20–22 Foot Moving Truck: Dimensions, Capacity, and What Fits
The three-bedroom truck, and the size where the three companies stop agreeing. U-Haul sells a 20-footer, Penske a 22-footer, and Budget nothing at all between 16 and 26 feet, which quietly forces a decision if you were planning to rent from Budget.
- Cargo volume
- 1,016–1,200 cu ft
- Max load
- 5,700–10,000 lb
- Estimated mpg
- 10–13
- License
- Regular
Ranges span what U-Haul, Penske, and Budget each publish for this size. The spread between companies is often wider than people expect.
What each company calls this size
Same job, three different numbers on the door. This is the single biggest source of confusion when people price-shop across companies.
Same 14,500 lb chassis as the 15', so the extra length costs payload: 5,700 lb, which is less than the shorter truck carries. Has a Mom's Attic.
A different class of truck: diesel, a 3-person bench, 8'1" of interior height, and up to 10,000 lb of payload. One-way rentals only. Penske doesn't offer the 22' round-trip.
Budget doesn't rent this size. Its consumer lineup goes 12' → 16' → 26', with nothing in between, so a three-bedroom move at Budget means either squeezing into the 16' and accepting a second trip, or paying for a 26' you won't fill. Some Budget locations still reference a 24' truck in towing documents, but it isn't separately bookable. Treat it as an occasional substitute for the 26' rather than a size you can reserve.
Specs, side by side
Published figures from each company's own spec pages. Where a company doesn't publish a number, we say so rather than guessing.
| Spec | U-Haul 20' truck | Penske 22' truck |
|---|---|---|
| Interior (L × W × H) | 19'5" × 7'8" × 7'1" | Up to 21'11" × 8'1" × 8'1" |
| Door opening (W × H) | 7'3" × 6'5" | Not published |
| Cargo volume | 1,016 cu ft | Up to 1,200 cu ft |
| Max load | 5,700 lb | Up to 10,000 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight | 14,500 lb | Up to 26,000 lb (commercial non-CDL spec) |
| Fuel / tank | Gas · 40 gal | Diesel · 70 gal |
| Estimated mpg | 10 | Up to 13 |
| Loading ramp | Yes, 2'2" wide | Yes, 1,000 lb capacity |
| Towing | Up to 7,500 lb | Tow-capable · towed car up to 5,000 lb |
| Seats | 3 | 3 |
U-Haul's 20' tows less than its own 15' (7,500 lb against 10,000 lb), which looks like a typo but is published consistently across U-Haul's spec pages. It also carries less payload than the 15' (5,700 vs 6,385 lb), because both trucks sit on the same 14,500 lb chassis and the longer box weighs more empty. Penske's 22' is the outlier in the other direction: on a heavier commercial chassis, it takes up to 10,000 lb.
Specs are the companies' own published figures and vary by model year and location, so confirm the truck you're actually given at pickup. Sources: U-Haul 20' truck · Penske 22' truck · Budget lineup
What actually fits
U-Haul calls its 20' a two-bedroom home or three-bedroom apartment; Penske rates the 22' at three to five rooms, or a one-to-three-bedroom home.
- A three-bedroom home's furniture and boxes in one load
- Three bedroom sets, a full living room, and a dining set
- Appliances alongside the furniture, especially on Penske's 10,000 lb payload
- A car on a tow dolly or carrier behind it
- Tall items: Penske's 8'1" interior height clears things U-Haul's 7'1" won't
Rent this one if…
- You're moving a three-bedroom home and want one trip.
- You're moving heavy. Penske's 22' takes up to 10,000 lb.
- You're going one-way and long-distance: Penske's diesel 22' is rated up to 13 mpg with unlimited miles.
- You have tall furniture or an armoire that needs more than 7 feet of clearance.
Size up or down if…
- You're set on Budget. It has no truck this size, so you're choosing between a 16' and a 26'.
- You want a round-trip Penske 22'. It's one-way only; use U-Haul's 20' for a local move instead.
- You're loading dense weight into a U-Haul 20'. Its 5,700 lb payload is the lowest of any truck this size or larger.
- You have a four- or five-bedroom house. Go to the 26'.
Driving and fuel
This is where a rental truck starts to feel like a truck. Roughly 11 to 12 feet tall, no rear window, and long enough that turns need to be taken wide and slow. Neither requires a CDL. Fuel diverges here: U-Haul's 20' runs on gas at about 10 mpg from a 40-gallon tank, while Penske's 22' is diesel at up to 13 mpg from a 70-gallon tank. That's nearly 900 miles of range, but a much bigger bill each time you fill it.
Common questions
Does Budget rent a 20 or 22 foot truck?
No. Budget's lineup is cargo van, 12', 16', and 26'. There's no 20' or 22' option. If you need a three-bedroom truck from Budget, you're picking between a 16' that's probably too small and a 26' that's larger than you need.
Why does U-Haul's 20' truck carry less weight than its 15'?
Both sit on the same 14,500 lb gross-weight chassis, and the 20' box weighs about 700 lb more empty, so there's less payload left over. U-Haul publishes 5,700 lb for the 20' and 6,385 lb for the 15'. If your load is heavy rather than bulky, the shorter truck is genuinely the stronger one.
Do you need a CDL to drive a 22 foot truck?
No. Penske's consumer 22' is a non-CDL truck, and it rents to licensed drivers 18 and older. Same for U-Haul's 20'. A commercial license only enters the picture above 26,000 lb gross weight, which these are built to stay under.
Is a 20 foot truck enough for a 3-bedroom house?
For a normally furnished one, yes. If the house has a full garage, a basement, or a home office on top of three bedrooms, the 26' is the safer rental. Cheaper, too, than discovering the problem with half your things still on the driveway.
