An Atlanta office move works best as a weeks-out checklist that starts with your building’s move rules and ends with IT, records and address updates. Get the building rules first. They decide your move date, your move hours and the paperwork your movers must send.

This guide is for office managers and business owners in Midtown, Downtown, Buckhead and the Perimeter area. It covers the building paperwork, a timeline, traffic windows, IT and records, and the address filings that come after the move. When you are ready to talk dates, our commercial moving page explains how to get started.

The Quick Version

Most office moves in an Atlanta tower come down to five jobs:

  • Read the move rules for both buildings, the one you leave and the one you enter
  • Book the freight elevator and loading dock at both addresses
  • Send each building the certificate of insurance it asks for
  • Plan the IT shutdown and restart with your IT provider
  • File your new address with USPS, the state and the city

Office Move Timeline by Weeks Out

Use this schedule as a starting point. Move it earlier if your office is large or if either building books its dock far ahead.

Weeks out What to do
8 or more Name one move coordinator. Get the move rules from both property managers. Request quotes.
6 Pick a move date that both buildings approve. Book the freight elevator and loading dock at each address.
4 Send each building its certificate of insurance. Draw a floor plan with a number for every desk. Order internet and phone service at the new office.
2 Back up all data. Label furniture, boxes and equipment with the new desk numbers. File your USPS change of address.
1 Confirm dock and elevator times in writing. Tell clients the new address. Clear out desks and personal items.
Move week Shut down IT on schedule. Walk the empty office with the property manager. Test phones and internet at the new office.

Building Move Rules in Atlanta Office Towers

Every office tower sets its own move rules. Property managers write them, not movers. Ask for the rules in writing from both buildings before you pick a date. They usually cover three things.

Certificate of Insurance

Many office buildings require a certificate of insurance from your movers before they will allow a move. The building decides the coverage it wants and who must be named on the certificate. Send the building’s exact wording to your movers early. A certificate with the wrong name can stop a move at the dock.

Freight Elevator and Loading Dock Booking

Every tenant in a tower shares the freight elevator and loading dock. Buildings book them in time slots. You need a slot at the old building and the new building on the same day. Ask how long each slot lasts and what happens if the truck runs late. If you have moved a home in a tower, the process is close to the one in our guide to high-rise moves in Atlanta.

Move Hours Set by Building Management

Many buildings limit large moves to set hours. Some allow office moves only outside business hours so tenants can use the lobby and elevators. These are building rules, so get them in writing. Then plan your move date around them. Ask about these points too:

  • Floor and wall protection the building requires
  • Where the truck may park and for how long
  • Whether a building engineer must be on site
  • Rules for removing old furniture and trash

Buckhead towers and offices in the Perimeter area set their own rules too. If you are moving out of Buckhead, see our page for Buckhead movers. For offices on the Sandy Springs side of the Perimeter, see our Sandy Springs movers page.

Plan Around Metro Traffic Windows

Traffic shapes how many loads a truck can run in a day. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s travel model sets the morning peak from 6:00 a.m. to 9:59 a.m. and the evening peak from 3:00 p.m. to 6:59 p.m. Try to load and drive outside those hours when your building allows it.

The day of the week matters too. ARC’s 2025 Regional Commuter Survey, released in 2026, found that Mondays and Fridays usually have less peak congestion. Midweek still sees the most commute traffic. On move day, check road closures and crashes on 511 Georgia, the Georgia DOT traffic site.

IT, Phones and Records

Every hour your network is down is an hour your office cannot work. Plan the IT move with your IT provider, not on move day. Cover these steps:

  • Back up every computer and server before shutdown
  • Photograph cable setups before you unplug anything
  • Order internet at the new office weeks ahead
  • Forward main phone lines on move day
  • Test every desk before employees arrive

Moving is a good time to sort paper records. Shred what you no longer need and move the rest in sealed, labeled boxes. Check before you shred tax files. The IRS says to keep most tax records for 3 years, employment tax records for at least 4 years, and some records for 6 or 7 years. Ask your accountant which rule fits your business.

Update Your Business Address

Your address lives in more places than you think. Start with the mail. USPS lets an authorized agent file a business change of address. Standard forwarding lasts 12 months, and USPS says to allow 7 to 10 business days for it to start. File it before your last week in the old office.

Next, update state and city records if they apply to your business:

  • Georgia corporations and LLCs update their principal office address through the Georgia Secretary of State annual registration, or an amended one if this year’s is already filed
  • Businesses with a City of Atlanta business license should report the new location to the Office of Revenue as soon as possible
  • Banks, payroll, insurance carriers and vendors need the new address too

If you move from the city of Atlanta to another city, such as Sandy Springs, check that city’s business license rules as well.

Tell Your Employees and Clients

People need the news before the boxes. Give your employees the move date, the new parking details and their desk numbers early. Ask each person to pack their own desk items. Then update your website, email signature, Google listing and invoices with the new address. Send clients a short notice two weeks before the move and again on move day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Far Ahead Should You Plan an Office Move in Atlanta?

Start about 8 weeks out for a small office, and earlier for a large one. Towers book freight elevators and loading docks ahead, so the building often sets your date.

Do Office Towers Require a Certificate of Insurance?

Many do. Each building sets its own coverage rules, so ask the property manager for the exact wording and send it to your movers early.

Can You Move an Office During Business Hours?

It depends on the building. Many towers limit large moves to set hours to keep lobbies and elevators open for tenants, so check the move rules in writing.

What Is the Best Day of the Week for an Office Move?

Mondays and Fridays usually have less peak traffic in metro Atlanta, according to ARC. Your building’s open move slots still decide the final date.

How Do You Change a Business Address With USPS?

File a business change of address on the USPS website or at a post office. An authorized agent of the business must file it, and forwarding lasts 12 months.

Who Should Run the Office Move Inside Your Company?

Name one move coordinator, often your office manager. That person talks to both buildings, your movers and your IT provider, so nothing falls through.

Get a Free Office Moving Quote in Atlanta

Atlanta Moving Solutions is based in Kennesaw and serves Atlanta and nearby areas, including Buckhead and Sandy Springs. Send us your move date and both building addresses through our free moving quote form.