How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car to Another State?

When someone needs to get a vehicle to another state, there are all kinds of reasons why they might not want to drive it and would prefer to have it shipped. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that figure into the cost of shipping a car to another state.

Understanding Distance and its Impact on Pricing

Just like if you were booking an Uber ride, distance and cost per mile (starting at about 70c per mile) is a big component of shipping costs. The good news is that for really long runs, cost per mile starts to drop, making interstate car shipping a pretty good deal. 

Navigating Varying State Regulations

Getting a vehicle shipped across state lines can be tricky due to a patchwork of laws, but for the most part federal regulations supersede state concerns when it comes to interstate commercial transport. It’s more of an issue for the transport driver or owner/operator, including things such as: 

• State safety regulations and inspections for the trucks themselves, including emissions standards that can vary a lot from one state to another
• Documented registration with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and a specially-issued number from the Department of Transportation
• Proper insurance coverage, as required by FMCSA
• Heavy Vehicle Use tax certificate
• Unified Carrier Registration Agreement license
• Commercial driver’s license in good standing
• Temporary permits or supplemental tax registrations (in some cases)

It sounds like a lot, but this is what’s required to do commercial transport across state lines. 

How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car in Different Seasons?

Different times of year mean surges in auto shipping traffic and possibly problems with availability of transport drivers. Here are some seasonal impacts on auto shipping costs: 

Shipping a Car in Winter

November to January means more vehicles on the road for Christmas and Thanksgiving travel, as well as traffic from snowbirds who relocate to warmer climates for the winter months. Availability of transport drivers can be choked off during these spikes in booking, and of course weather and road conditions can become a problem. As a general rule, winter months (especially closer to the holidays) can be more expensive for auto shipping. 

Shipping a Car in Spring

The spring months of March through about June tend to be the off-season, and availability of drivers is a little  easier, so you can expect to see shipping rates that are a little more favorable in spring (with the possible exception of extra traffic around Memorial Day weekend). 

Shipping a Car in Summer

Think what goes on in summer…from June through September, people love to take family vacations and road trips, then there’s extra traffic on the roads around July 4 and Labor Day weekends. Relocations tend to happen in summer months, as well as students heading back to college in late August (and parents shipping their vehicles to them). Summer is usually a peak season for auto logistics, and prices can rise.

Shipping a Car in Fall

When you’re considering shipping a vehicle in the fall months, it depends on what part of fall you’re talking about. Early September means Labor Day traffic and college students going back to school, but summer vacations are usually wrapped up by then as well as families relocating. Later in the fall (late September through the middle of November) can be an optimum time to transport a vehicle to another state, with less demand on the transport driver network and better rates. 

Choosing the Right Shipping Method

The shipping method that you opt for plays a big role in your overall shipping costs:

Open car transport: this is by far the most cost-effective way to get your vehicle from point A to point B. With open car transport, your vehicle is loaded onto a double-decker tractor-trailer with several other cars, much like the kind of truck that delivers vehicles to dealerships. Open car transport has the disadvantage of leaving your vehicle exposed to weather and possible road grit and debris, but it’s the most common preferred way to get the job done (largely because of cost considerations). 

Enclosed car transport: if you need an extra measure of security and protection for your vehicle, enclosed car transport is an excellent option. With enclosed car transport your vehicle is loaded into either an all-aluminum trailer or a closed trailer with tarp sides, then locked in for its entire trip. Enclosed car transport means your car is protected on all four sides until it reaches its destination, making it a great choice for a rare, high-dollar or delicate vehicle. The downside of enclosed car transport is cost, as it can be harder to locate a transport driver who is equipped for this transport method. 

Door-to-door shipping: like the name suggests, this is where your car gets picked up right in front of your house, then dropped off at the curb at its destination. It’s the ultimate in convenience, with the driver showing up for both pickup and delivery at your prearranged time and date. 

Express car shipping: it’s a lot better if you can provide at least a couple of weeks lead time for your auto logistics needs, but things do come up and sometimes people need to ship a vehicle on short notice. We can take care of this and will do everything we can to get the job done, but you should expect an enhanced cost.

Insurance and Additional Costs

One thing we’re rather proud of here at SGT Auto Transport is our honest quote policy. Other auto transport companies have a reputation for added surcharges and hidden fees tacked on at the time of delivery, and you will never experience that with SGT. Every quote is final and will be honored at face value for a period of seven calendar days before you book your job, and that quote will also include verified carrier insurance rolled into the total. 

How Much to Transport a Car to Another State

_{* The prices shown above are reflective of current market conditions as of 2025. The prices are subject to change due to seasonal fluctuations, price of gas, pick-up/delivery locations, etc.}

It’s a little difficult to give a hard answer on this, as all kinds of things enter into the total cost. Curb weight of your vehicle, the distance that needs to be covered, the type of vehicle and the method of transport that you opt for all have an impact on total cost; for the best idea of how much you should expect to spend, use the Quote Calculator feature on our website. 

Factors Affecting Timelines

• Weather and road conditions
• Traffic
• Construction
• Detours
• Traffic delays

These can all disrupt delivery timeframes, but rest assured that we take every step to ensure your delivery is on-time, on-point and on-spec.

Cost-Efficient Planning and Tips

• Try to avoid peak shipping periods
• Consider using open car shipping
• Give at least a couple weeks advance notice
• If possible, be flexible with a couple of timeframes that could work

Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipment

When it’s close to shipping day, here are some tips:

• Ship your vehicle with no more than a quarter-tank of gas, as it will help cut curb weight
• Remove any personal items (although it’s okay to ship 100 lbs worth of personal stuff sealed up in the trunk or cargo area)
• Make sure your vehicle has a charged battery, inflated tires, and that headlights and taillights work
• Don’t forget to get a copy of the ignition key to the transport driver
• If your vehicle can’t start, run, steer and stop under its own power, please let us know ahead of time; you can ship a non-running vehicle but it requires special equipment and more time on the part of the transport driver
• Remove any detachable parts (cargo box, bike rack, antennas, etc) before shipping
• Give your car a good cleaning inside and out; you’ll be asked to document the car’s condition (taking pictures is a good idea too), as will the driver, and it’s easier to do that with a clean vehicle