How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car?

There is no honest single number, and this page explains why rather than inventing one.

Search this question and you will find published figures that disagree with each other by a factor of four — per-mile rates from well under a dollar to several dollars, flat bands running into the thousands, percentage premiums stated as fixed. They cannot all be right, and the reason they conflict is the actual answer to your question.

Why published prices disagree

A published rate is an average of shipments that already happened, on lanes that may look nothing like yours.

The variable it cannot see is lane density — how many carriers routinely run your specific corridor. Two shipments of identical distance, identical vehicle and identical dates can price very differently because one route has trucks passing constantly and the other needs a carrier to justify a detour.

That is why we quote your shipment instead of publishing a table. Not evasion — a table that does not know your corridor is not pricing your move.

What actually moves the number

Distance and lane density together. Distance sets the floor; density does the rest. Long hauls cost more in total and less per mile, and a short thin lane can cost more than a long dense one.

Vehicle size and weight. An SUV or full-size pickup takes more deck and more payload than a sedan.

Running condition. A vehicle that will not start, roll or steer needs a winch-equipped carrier — a much smaller pool and a different price. Tell us at quote stage, not on collection day.

Open or enclosed. Open transport shares a trailer across eight to ten vehicles and is the economical standard. Enclosed is a smaller carrier pool and prices for protection.

Timing flexibility. The largest lever you personally control. A pickup window of several days lets us source from every carrier running your corridor that week. A fixed date is what expedited shipping is priced for.

Season. Summer relocation, late-summer campus moves and the autumn and spring snowbird migrations tighten capacity on predictable corridors at predictable times.

Access at both ends. A full-size hauler cannot enter every street. Where it cannot, an accessible meeting point nearby often widens the carrier pool. See door-to-door transport.

Modifications. Lowered suspension, oversized tyres, roof racks and lift kits change how a vehicle loads and sometimes what it can load onto.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to ship a car? It depends on distance and lane density together, the vehicle's size and running condition, open or enclosed, how flexible your dates are, and the season. We price your actual shipment rather than publishing a figure that cannot know your corridor. A quote takes about a minute to request.

How much does it cost to transport a car across country? More in total than a short move and less per mile, and the corridor matters more than the mileage. A coastal-to-coastal run on a dense route can price better than a shorter journey into a rural area with few carriers passing through.

How much does it cost to ship a vehicle that does not run? More than a running one, because it needs a winch-equipped carrier and that is a narrower pool. The three answers that decide the price are whether it rolls, steers and brakes.

What is the cheapest way to ship a car? Open transport, a flexible pickup window, booked outside the seasonal peaks, on a dense corridor. Those four cost you nothing to choose and together they do more for your price than any discount.

Why is one quote much lower than the others? Frequently because it is a bid rather than a price. A number set below what carriers will actually accept wins the booking, and then the load sits uncovered until the figure is revised. Ask what happens if no carrier takes the load at that rate.

Does the type of vehicle change the price? Yes. Deck space and payload both matter, so a full-size pickup or three-row SUV costs more than a sedan on the same lane. Motorcycles, boats, RVs and equipment are priced differently again — see specialty transport.

Is it cheaper to ship two cars together? Usually yes, per vehicle, on the same lane. Book them as one movement rather than two.

Do you charge more for door-to-door? Door-to-door is our default rather than a surcharge. Terminal-to-terminal can price lower on some lanes, though the saving often disappears once you count two trips to a yard and any storage.

When is the cheapest time of year to ship a car? Generally outside the summer relocation peak and away from the autumn and spring snowbird waves. If your dates are flexible, ask us which week looks better on your corridor.

Is there a discount I qualify for? Possibly. Military and veteran, senior, student and car dealer are each 10%. Referral and government agents are arranged by phone. Mention it at quote stage, not after booking. All: Discounts.

How do I pay, and when? An amount at booking and the balance at delivery, after you have inspected the vehicle. Methods and when a fee applies: How to Pay.

Does the quote include insurance? Cover is not sold to you as a line item. We are a licensed and bonded broker, not the carrier — every carrier we assign is required to hold active cargo insurance, and we will provide that carrier's certificate on request. More: Carriers, Insurance & Safety.

Get a real number

Tell us the vehicle, both cities and roughly when. That is enough to price it properly.

Or call (800) 780-1113 — answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

By service

Car Shipping (core hub) · Open Auto Transport · Enclosed Auto Transport · Door-to-Door Auto Transport · Expedited Car Shipping · Exotic & Luxury Car Transport · Seasonal / Snowbird Relocation · State-to-State Car Shipping · Motorcycle Transport · Heavy Equipment Transport · Boat & Yacht Transport · RV & Camper Transport · ATV & UTV Shipping · Golf Cart Shipping · Jet Ski & PWC Shipping

Related answers

All Car Shipping FAQs · Booking & Process · Timing & Transit · Carriers, Insurance & Safety · Vehicle Preparation · Vehicle Types & Conditions · Routes & Locations · Specialty Transport