Cost & Pricing

How much does it cost to ship a car?

U.S. Car Shipping Pricing by Distance.

• Short transport: When moving short distances, less than 200 miles, the average cost for a regular car is between $250 to $450. This breaks down to about $1.65 to $2.55 for each mile. For instance, if you’re moving 136 miles from Miami, FL to Fort Pierce, FL, you can expect to pay around $250.
• Medium distance car shipping: Shipping a car 200 to 1,000 miles costs about $500 to $1,000 for a standard sedan on an open trailer. A 500-mile trip may average around $950, with rates of $0.90 to $1.20 per mile.
• Long auto transport from 1,000 to 2,500 miles +++: Costs range from $10000–$1,900 for a typical sedan using an open carrier, with a per-mile rate from $0.65 to $0.90. For instance, New York to Texas (1,700 mi) costs about $1,300.
• Cross-country or coast to coast car shipping, more than 2,500 miles: Costs for open carriers range from approximately $2,000 to over $2,800. A quote for shipping from Miami to San Francisco (3,050 mi) was $2,400.

International Car Shipping Price

• U.S.to or from Europe: Cars can be shipped by sea, with Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) being the cheapest option at $1,500–$2,900 per car from the U.S. East Coast to Europe. Container shipping costs $2,500–$3,500 and takes 4–6 weeks. Additional costs include inland pickup/delivery ($150–290), port fees ($50–250) and import duties (2.5% for the U.S.; 10–22% for the EU).
• U.S. to or from Canada Shipping a car between the U.S. and Canada costs $500 to $2,700, depending on the route. For example, Buffalo to Toronto is under $900, while Minneapolis to Winnipeg is about $1,500. There is a $300 inspection fee and import taxes of 5% to 15% for shipments to Canada. Delivery takes a few days to a week.
• U.S.to or from Mexico: Shipping a car overland from Mexico to the USA typically costs between $900 and $1,900. If you’re shipping a lot of cars at once, you might pay around 80% of the usual prices for cross-country shipping. When bringing a car into the US, you’ll need to pay a customs duty of 2.5%, while in Mexico, it’s 20% for the most common car models. The shipping process usually takes about 7 to 14 days, and if your vehicle doesn’t run, there is an additional fee of $100 to $300.

Cost of Shipping a Car by Transport Method

• Open trailer: Multi-car open trailers can carry between 8 to 10 cars at an affordable average cost of about $1,000 in total, which breaks down to around $1.25 per mile. The advantage of using this method is that it offers the lowest price. However, a downside is that the cars are exposed to the weather and dirt during transportation.
• Enclosed Carrier: Transporting vehicles in a covered trailer is safer, but the price is 30% to 50% higher than for an open trailer, averaging around $1,000 for open transport and $1,500 for enclosed transport. The latter is ideal for classic or luxury cars, adding about $0.50 to $0.95 per mile.
• Flatbed/Lowboy trailers: For inoperable or oversized vehicles, flatbed transport adds $250–$600 in costs, including a $120–$250 winching fee.
• Rail car transport (Autorack): In some areas, rail networks can transport multiple cars at low cost, especially over long distances. Cars are loaded onto open “autorack” boxcars. Pros include efficiency for large volumes, while cons involve fixed routes and additional drayage at railheads.

Factors That Affect Car Shipping Prices

• Vehicle Size and Weight: Larger vehicles tend to be more expensive. SUVs and trucks typically add $75 to $150 to quotes; regular 4-door sedans are significantly cheaper than trucks.
• Vehicle Condition Running-Operable vs. Non-running Inoperable: Non-running cars require a winch or hoist, which costs an extra $120 to $200. Some carriers limit the distance an inoperable vehicle can be towed to 100 miles before charging additional fees.
• Specialty vehicles, including luxury, antique and electric cars: High-value or classic cars often ship in enclosed transport trailers, increasing the final cost in a 20% to 30%. Electric vehicles may require special handling for their batteries, leading some companies to charge an additional fee or impose distance restrictions.

Seasonal Car Transport and Regional Considerations

• Peak Season, Summer and March to April for “snowbirds” car transport: During the summer, the demand for car shipping services increases by about 15% to 18%, and it jumps even higher—around 30%—during the fall when many people migrate to warmer places. It’s also important to note that if you book something at the last minute, it can cost you an extra 15% to 25%.
• Off-peak season runs from January to March: Fall season in demand; rates can be 15% to 20% lower, and it is the lowest price when you need to transport a car nationwide.
• Regional pickup and drop-off locations: Busy routes such as CA to FL, FL to NY, TX to NY and NY to other states generally have more drivers, which reduces costs. Remote pickups in Hawaii, Alaska, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming may incur an extra fee of $150 to $200 for detours.

Tips for saving money and negotiating when you need to ship a car nationwide

• Compare Quotes from Multiple Auto Transport Companies: Consider using brokers such as AutoTransport.com and Nationwide Transport Service to get competing bids, as these marketplaces often offer lower rates than traditional brokers, reducing the final car transport price by 15% to 30%.
• Flexible Pickup and Drop-off Dates: Book 3 to 4 weeks in advance to get the lowest price. Carriers offer lower rates if they can fill a truck en route with enough time to spare.
• Low season booking: If it is possible, ship your car between January and March; this is the off-season and will help you save money.
• Terminal to Terminal car shipping: Using terminal drop-off and pickup services can save $100 or more.
• Car Transporet Method: Using an open-trailer to ship your car with multiple vehicles will help you keep money in your pocket instead of using an enclosed trailer.

What factors affect the final car transport price?

The factors that affect the final car shipping price are distance, vehicle size and weight, transport type and route popularity. Key factors include seasonal demand (which is higher in summer and during the snowbird season), fluctuations in fuel prices, vehicle availability and the choice between door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal delivery.

Distance and Route

• A longer distance results in a higher total cost, but the cost per mile is lower.
• Popular routes such as Miami to New York and Texas to California are more affordable due to high demand and a greater availability of drivers.
• The costs increase in remote or rural areas due to limited carrier availability.

Pickup and Delivery Locations

• Urban areas like New York, Houston, Miami and Los Angeles usually have lower moving costs for vehicles.
• In rural or hard-to-access areas, costs tend to be higher due to detours and fewer available truck drivers.
• The pricing is also influenced by whether the service is door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal.

Method of Transport

• Open-trailer transport and carriers are the most common and cheapest option when you need to move a car to any city or state.
• Enclosed transport costs 20% to 30% more and is used for high-value vehicles such as luxury, exotic and classic cars.

Fuel Prices

• The car transportation expenses fluctuate with changes in diesel fuel prices.
• Increased fuel costs lead to higher final vehicle transport prices and rates.

Season of the year

• During peak seasons, such as summer and snowbird season, prices tend to be higher.
• Winter routes, particularly those affected by snow and storms, can lead to increased costs.
• January and fall are the best times to ship a car nationwide, as they offer lower prices and greater availability of truck drivers.

Shipping and delivery speed

• Standard shipping with an open trailer and flexible delivery dates is the most economical option.
• Expedited, urgency car shipping is significantly more expensive.

Insurance Coverage

• Included Basic Coverage (Baseline): Reputable transportation companies like AutoTransport.com, American Auto Transport and Nationwide Transport Service include primary cargo insurance in their base quote, covering damage caused by carrier negligence up to $50,000–$100,000.
• Extra Insurance for expensive vehicles: If the vehicle is valued over the standard policy limit, such as expensive sports cars, high-value or classic cars, additional coverage may be necessary. This could increase the total cost by $45 to $180.
• Gap Insurance: This refers to the difference between the insurance payout and the vehicle’s market value in a total loss, especially important for cars with loans. It can add $50 to $100.
• Luxury and High-Value Vehicles: Vintage and luxury vehicles require higher insurance premiums due to the elevated financial risks associated with their transportation and delivery processes.
• Deductibles: Some insurance policies include a deductible that must be paid when filing a claim. However, certain providers offer a “zero-deductible” option for an additional fee.