Birmingham, AL → Santa Barbara, CA · Cross-country move

Movers from Birmingham to Santa Barbara

About 2,217 road miles heading west. Typical two-bedroom cost $7,520–$11,190, delivery in 7–14 days, 395 carriers on the Birmingham side and 27 in Santa Barbara.

2,217 miroad distance
38 hours (5 driving days)driving time
7–14 daysdelivery window
$7,520–$11,1902-bedroom estimate

Photo: Pierre André · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Route summary

From: Birmingham, Alabama
To: Santa Barbara, California
Road distance: ≈ 2,217 miles (1,879 straight-line)
Drive time: 38 hours (5 driving days)
Delivery window: 7–14 days
Move type: Interstate – FMCSA authority required
Movers at origin: 395 (208 interstate)
Movers at destination: 27 (9 interstate)

Reverse: Santa Barbara → Birmingham

The route from Birmingham, AL to Santa Barbara, CA covers roughly 2,217 miles by road, a west-bound trip that falls into the cross-country move category for pricing purposes.

At this distance carriers price by shipment weight and mileage rather than by the hour. A two-bedroom home (around 5,000 lb of goods) typically costs $7,520 to $11,190 with a full-service mover, and delivery usually takes 7 to 14 days after pickup because long-haul trucks consolidate several households per trip. Driving it yourself takes about 38 hours (5 driving days).

On the Birmingham side there are 395 household-goods carriers registered with the FMCSA in and around the city (208 of them authorized for interstate work), and 27 around Santa Barbara (9 interstate). For an interstate move you can book from either end; movers near the origin handle loading and are usually the better first call, while a destination-side company can be useful if you need storage or delivery-day help in Santa Barbara.

Birmingham has a population of about 195,893 and Santa Barbara about 88,000. Santa Barbara is the denser city (4,549 people per square mile versus 1,366 in Birmingham), which often means shuttle trucks, parking restrictions or building move-in windows on delivery day. California is a higher-cost state than Alabama, so budget a little more for destination-side help, deposits and first-month expenses.

Cost of moving from Birmingham to Santa Barbara

Full-service estimate for 2,217 miles, by home size
Home size	Est. weight	Low	Typical	High
Studio	2,000 lb	$3,010	$3,670	$4,470
1 Bedroom	3,000 lb	$4,510	$5,500	$6,710
2 Bedrooms	5,000 lb	$7,520	$9,170	$11,190
3 Bedrooms	8,000 lb	$12,030	$14,670	$17,900
4+ Bedrooms	11,000 lb	$16,540	$20,170	$24,610

Rental truck (DIY)

$3,030–$4,280

One-way truck for the distance, mileage and fuel included; you load and drive.

Portable container

$3,000–$4,410

Container delivered, you load, company transports; transit is slower than a mover.

Full-service mover

$7,520–$11,190

Two-bedroom reference; crew loads, hauls and unloads.

Moving cost calculator

Distance is pre-filled for Birmingham, AL → Santa Barbara, CA. Adjust the other options to see your range.

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Typical full-service range.

Estimates use market baselines described on the cost guide; your quotes will vary by inventory, access and date.

Moving companies for this route

Near Birmingham (origin)

Buddy Moore Trucking INC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

USDOT: 843883
MC: 370920
Based in: Birmingham, AL 35222 (2 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 359 trucks, 354 drivers
USDOT registered: 1999

Call (205) 949-2260 Route Verify on FMCSA

Dixie Trucking Company LLC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

USDOT: 2263023
MC: 822669
Based in: Birmingham, AL 35217 (6 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 117 trucks, 117 drivers
USDOT registered: 2012

Call (205) 841-1930 Route Verify on FMCSA

Deep South Freight

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

Legal name: Tvs INC

USDOT: 273403
MC: 163871
Based in: Birmingham, AL 35204 (3 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 109 trucks, 107 drivers
USDOT registered: 1986

Call (205) 326-0490 Route Verify on FMCSA

Americas Thrift Stores INC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

Legal name: Alabama Thrift Stores INC

USDOT: 446588
MC: 656355
Based in: Irondale, AL 35210 (7 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 71 trucks, 71 drivers
USDOT registered: 1991

Call (205) 856-1234 Route Verify on FMCSA

New Latitude Moving Admiral Movers Motivated Movers

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Move & Store LLC

USDOT: 2179652
MC: 765956
Based in: Birmingham, AL 35211 (6 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 52 trucks, 52 drivers
USDOT registered: 2011

Call (855) 624-4537 Route Verify on FMCSA

U-Haul

Licensed interstate

Legal name: U-Haul Company Of Alabama INC

USDOT: 428450
MC: 881025
Based in: Birmingham, AL 35216 (8 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 52 trucks, 73 drivers
USDOT registered: 1990

Call (602) 263-6811 Route Verify on FMCSA

Associated Grocers Of The South INC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

USDOT: 187921
MC: 432768
Based in: Birmingham, AL 35217 (6 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 51 trucks, 48 drivers
USDOT registered: 1974

Call (205) 808-4915 Route Verify on FMCSA

Thompson Delivery Services Colwright

Licensed interstate

Legal name: McCorquodale Transfer LLC

USDOT: 713589
MC: 352161
Based in: Birmingham, AL 35203 (1 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 31 trucks, 35 drivers
USDOT registered: 1997

Call (205) 870-7474 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 395 movers in Birmingham

Near Santa Barbara (destination)

Aussie Moving

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Aussie Moving INC

USDOT: 2424966
MC: 876037
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 2 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2013

Call (805) 456-6498 Route Verify on FMCSA

Twentyfour7 Msi

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Twenty Four 7 Moving Specialists INC

USDOT: 1821147
MC: 661157
Based in: Carpinteria, CA 93013 (12 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 2 trucks, 5 drivers
USDOT registered: 2008

Call (805) 696-9247 Route Verify on FMCSA

Mammoth Van Lines

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Mammoth Moving Holding Corporation

USDOT: 374567
MC: 225136
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93111 (6 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 2 drivers
USDOT registered: 1989

Call (805) 968-8643 Route Verify on FMCSA

All Things Home Services LLC

Interstate carrier

USDOT: 8395520
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93111 (6 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 4 drivers
USDOT registered: 2026

Call (805) 245-3822 Route Verify on FMCSA

Bushnell Moving

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Kenneth Lee Bushnell

USDOT: 1355626
MC: 608117
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (9 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2005

Call (805) 682-5454 Route Verify on FMCSA

Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center

Intrastate carrier

Legal name: Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center INC

USDOT: 2735884
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Local moves
Fleet: 3 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2015

Call (805) 963-7825 Route Verify on FMCSA

Mike'S Deliveries

Intrastate carrier

Legal name: Miguel A Barrios

USDOT: 3008579
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Local moves
Fleet: 3 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2017

Call (805) 331-0318 Route Verify on FMCSA

Bright Delivery And Install INC

Intrastate carrier

USDOT: 3544323
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 3 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2021

Call (805) 679-1020 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 27 movers in Santa Barbara

Tips for this move

Expect a delivery spread of one to two weeks; plan temporary housing in Santa Barbara accordingly.
Compare a full-service van line against a container service; for a small household the container often wins.
Ask about consolidated versus dedicated truck options—dedicated is faster but costs more.
Read the FMCSA 'Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move' booklet the carrier must provide.

Near Birmingham

Near Santa Barbara

Related routes

Other destinations from Birmingham

Other origins to Santa Barbara

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to move from Birmingham to Santa Barbara?

Typical full-service estimates for this route are $3,010 to $4,470 for a studio, $4,510 to $6,710 for a one-bedroom, $7,520 to $11,190 for a two-bedroom, $12,030 to $17,900 for a three-bedroom and $16,540 to $24,610 for four or more bedrooms. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items add to these figures.

How far is Santa Barbara from Birmingham?

About 2,217 road miles (1,879 miles in a straight line). Driving without overnight stops takes roughly 38 hours (5 driving days).

How long will the movers take to deliver?

Expect a delivery window of 7 to 14 days after pickup. Carriers give a spread rather than a fixed date because long-distance trucks carry several shipments; a dedicated truck or expedited service shortens the window for an extra fee.

Does my mover need interstate authority for this move?

Yes. Crossing from Alabama into California makes this an interstate move, so the carrier must hold active FMCSA operating authority (an MC number) in addition to its USDOT number. The company cards on this page flag which carriers are authorized for interstate work.

Is it cheaper to rent a truck or use a container for Birmingham to Santa Barbara?

A one-way rental truck for this distance typically runs $3,030 to $4,280 including mileage and fuel, and a portable container about $3,000 to $4,410. Both save money versus a full-service crew but you do the loading, and container transit can take longer than a mover's delivery window.

When is the least expensive time to book this move?

Rates are highest in summer and around the last days of any month, when demand peaks. Mid-month, mid-week and winter dates are usually quoted below the standard rate. Booking four to eight weeks ahead gives you the widest choice of carriers on the Birmingham–Santa Barbara corridor.