How does car shipping to/from Tampa, FL work?
Why Should you Choose SGT Auto Transport for Car Shipping in Tampa?
With a population of a little over 400,000, Tampa is the third-most populous city in Florida, behind Miami and Jacksonville. Founded in the 19th century as a military center, Tampa’s economy is driven by the maritime industry, insurance, technology, construction, finance and healthcare businesses, with MacDill Air Force Base also as a major employer. Downtown Tampa is currently seeing a renaissance, and Tampa is also home to a number of museums, performing arts venues and a thriving nightlife scene.
When you’re looking for a Tampa car shipping company, we’re glad you thought of us here at SGT Auto Transport. A lot of the transport jobs we do are for people who are in the middle of relocation, and anyone who’s been through that (even just a move across town) knows about the seemingly endless number of details that have to be addressed. Auto transport is one way we can take up one of those loose ends for our customers. We’re a trusted resource for drivers and car owners around the country; we’ve been in this business for over a decade, with a track record that includes 100,000 vehicles shipped and over 70,000 customers served. It’s that kind of hard work and dedication that has earned us an overall customer satisfaction rating of 4.7 on a 5-point scale. Let’s zero in and get a closer look at what SGT Auto Transport can do for you when you need a car shipping company in Tampa:
What flexible shipping options are available?
One thing that sets SGT Auto Transport apart from other auto logistics companies is our adaptability. There are so many different kinds of customers, all with different vehicles, different expectations and different needs, and there’s no single, universal, one-size-fits-all logistics solution for all of them. That’s why we have developed a number of shipping options to choose from. Whether you need to ship a mundane family minivan or an ultra-rare and delicate 1910s Brass Age antique, we’ve got you covered.
You can choose from options like open car shipping, enclosed car shipping, white-glove transport, express car shipping, cross-country transport and more, all of which are customizable for your particular situation and your needs (we’ll touch on all these in a more detailed way shortly). These all come with various levels of protection and security for your vehicle, and will all have different shipping rates. One thing you can count on, though, is that SGT will work with you to devise the right auto logistics solution, the one that will make the most sense for your car, your expectations and your budget.
How Can you Ensure Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Car Shipping?
There are a couple of ways to answer this question. Your car is more than just one of your biggest financial investments; it also holds an attachment for many drivers that goes way beyond its Kelly Blue Book resale value. Cars represent passions and mobility and freedom for many of us, other than just their utility to get us from point A to point B reliably. At SGT Auto Transport, we’re all car enthusiasts ourselves and we understand that kind of connection to a vehicle. That’s why everyone on our team treats every vehicle with the attention and respect we would show if it belonged to one of us.
More than that, though, SGT offers verified carrier insurance on every vehicle that we transport for customers. That insurance coverage is rolled into your quote total, with no added fees or tacked-on charges. It’s not often that anything would happen to a vehicle that’s in transit, but we’re not willing to take a chance on that; verified carrier insurance gives you (and us) the peace of mind of knowing that your vehicle is covered against the unexpected.
How long does it take to transport a car to and from Tampa, FL?
The most carefully planned-out road trip can be disrupted, and that’s just as true for a family vacation in the minivan as it would be for a car shipping company in Tampa. Road construction, traffic, detours, weather conditions, road conditions can all get in the way of those plans and bump up an ETA, throwing everything off schedule.
That having been said, we do have a couple of basic rules-of-thumb for auto logistics timeframes. A delivery that covers 200 miles should be doable in a single day’s time. A logistics run of 2,000 miles, on the other hand, needs an 8 to 9 day turnaround. There would then be a whole range of shorter timeframes for delivery distances between those two extremes. One thing you can count on, though, is that our 25,000 transport drivers know the highway system very well; between them and our dispatch department, your delivery will make it to its destination in the most direct and efficient way possible. You can also be sure that if anything does happen to push up that delivery ETA beyond what was planned, our customer service department will update you and keep you posted on the adjusted time and date.
Ship a car to Tampa in 3 easy steps
Learn how to ship your car in 3 quick, simple, and easy steps
Learn how to ship your car in 3 quick, simple, and easy steps
Car Transportation Areas We Serve in Tampa, FL
| 48001 | 48002 | 48003 | 48005 | 48006 |
| 48009 | 48014 | 48015 | 48017 | 48021 |
| 48022 | 48023 | 48025 | 48026 | 48027 |
| 48028 | 48030 | 48032 | 48033 | 48034 |
| 48035 | 48036 | 48038 | 48039 | 48040 |
| 48041 | 48042 | 48043 | 48044 | 48045 |
| 48047 | 48048 | 48049 | 48050 | 48051 |
| 48054 | 48059 | 48060 |
How much does car transport to/from Tampa, FL cost?
When calculating the cost of auto transport, car shipping companies in Tampa consider several things. The key factor is how far you want to ship your vehicle, closely followed by the type of vehicle you want to ship. The following factors also make a difference in the cost of car shipping services.
Distance
Pick-up date
Route
Vehicle (Make and Model)
Vehicle condition
Transport method
Seasonality
Discount
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Top 10 most popular routes for Car Shipping to and form Tampa
Make an informed decision by making yourself aware of the rates and time frames below
Make an informed decision by making yourself aware of the rates and time frames below
| FROM | TO | DELIVERY TIME | PRICE* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa | Houston | 2 - 3 days | $699 - $899 |
| Tampa | Los Angeles | 5 - 7 days | $899 - $1099 |
| Tampa | Chicago | 2 - 3 days | $699 - $899 |
| Tampa | New York City | 2 - 3 days | $549 - $749 |
| Tampa | Seattle | 7 - 10 days | $1149 - $1349 |
| Houston | Tampa | 5 - 7 days | $1099 - $1299 |
| Chicago | Tampa | 2 - 3 days | $749 - $949 |
| New York City | Tampa | 2 - 3 days | $699 - $899 |
| Seattle | Tampa | 7 - 10 days | $1349 - $1549 |
* The Prices shown up 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.
Popular Florida Auto Transport Routes
| FROM | TO | DELIVERY TIME | PRICE* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Texas | 2 - 3 days | $699 - $899 |
| Florida | California | 5 - 7 days | $899 - $1099 |
| Florida | Illinois | 2 - 3 days | $699 - $899 |
| Florida | New York | 2 - 3 days | $549 - $749 |
| Florida | Washington | 7 - 10 days | $1149 - $1349 |
| California | Florida | 5 - 7 days | $1099 - $1299 |
| Illinois | Florida | 2 - 3 days | $749 - $949 |
| New York | Florida | 2 - 3 days | $699 - $899 |
| Washington | Florida | 7 - 10 days | $1349 - $1549 |
* The Prices shown up 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.
SGT Auto Transport - Car Shipping Services in Tampa, FL. Our Ratings and Customers' Reviews.
Our Ratings on different platforms.
Our Ratings on different platforms.
Get your Instant Car Shipping Quote in Tampa, FL.
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The best ways and methods to ship a car to or from Tampa, FL
We want to serve our customers better and enhance the customer experience; these are some of the transport methods we’ve developed:
We want to serve our customers better and enhance the customer experience; these are some of the transport methods we’ve developed:
- Open car transport: for most people, when they think of “open car transport” the first thing that will come to mind is the double-decker tractor-trailer rigs that deliver new cars to dealerships, and that would be a correct assumption. With open car transport, your car is trailered along with several others for more efficient routing. It does leave a vehicle exposed to weather while in transit, but open car transport is by far the most popular and budget-friendly auto transport that we offer.
- Enclosed car transport: for many customers, a bit higher level of security and protection is desirable (especially for rare or high-dollar cars). With enclosed car transport, your vehicle is loaded into a closed trailer and securely locked in while in transit, away from curious onlookers and guarded against the elements. Enclosed car transport does come at a premium cost, and sometimes availability of trucks and transport drivers can be problematic.
- Express car shipping: we do ask for at least two weeks’ heads-up before your auto logistics job, but we know that sometimes things are disrupted and that’s not always possible. Express car shipping is available for last-minute arrangements and short notice.
- Cross country auto transport: whether it’s a pallet of copy paper or a car, cost/mile is a big part of logistics costs and transport for anything that gets to its destination via truck will be more expensive if longer distances are involved. When several hundred miles are involved, cost/mile starts to drop, making cross country auto transport a good value.
- Guaranteed pickup service: we pay attention to our customers, and one thing that we know they appreciate is timeliness and punctuality, with a driver being there when they say they’re going to be there. We respect your time, and guaranteed pickup service means your driver will be at your location in a specified window of time.
- White glove transport: white glove transport offers the best in enhanced care and attention in handling, and regular GPS monitoring and check-ins while the vehicle is still in transit. It’s a perfect choice for very rare or very fragile vehicles. For supercars and exotics with low ground clearance, white glove transport or enclosed car transport are recommended, as the trailers for open car transport could be a problem
Types of Vehicle Transportation Services we provide in Tampa, FL
Make your choice for car transport
Make your choice for car transport
Service type:
Other, less popular Car Shipping Routes from and to Tampa, FL
How long does it take to transport a car to and from Tampa?
As mentioned above, there are unexpected events or factors that can delay a delivery. That said, we do expect any delivery of 200 miles or less to be completed in a day’s time. At the other extreme, a delivery that covers 2,000 miles should take an 8 to 9 day turnaround, and then shorter distances would check in at different timeframes along that scale. If anything does happen to delay your auto delivery, you’ll be the first to know - our team will update you on the new projected time and date and will keep you informed.
Want to know the cost of shipping a car to and from Tampa, FL with SGT Auto Transport ?
When you’re thinking about any big outlay of money for a product or service, you’ll want an idea of what you can expect to spend. We’ve made that a lot easier at SGT Auto Transport. You can now bypass the step of getting on the phone with customer service for an estimate; just locate the Quote Calculator feature on our website.
The Quote Calculator needs a few details on your vehicle, your departure point, your destination and your preferred method of transport. Enter those bits of information into the system, wait a few seconds and you’ll have an accurate quote for the services you need. All quotes from SGT are considered valid and will be honored for 7 calendar days; all quotes are also final, with no hidden charges or tacked-on fees, ever.
Advantages of working with SGT Auto Transport in Tampa, FL
SGT Auto Transport has been an important cog in the auto transport industry for many years. These years of experience mean we’ve got lots of tips to share.
What are the things you really value in a service provider? Your answers would probably include integrity, transparency, trustworthiness, professionalism and commitment. Those are all values we’ve taken to heart here at SGT Auto Transport; customers are the reason why we’re in business, and those are tenets that are foundational to how we do things.
We’ve been in the auto logistics field for over a decade, we’ve hauled over 100,000 vehicles and served well over 70,000 customers in that period of time. We don’t just take those words as platitudes or slogans; they’re our North Star and that’s how we do business. We’re all car enthusiasts ourselves and we treat every customer’s car with the same respect and care that we would if it belonged to one of us.
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Tips for Tampa Car Shipping Services
Here are a few things to know about driving and living in Tampa:
Tampa is served by Interstate highways I-4, I-75 and I-275, along with Veteran’s Expressway, Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, Gateway Expressway and Tampa Bay Crosstown Expressway System, all of which make navigating the city easy and more efficient as well as connecting Tampa to the rest of the state and the region
Weather in Tampa can be wild, with sea squalls, tropical storms and hurricanes. Summers in Tampa tend to be hot and humid.
Tampa is home to great neighborhoods like Tampa Palms, Beach Park, Forest HIlls, Ybor City, Seminole Heights and Heritage Isles.
Traffic laws in Tampa aren’t much different than in the rest of the US, but traffic and rush hours can be difficult.
On game days, traffic around Steinbrenner Field, Raymond James Stadium and Amalie Arena can be pretty dense, especially when games are over and fans are leaving.
Prepare Your Vehicle for Auto Transportation from Tampa, FL
Here are a few steps you should take before your vehicle is loaded onto the transport trailer:
Remember to ship your car with a quarter tank of fuel or less. Curb weight is a big part of shipping costs, fuel weighs about 6 lb per gallon and less fuel means less weight, hence saving you money on shipping.
Remember that your driver will need a copy of the car’s ignition key.
Please ensure that all four tires are fully inflated, the battery is fully charged, and the car’s headlights and taillights all work.
Please check your car for fluid leaks: motor oil, coolant, transmission, power steering or brake fluid. A transport driver may refuse to load a vehicle that’s leaking fluid.
If your car can’t start, run, drive and stop on its own, please let us know in advance. We can and do ship non-running vehicles, but it requires special equipment and procedures.
What’s your neighborhood like? If you’re in an urban or suburban area and your streets are narrow and congested, it could be impractical (or even against city ordinance) to get an 80 foot tractor-trailer to your address. If so, consider getting together with your transport driver at an easier spot such as an open parking lot.
How to Save on Car Shipping in Tampa, FL
As your Tampa auto transport company, let’s go through a few ideas on how to save some money on your upcoming car shipment:
As your Tampa auto transport company, let’s go through a few ideas on how to save some money on your upcoming car shipment:
The auto logistics business is cyclical, with seasonal surges in logistics needs. During those calendar periods, drivers and trucks will be scarcer as demand goes up and prices will spike. Consider booking your auto delivery for calendar dates that would avoid these surges. Also, please feel free to check our website regularly; we do run specials pretty often as well as offering a standing discount for first responders, active military or National Guard members.
Receiving Your Vehicle in Tampa
On the day when your car arrives in Tampa, you’ll be asked by the transport driver to do a post-trip inspection of its condition (he will do the same). It’s preferable that you be there personally for this, but you can delegate this task to a friend, relative, or neighbor provided that we’re informed in advance and as long as that person is 18 years or older. Also, if you requested discounted shipping, you might be asked to pay the balance owed at this time. This can be paid directly to the transport driver with cash, cashier’s check or money order.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Car Shipping Services in Tampa, FL
How much does it cost to ship a car from Houston to Tampa?
Auto logistics from Houston to Tampa would be mainly a run down I-10; expect this to be completed in 2 to 3 days, and costs should be $699 to $899.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Los Angeles to Tampa?
Getting a vehicle from Los Angeles to Tampa would mean covering almost the entire width of the US. We expect this to take 5 to 7 days, at a cost of $899 to $1099.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Chicago to Tampa?
There’s a lot of mileage between Chicago and Tampa. This auto logistics job should be done on a 2 to 3 day turnaround; expect shipping charges of $699 to $899.
How much does it cost to ship a car from New York City to Tampa?
Getting a vehicle down the Eastern Seaboard from New York City to Tampa should take about 2 to 3 days; charges will be in the ballpark of $549 to $749.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Seattle to Tampa?
In our experience, getting a vehicle transported from Seattle to Tampa should take 7 to 10 days; shipping charges will be in the range of $1149 to $1349.