Nationwide Car Shipping
Nationwide car shipping moves your vehicle from one address to another without you driving it. Smart Auto Move has done that for over ten years, in all 50 states. This page covers the price, the timing, the difference between open and enclosed, and how to pick a company you can trust.
Most cars ship for $450 to $2,000 and take 1 to 10 days on the road. A short run inside one state can come in near $450 and arrive in a couple of days. Coast to coast usually runs $1,800 to $2,400 over 8 to 10 days. Most people pick open, door to door transport, and for a normal car that is the right call. Figures here are open transport and a mid-size vehicle, based on our most recent shipments and the current fuel rates.
How much does it cost to ship a car?
Most cars ship for $450 to $2,000 on an open trailer. Enclosed runs about 80 percent more. The routes below are ones we run often enough to publish a real range, for a mid-size vehicle.
| Route | Distance | Open | Enclosed | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston to Tampa | 981 miles | $900 to $1,000 | $1,600 to $1,800 | 3 |
| New York City to Orlando | 1,080 miles | $1,250 to $1,450 | $2,250 to $2,600 | 3 to 5 |
| Raleigh to Dallas | 1,190 miles | $1,300 to $1,500 | $2,350 to $2,700 | 3 to 4 |
| Los Angeles to Houston | 1,566 miles | $1,250 to $1,400 | $2,250 to $2,500 | 4 |
| Chicago to Los Angeles | 2,025 miles | $1,250 to $1,400 | $2,250 to $2,500 | 5 |
| Chicago to Seattle | 2,065 miles | $1,250 to $1,450 | $2,250 to $2,600 | 5 |
| Los Angeles to Kissimmee | 2,552 miles | $1,450 to $1,650 | $2,600 to $2,950 | 6 |
| Tacoma to New York | 2,845 miles | $1,850 to $2,000 | $3,300 to $3,600 | 7 |
| Seattle to Kissimmee | 3,105 miles | $1,850 to $2,000 | $3,300 to $3,600 | 8 |
Prices are estimates. Fuel moves and so do they, so the live number comes from the quote form or a phone call. Enclosed figures are the open price plus the usual 80 percent premium. Some of these routes have their own page: New York City to Florida, Raleigh to Dallas, California to Florida, Washington to Florida and Tacoma to New York.
What moves the price
- The route, and how busy it is in both directions
- Vehicle size. A dually takes more trailer space than a sedan
- Whether it runs, steers and brakes
- Open or enclosed trailer
- How flexible your pickup dates are
- The season. February to April is cheapest, May to August the busiest
Why two routes the same length cost different money
What matters is whether a driver has a load waiting at the other end. Deliver into a busy market and there are cars ready to pick up on the drop. The rate sits at the average. Deliver somewhere quiet and the driver runs empty miles to the next job, so the price goes up. Distance alone never tells you the price. That is also why a wider pickup window saves money. It gives a driver more chances to fit your car into a trip already going your way.
How long does car shipping take?
Transit runs about 1 to 2 days for a short in-state move. Coast to coast takes 8 to 10 days. Federal hours-of-service rules cap driving time, so a truck covers roughly 400 to 500 miles a day once loading and delivery stops are counted.
| Distance | Days on the truck | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Under 500 miles | 1 to 2 days | Tacoma to Portland |
| 500 to 1,000 miles | 2 to 3 days | Houston to Tampa |
| 1,000 to 1,500 miles | 3 to 4 days | Raleigh to Dallas |
| 1,500 to 2,000 miles | 4 to 5 days | Los Angeles to Houston |
| 2,000 to 2,500 miles | 5 to 7 days | Chicago to Los Angeles |
| 2,500 to 3,000 miles | 6 to 9 days | Tacoma to New York |
| Over 3,000 miles | 8 to 10 days | Seattle to Kissimmee |
When the truck actually shows up
Pickup runs inside a window that starts on the date you ask for. Standard shipping uses a 6 day window. Expedited narrows it to 3 days. Your driver calls you directly as the truck gets close, so you get the day and a rough time rather than waiting by the window all week. Weather, traffic and the order of stops on the driver's load plan can all move a delivery day. You will hear about it from the driver when it happens.
Open, enclosed or expedited
Most cars go on an open trailer, and that is the right call for most cars. The other two options exist for a reason.
Open transport
The standard choice, and the basis of every open price on this page. Your car rides on the same kind of trailer that delivers new cars to dealerships. Best value by a wide margin, and the easiest to schedule.
Enclosed transport
Plan on about 80 percent more than open. A $1,000 open move is roughly $1,800 enclosed. A hard-sided trailer holds two to six cars where an open one holds ten, so each car carries more of the cost. Worth it for a classic, an exotic, fresh paint, or a car too low to clear a ramp.
Expedited
Narrows the pickup window from 6 days to 3. Useful when a closing date, a lease handover or a report date is fixed. Transit days stay the same, because federal driving-hour rules set those.
Each service has its own page: standard door to door, enclosed and expedited. There is also a side by side open and enclosed comparison.
How car shipping works, step by step
Six steps, and you only need to be present for two of them.
Get a quote
Give us the pickup and delivery cities, the year, make and model, whether it runs and drives, and the earliest date you are ready.
Pick your service
Open or enclosed, standard 6 day pickup window or expedited 3 day. We will tell you plainly if open is the right call for your car.
We assign a carrier
We check the carrier's authority and insurance are active, then send you the driver's details. Ask and we will send the certificate of insurance too.
Pickup and inspection
The driver calls ahead and walks the car with you. Its condition goes on the Bill of Lading. Take your own photos too.
On the road
Your car is strapped down and runs the interstate corridors. Call or text the driver whenever you want an update.
Delivery
Walk the car again against the pickup record, pay the balance and take the keys.
Insurance, access and what you can leave in the car
Your car travels under Carrier Cargo Insurance. It is held by the motor carrier assigned to your shipment. We check that the authority and the coverage are active before any car goes on a truck. Once a carrier is assigned, ask us for the certificate of insurance and we will send it the same day.
Your car never sits anywhere. It goes from your address straight onto the carrier and stays covered under Carrier Cargo Insurance for the entire trip.
Is door to door really door to door?
Yes, wherever a truck can legally and safely reach you. A car hauler is about 75 feet long. Tight streets, low branches, steep grades and posted neighborhood rules can stop one at the corner. Tell us the address when you book and we will pick a wide lot a few minutes away. It takes ten minutes and there is no extra charge.
Can I track my car?
GPS tracking is available when the carrier and the truck support it, and plenty of trucks do not carry a reliable system. Companies promising live tracking on every load are overselling it. What you always get from us is the driver's phone number for a call or text, plus email updates.
Can I leave personal items in the car?
Usually yes, within reason. Most drivers will take a few things as a courtesy. Keep it under about 100 pounds, pack it neatly, and keep it out of sight from outside the car. Think a few boxes in the trunk rather than a carload. The one thing to know is that you are paying to move the vehicle, so the carrier's insurance covers the car itself. Keep anything you would hate to lose with you.
Getting the car ready
- Wash it so the inspection photos are clear
- Leave about a quarter tank of gas
- Take out the toll tag and anything loose in the cabin
- Fold the mirrors and turn off the alarm
- Note any dents you already have, and take timestamped photos
- Tell us about big tires, a lift or a lowered suspension
Full detail is in the vehicle preparation guide.
Booking, payment and changing your mind
How payment works
A deposit is due when you book. The balance is due at delivery, usually by cashier's check, money order or cash. You can also put the full amount on a credit card, but only at the time of booking, so the funds clear and are ready for the carrier.
Two to three weeks of notice gets you the best choice of dates. We can work with less, and often do.
If your plans change
Cancel any time before we assign a carrier and your deposit comes back to you. Once we assign one and send you the driver's details, that money is spoken for. It is not gone, though. You can push the move back and use it on a later shipment.
Closings slip and orders change. Tell us early and we will move the date.
Why ship your vehicle instead of driving it?
Under about 500 miles, drive it. Past roughly 1,500 miles, shipping usually wins once you count hotels, meals, gas, wear and a plane ticket home.
Top 5 reasons to ship your vehicle instead of driving
- Skip the hard driving days. Long trips across several states bring weather, traffic and roads you do not know. Hand those miles to a driver who runs them every week.
- Rentals add up fast. A rental while you are away costs real money, comes with rules, and never feels like your own car.
- Get there sooner. Driving coast to coast eats days. Fly, land, and meet your car at the other end.
- Keep your travel money. Gas, motels, meals, tolls and the odd repair add up to more than most people expect.
- Enjoy the trip you planned. Storms, closures and a check-engine light can turn a drive into a three-day delay.
Who ships a car?
Not just people moving house. These are the six reasons we see most.
Relocating
A new job, retirement or a move closer to family. Shipping one car and driving the other is the usual pattern for a two-car household.
Buying a car online
You found the right car three states away. Shipping beats a one-way flight and a long drive home in a car you have not driven yet.
Military moves
Read your orders first. Depending on the move, they may cover shipping or pay you to drive. See the military page.
College
The academic calendar sets the price, so shipping ten days before move-in beats shipping in the rush. See the student page.
Snowbirds
South in the fall, north in the spring. Book early on both legs, because everyone else on your street is doing the same thing. See the seasonal page.
Classics and collectors
Enclosed keeps the miles off and the paint clean. Low-clearance cars need a driver who knows how to load them.
How we pick the truck for your car
The same drivers turn up on the same corridors week after week, and we work with the ones who do it well. That matters more than it sounds. A driver who has run your route fifty times knows which streets a 75 foot trailer can turn into, how long the mountain pass adds in January, and when to call you rather than leave you guessing.
Before a car is assigned we check the carrier's authority and cargo coverage are active. Then the driver gets accurate vehicle details, the real addresses and a realistic pickup window, because most problems on a shipping day start with bad information rather than a bad driver.
What you get either way
- Authority and insurance checked before assignment
- The driver's direct phone number
- A call before pickup and before delivery
- A condition record at both ends
- The certificate of insurance on request
- Someone answering at 888-709-9078
How to tell a car shipping company is legitimate
Start with the paperwork, then look hard at the cheapest quote. Every company moving cars across state lines has a USDOT number and an MC number. Both are public. Ours are USDOT 2887232 and MC 969368. You can pull our authority and insurance on the FMCSA SAFER system in about thirty seconds.
The number one red flag
A quote far below everyone else. If four companies say $1,000 to $1,200 and the fifth says $500, ask that company straight out whether the rate is confirmed. If they say yes, go read their reviews looking for the words bait and switch. Loading, securing, the inspection and the slot on the trailer cost a driver about the same at any distance. There is a floor below which the route cannot be run.
The one people get backwards
Plenty of advice says a good company never asks for money up front. The opposite is closer to the truth. A company taking nothing up front is often not confident it can find a carrier at the price it quoted. Those are frequently the same companies that call back a week later saying drivers turned the load down and the rate has gone up. A deposit means we are booking committed customers and holding the price we gave you.
Read reviews for detail, not for stars. If timing matters most to you, look for comments about pickup and delivery dates. If communication matters most, look for comments about updates and returned calls. Every review we publish sits on a public Google profile you can open and read yourself. We do not write testimonials. Our BBB profile is accredited with an A+ rating. The complaint history is there to read too.
What our customers say
Every review below sits on a public Google profile. Open any of them and read the whole thing.
Crystal Evans was very helpful.
Helpful guides
Shipping for a particular reason? We also have pages for online car buyers and auction pickups.
Car shipping FAQs
How much does it cost to ship a car?
Most cars ship for $450 to $2,000 on an open trailer. A short in-state run can come in near $450, and coast to coast usually sits between $1,800 and $2,400. Price follows the route, the vehicle, whether it runs, the trailer type and your dates. The routes on this page show real ranges for a mid-size vehicle.
How long does car shipping take?
About 1 to 2 days under 500 miles, 3 to 4 days around 1,200 miles, and 8 to 10 days coast to coast. A truck covers roughly 400 to 500 miles a day once loading and delivery stops are counted. Federal hours-of-service rules cap the time a driver can be behind the wheel.
When will the truck pick up my car?
Pickup happens inside a window that starts on the date you ask for. Standard shipping uses a 6 day window and expedited narrows it to 3 days. Your driver calls you directly as the truck gets close, so you get the day and a rough time rather than waiting all week.
Should I choose open or enclosed transport?
Open for a daily driver, enclosed for a car that justifies the premium. Plan on about 80 percent more than open. A $1,000 open move is roughly $1,800 enclosed, because a hard-sided trailer holds two to six cars where an open one holds ten. Worth it for a classic, an exotic, fresh paint, or a car too low to clear a ramp.
Why is one quote much cheaper than the others?
Ask that company whether the rate is confirmed. Loading, securing, the condition report and the slot on the trailer cost a driver about the same at any distance. So there is a floor below which a route cannot be run. A number well under everyone else usually means something has been left out, or that the price will move once a carrier actually has to be found.
Is my car insured while it is being shipped?
Yes. Your car travels under Carrier Cargo Insurance, held by the motor carrier assigned to your shipment. We confirm the authority and the coverage are active before a car is assigned. Once a carrier is assigned you can ask us for the certificate of insurance and we will send it. You can also check any carrier yourself on the FMCSA SAFER system.
Can I leave personal items in the car?
Usually yes, within reason. Most drivers will take a few things as a courtesy. Keep it under about 100 pounds, pack it neatly, and keep it out of sight from outside the car. Think a few boxes in the trunk rather than a carload. The one thing to know is that you are paying to move the vehicle, so the carrier's insurance covers the car itself. Keep anything you would hate to lose with you.
Is door to door car shipping available everywhere?
Just about. The limit is what a truck can legally and safely reach. A car hauler is about 75 feet long, so tight streets, low branches and posted neighborhood rules can stop one at the corner. Tell us the address when you book and a wide lot a few minutes away is used instead. There is no extra charge.
How do I prepare my car for shipping?
Wash it so the inspection photos are clear, leave about a quarter tank of gas, and take out the toll tag and anything loose in the cabin. Fold the mirrors, turn off the alarm, note any dents you already have and hand over one key. Tell us about oversized tires, a lift or a lowered suspension when you book.
How do I pay, and when?
A deposit is due at booking and the balance at delivery, usually by cashier's check, money order or cash. You can also put the full amount on a credit card, but only at the time of booking, so the funds clear and are available for the carrier. Some customers prefer that because it spreads the cost rather than paying out of pocket on the day.
Can I cancel or change my pickup date?
Cancel any time before we assign a carrier and your deposit comes back to you. Once we assign one and send you the driver's details, that money is spoken for. It is not gone, though. You can push the move back and use it on a later shipment.
Can you ship a car that does not run?
Yes, with a winch-equipped carrier, as long as the car rolls, steers and brakes. There is no flat fee for it. Expect it to run about $200 or more above the same car running, and the exact number needs a short conversation. Book it as inoperable up front. There is no penalty for that, and it costs less than sorting it out at the curb.
Can I track my car during transport?
GPS tracking is available when the carrier and the truck support it, and plenty of trucks do not carry a reliable system. Companies that promise live tracking on every shipment are overselling it, because no company controls whether a driver's truck is tracked. What you always get is the driver's phone number for a call or text, plus email updates.
When is the cheapest time to ship a car?
February to April. Those are the quietest months, so there is more trailer space than freight to fill it. May to August is the busiest stretch of the year, because the military move season, the summer moving peak and college move-in all land together. Booking two to three weeks ahead helps in any month.
How do I know a car shipping company is legitimate?
Check the USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA SAFER system, which takes about thirty seconds and is free. Ours are USDOT 2887232 and MC 969368. Then read the reviews on public profiles rather than testimonials on a website. Check the BBB complaint history. And treat a quote far below everyone else as the warning it usually is.
Ready to ship your car?
Fill in the route, the vehicle and the week you are ready. You get a price, not a phone call. Asking early gives you the widest choice of pickup dates and usually the better number.
Prefer email? Contact Smart Auto Move.