How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car?

Whether you're looking to move your own car across the country or you plan to buy a car that's located far from you, you may be wondering how much it costs to ship a car. The simple answer: It varies, ranging from as little as a few hundred dollars for a short-distance move to as much as $5,000 for a covered car carrier lugging your vehicle a long distance.

Here's what you need to know about determining the price of shipping a car.

Table of contents: 

• Is it cheaper to drive or ship my car?
• How to shop for a car shipper
• How to estimate car shipping costs
• Factors that affect car shipping prices
• Check your insurance coverage
• How long does it take to ship a car?
• Car shipping best practices

Is it cheaper to drive or ship my car?

It may be cheaper to drive your car home in some cases, but there's a lot to factor in. For one, you have to get to it, which likely means an airplane ticket, a ride to wherever it's located, a hotel, and some meals — not to mention fuel on the way back to your driveway. 

Also, time is money. Is it really worth it for you to spend a day or two on the road? 

Then again, perhaps the car you want is somewhere you'd like to visit, so you might be able to turn your road trip into a vacation. 

Ultimately, however, you'll need to weigh the costs of collecting the car in person versus having a shipper pick it up and deliver it directly to you. 

How to shop for a car shipper

Large and small shipping brokerages have access to online platforms where independent drivers bid on the job of picking up your car and delivering it to its intended destination. These brokers connect you, the end user, with the driver who accepts (or is assigned by their employer) the shipping job. Often, you'll pay the broker via credit card rather than the driver; the broker then pays the driver. That's not always the case, however, so it's best to determine how your broker handles payment before you engage their services.

Working with a broker isn't the cheapest way to ship a car, but it is usually the easiest since the broker earns their commission by handling most of the logistics on your behalf. 

If you can manage to work directly with a truck driver, you can cut out the middleman and save some money. Some drivers will work independently, while others might belong to a small fleet but are willing to do it off the clock. That said, it can be a little more challenging to organize since a driver may not be passing through your area.

Some services, such as uship.com, have their own marketplaces where you can post your vehicle and receive competing bids from carriers or drivers. Here, too, you may be able to save a good amount of money, though you will need to be patient to let drivers bid on your shipment. 

How to estimate car shipping costs

The average car shipping cost is around $650, but it can increase exponentially the farther your car needs to travel to reach you. According to our research on U.S. vehicle shipping companies, you will pay anywhere between 50 cents and $2 per mile for car transport service in 2026. It all depends on the distance of your shipment, the type of carrier, the location, the vehicle, the time of year, and the delivery speed.

Nexus Auto Transport offers a convenient shipping calculator. As of June 2020, the site estimates as little as $1,350 to ship a midsize car from Los Angeles to Miami, a well-trafficked route by shipping companies. An enclosed trailer will cost at least $600 more. 

Be sure to get your own quotes from multiple shippers. Also, shippers may charge additional fees for cars in particularly hard-to-reach locations with limited truck traffic, such as locations with long detours off major highways. 

Data source: Nexus Auto Transport

Factors that affect car shipping prices

Vehicle size — Large vehicles take up more space than small cars on a trailer, meaning a shipper may not be able to fit as many vehicles. As a result, a big truck may cost a bit more to ship than a small car. Shippers also typically charge more for a non-running vehicle than for one that can start and drive right onto a truck. A car that doesn't run must be pushed or winched onto a trailer, which takes time. 

Transport type — open carrier: An open carrier is a trailer — either pulled by a big rig or, in many cases, by a heavy-duty pickup truck — on which the car remains exposed to the elements. The biggest advantage of an open carrier is cost. This type of car hauler is far more common than a closed carrier, so it will almost always cost you less to ship your vehicle this way. On the other hand, open carriers mean the car is constantly exposed to the weather and whatever the road throws at it. If you're shipping a relatively low-value vehicle, an open carrier can be a highly economical way to move your car. 

Transport type — closed carrier: A closed carrier, on the other hand, describes a large trailer with a roof, sides, and a large rear door through which the car is loaded. If your vehicle is worth a lot of money, has a glass roof, or has potentially loose items like a convertible top, you should strongly consider a closed carrier. This type of car transport can cost two or three times as much as an open carrier, but it can be a far better option in specific situations. 

If you're deciding between an open and closed carrier, you may also want to consider the time of year. In the summer, for instance, a car mounted at the front of a trailer is likely to be pelted with insects. You likely have little control over where the truck operator decides to park your vehicle on the trailer; they may very well move it around as they unload and load other vehicles along their drive route. During winter months, an open trailer will be exposed to whatever ice-reduction measures highway transportation departments sprinkle on the road below. That means your car may be covered in salt, which will eventually induce rust when it arrives.

Time of year: Car shipping can have seasonal peaks and valleys. Summer, when weather delays are relatively rare, is a popular time to move a car. You'll likely find many truckers looking to fill empty spots on their trailers, which can mean competitive pricing. This is less true in other seasons, though there are some exceptions. Truckers delivering cars to snowbirds in places like Arizona and Florida may be headed out of town with an empty load. Often, they'll eagerly pick up a car heading out of Phoenix or Fort Lauderdale in September. 

Current fuel prices: The current price of diesel fuel can have a big impact on how much it costs to ship a car. Trucking carriers will inevitably pass higher fuel costs on to consumers. 

Distance between transport cities: Your location also plays a major role in determining the cost of shipping a car. If your car is moving between two cities in the middle of the country with excellent interstate highway connections to other cities, you'll inevitably pay less than you would if the car is located in a rural area far from major highways or near a coast.

Truck routes: For example, if you're shipping a car between Denver and Indianapolis, you'll likely find that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of trucks that carry cars through those well-connected metro areas on a daily basis. It won't be hard for a broker to find a truck already scheduled to drive along Interstate 70, the highway that connects Denver and Indianapolis.

It's a different story for places like Southern California or South Florida. While both are major metro areas with plenty of trucks delivering goods, they're essentially dead ends for highway traffic. It's far less likely that a broker will find a trucker who just happens to be passing through Miami with an open spot on their trailer. 

Other car shipping cost considerations:  Although perhaps less common now than in the past, some brokers may suggest dropping off your car at a shipping depot to save some money. The car might sit there for a few days before a truck comes to collect it, but it may wind up costing you less and saving you some hassle since you can leave the car at a time that's more convenient for you. 

Data source: Nexus Auto Transport

Check your insurance coverage

Before you ship your car, talk to your insurance company or agent about what, if any, additional insurance you may want to buy. Cars can easily get damaged during shipping, and you'll want to make sure that you are properly covered.

A broker or driver may also offer some insurance coverage, though it may not go as far as what your regular car insurance can be temporarily modified to cover. 

How long does it take to ship a car?

If a trucker with an open spot happens to be passing through your town, it may only be minutes before they can come collect your car. That's the exception and not the norm, however. Sometimes it can take days or weeks for a broker to schedule a driver. 

Once the trucker arrives to pick up the car, it won't take long for it to be loaded onto the trailer. It will inevitably take the truck longer to get to the destination than it would take you if you were driving the car. Trucks can't drive as fast as cars, and odds are the trucker has additional stops along the way. You can always ask the driver for a delivery estimate, though many factors, such as weather, mechanical issues, or even a surprise vehicle pickup along the way, can slow things down. 

Car shipping best practices

Pick a good delivery location: Big trucks and cramped urban streets don't mix. Truck drivers can understandably be reluctant to drive into a congested city to load up or drop off a vehicle. With this in mind, you'll want to look for a convenient, open parking lot — like a suburban shopping mall — where the truck driver can safely load your vehicle. Be aware that parking lots are usually private property, however, so you may need to scout out a few spots. 

Inspect the vehicle for damage: It's ideal for you or a trusted friend or family member to be with the car when it is picked up and delivered. Take many photos of the car when it is being picked up so that you can cover yourself in case it incurs any damage along the way.