavy furniture, with a team lift

The weight is not what makes a flat screen risky. It is thin, fragile and expensive. A set that weighs 50 pounds can cost far more to replace than most of what is in the box next to it, which brings up the matter of coverage.

What happens if your TV is damaged

This is where many people get surprised. Under the federal rules covering moves, your coverage depends on the type of protection recorded on your paperwork.

According to the FMCSA’s loss and damage advisory, Limited Liability coverage pays a fixed 60 cents per pound. A 50-pound TV would earn $30 in the event of damage. Full Value Protection, by contrast, lets the mover repair, replace or pay the current market value. The same advisory recommends putting every agreement, valuation coverage included, in writing before the move begins.

In practice:

Ask what coverage your estimate includes and the cost of upgrading.
Check that your Bill of Lading shows the coverage you chose.
Note the make, model and condition of expensive TVs on the inventory.
Inspect the screen before the crew leaves, and write any damage on the paperwork before you sign.
Check what your homeowner’s or renter’s policy says about items in transit.

Those federal valuation rules apply to interstate moves. For a move inside Minnesota, the state’s rules and the company’s own terms apply, so ask any local mover to show you in writing how a damaged item is handled. Our article on high-value inventory and FMCSA rules goes deeper on declaring pricey items.

Red flags when you hire for a TV move

A TV is easy to remember and easy to overlook when you compare quotes. A few warning signs apply to the whole move. The U.S. Department of Transportation lists common red flags of dishonest movers: no in-home estimate, incomplete documents you are asked to sign, and a company that is not registered with FMCSA.

For moves in Minnesota, check that the company holds a household goods mover permit. MnDOT’s household goods mover page explains how the permit process works. We also put together questions to ask licensed Minnesota movers you can use on a phone call.

Specific to TVs, be cautious if a company:

Will not say whether unmounting is included
Says it “never” has damage claims, but will not show you how to file one
Refuses to put coverage in writing
Gives a flat price over the phone without asking how many TVs, their size, or whether they are mounted

Our perspective on moving TVs

We move a lot of televisions, and the pattern is consistent: the damage almost never comes from a crew being careless with a wrapped TV. It comes from small gaps in the plan. The box was assumed, the mount was not discussed, the hardware went missing, or the estimate never mentioned the 75-inch set in the basement.

Affinity Moving crew on a Twin Cities move

That is why we build our written estimates around the details of the move: size, access, distance and timing. If a TV is on the list, we want to know how big it is, whether it is on a wall, and whether the stairs are tight. Then the plan, the crew and the materials are ready before moving day, and you are not solving problems at the curb.

Our advice is simple. Tell your mover about every screen, ask what is included, get the coverage in writing, and keep the remote and the screws with you, not in a box on a truck. For a set that matters to you, a fitted box and an upright position on the truck are worth the small extra effort.

— Derrick

Moving day, then the move-out clean

Once the TV and the rest of the contents are loaded, the old place still needs to be left in decent shape, especially for renters chasing a deposit. Wall mounts leave holes and scuffs, and an empty entertainment wall shows every mark. If you want that sorted while the movers are working, this overview of move-out cleaning for moving day explains how the service is typically structured and what to expect. It is written for a different region, so check local availability if you are in the Twin Cities.

How we handle TVs at Affinity Moving

Affinity Moving is a licensed and insured moving company in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities. We handle local and long-distance moves for homes, apartments, condos and offices, and we provide packing, packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and specialty item handling. Tell us about your TVs when you ask for an estimate, and we will write them into the plan.

Moving within the metro? See our local moving services.
Packing everything, including fragile electronics? See our packing services.
Moving a whole household? Start with residential moving.
Ready for numbers? Request a free estimate and list every screen.

For offices with wall-mounted displays and conference room screens, see our commercial moving services, where we plan around minimal downtime.

Questions to put in front of any mover about your TV

Use this list when you compare quotes. It works for us and for anyone else you call.

Is unmounting from the wall included, or an extra?
Will you supply a fitted TV box or padding, and is it in the price?
How are screens positioned on the truck?
What coverage is on my estimate, and what does it pay for a damaged TV?
Who handles reconnecting or placing the TV at the new home?
How do I file a claim, and how long do I have to report damage?
Is the company registered and permitted, and can I verify that?

A mover who answers all seven clearly and in writing is usually a mover who will treat your screen with care.

FAQ

Can movers take a TV off the wall?

Many can, but it is often priced as an additional service, so ask before you book. Some companies prefer you to remove the mount yourself to keep the job short. Whichever you choose, have the hardware bagged and labeled before the truck is loaded.

Can I move a TV lying flat?

It is best not to. Manufacturers such as LG advise keeping OLED sets upright during transport, because a flat position puts uneven stress on the thin panel. Treat any flat screen the same way and keep it on its edge, padded and secured.

Do I need the original box for the movers?

No. The original box and foam are ideal, but crews can pack a set safely with moving pads or a purpose-built TV box. Tell your mover up front if you do not have the box, so materials are included in the plan.

What if my TV is damaged during the move?

Write the damage on the paperwork before the crew leaves, take photos, and file a claim according to your mover’s process. What you receive depends on your coverage: under Limited Liability, federal guidance says interstate coverage can be as low as 60 cents per pound. Ask for Full Value Protection and make sure it is on your Bill of Lading.

Do movers set up the TV at the new home?

Usually they place it on its stand or furniture and may reconnect simple cables, but full setup like wall mounting or configuring a sound system is a separate job. Confirm what your mover includes, and keep your connection photos handy.