How much does it cost to ship a car? Check our car shipping cost guide. Request a price quote online.
Car make & model
Smaller cars are cheaper to ship, while bigger, heavier vehicles are more expensive. The make and model of your vehicle, as well as any modifications done to it all matter for the final cost to ship a car.
Transport Type
Open auto transport is the standard shipping method. It is used for all vehicle types and it is less expensive option due to higher availability. Enclosed auto transport is more expensive and often used for sports, luxury or classic automobiles.
Distance
To move a vehicle less than 500 miles cost less, while longer distances cost more. The longer the distance the less it costs per mile. Shorter distances often cost as much as long due to the type of truck and service required.
Location
Arraigning transport around major metro areas is always faster and cheaper due to carrier availability. Rural areas are more complex and economically challenging. This means higher cost to ship cars and longer wait for pick-up/delivery.
Vehicle Condition
Shipping a car in running condition is the norm. To ship a non-running vehicle we need a truck with a winch or a lift gate. This requires more work, time and additional equipment, which means higher car shipping cost such. In some cases, we may even need a forklift.
Supply & Demand
In auto transport, when supply is higher prices drop. When demand is high the truck space is limited and this means prices increase. That is why a quote is valid for one week only. This is the final and most important cost to ship a car factor.
Car shipping costs depend on several factors. Each factor affects the final price. Whether we calculate it manually or a software does. The final car shipping price estimate must take into consideration all parameters in order to quote a correct price. A current cost to ship a car will determine the quality of your car shipping service, from booking online to delivery.
| Average car shipping cost per mile (2025) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | Open transport cost | Enclosed transport cost | |
| 1-500 miles | $1.79/mile | $2.54/mile | |
| 500-1,500 miles | $.91/mile | $1.29/mile | |
| 1,500+ miles | $.59/mile | $.86/mile | |
Additional cost to ship a car factors
If the answer is yes, keep in mind that expedited auto transport service costs more. If you need your vehicle picked-up or delivered on an exact date, or by an exact date, expect to pay a premium.
Top load means loading a vehicle on the top deck of the vehicle transport trailer. This ensures against possible leaks from other vehicles, from flying road debris, and it is generally safer.
Car shipping costs in 2025 have changed. The prices have increased on many routes due to various factors. Customers want the cheapest price, but often booking the lowest price ends up becoming more expensive at the end.
Car shipping costs depend on several factors and they all play an important role. Whether you are shipping a pick-up truck or a small sedan a market price is the most important for timely shipping.
The exact locations affect the price. Rural areas are more difficult to schedule because there is less demand, which in turn makes them more expensive. Big metro areas mean high demand and good trucks availability, which in turns lowers the price.
The type of transport carrier affects the price and the shipping times. The cost to ship a car on an open carrier is usually lower than when shipping via enclosed.
Ultimately, a fair market rate is positioned in the middle of the price spectrum – between the highest and the lowest prices.
Supply and demand fluctuation is a major factor that contributes to price hikes and drops. Auto transport prices depend on supply and demand daily. When a vehicle is priced correctly a carrier will take it right away.
A correctly quoted rate is a current market price that will ship a car now.
All car shipping prices are not created equal, neither are all car transport companies. When you search online you will come across three major entities involved in the auto transport business – broker/carrier companies, lead generation websites, auction websites also called marketplaces.
The companies with authority to contract customers in order to transport their vehicles are auto transport brokers and carrier companies. These companies work together on daily basis in order to make vehicle shipping fast and affordable.
The engine of the car shipping industry is all small and mid-size broker and carrier companies. They work together on daily basis to deliver efficient and affordable car shipping service.
Costs to ship a car often vary between all three entities. Some companies will quote high prices, while others will quote unrealistically low rate. The quotes by lead generator websites and auction websites are usually low-ball prices. Broker and carrier companies can quote a market price to ship a car now.
The most realistic rate comes from a reputable auto transport broker or a carrier company. This is the engine of the industry – professionals who work daily with national dispatch boards and see how prices change. This is what keeps the prices competitive and the industry in balance. Small and medium size broker companies do not allow monopolization of the market by large corporations.
Majority of the orders in the auto transport industry are booked with brokers. The chances of you finding a car carrier who is in the same area as your car, has a spot open, and it is going in your desired direction are usually pretty slim. This is why the broker company is a key element in the industry. Most of the car carriers are small owner operated companies you can not find online. But you can find brokers who work to find customers to fill the trailers.
This entity is not an auto transport company of any type. This is an online business created to collect private information for other businesses. These lead generator websites are often found online and customers frequently confuse them with auto transport companies. But de facto, they are neither a carrier nor a broker. After receiving the customer’s request they sell the information to several auto transport companies. Then you receive several calls from companies competing for your business. It is often unpleasant to receive 5 to 10 calls in a matter of hours. Moreover, these companies know they are competing against each other and thus quote unrealistically low rates.
The third entity is auction websites or marketplaces. We advise our customers to avoid such platforms because this is where underbidding wars happen. They start too high and go down to an unrealistically low rate. Most companies are not able to give a realistic rate because they need to compete live with large companies who simply can afford to quote low. On the other hand, often due to fees imposed from the auction website, auto transport companies are forced to quote higher prices so they can make at least some profit. It is not only the companies’ fault, or the platform itself. The demand for low prices has always been a factor.
Broker companies vet all carriers – their license, insurance and safety ratings. A trustworthy broker company will work for you, the customer, to find the right carrier that travels your route and matches your requirements for a type of trailer, insurance liability and delivery time. They will provide a fair, current market price that will ship your vehicle in a timely and professional manner.
Generally, carriers do not manage customers. A carrier is responsible to load, deliver and unload your vehicle. About 90 percent of the car carriers in the US are small to mid-size owner operated companies. This is why the prices you receive online are from auto transport broker companies. A broker is a registered, licensed and bonded entity that specializes in vehicle shipping management. Small broker companies can leverage the industry, and keep it in balance.
Together, small and mid-size broker and carrier companies, create an efficient logistics ecosystem that works to provide timely and professional auto transport services to both private and business customers.
Shipping a car in winter can take longer than in other seasons due to delays caused by winter weather. However, winter is a slow season in general which means car shipping costs are lower. December is slow season and drivers are home with families, which may slightly increase prices, but in general if you are looking for the cheapest option winter is the best season. In January things are similar – many carriers take more days off while demands for southern states increases, as the snowbirds seasons begins. Thus the cost to ship a car increase a bit on certain routes.
February is a good month to save on auto transport and book the cheapest price to ship a car. Most drivers return on the road, but demand is low and this is the time to book car transport when you are on a budget.
Summer is the busiest season for car shipping, hence the cost to ship a car is usually the highest during the summer months. Universities and schools are out for the summer, employees are changing jobs and overall everybody is relocating.
July and August are extremely busy months, with high demand, but also high supply of car carriers. This means that the auto transport market is in a balanced state for competitive vehicle shipping costs. Whether you need open car transport, enclosed car carrier or expedited vehicle delivery, the cost to ship a car will be higher, but supply of carriers is also very good.
You can get an accurate estimate by using our instant quote tool online. In a few easy steps you will receive a price and be able to make a reservation online. No payment is required at the time of booking. An agent will call and discuss all details and then we schedule and we assign a carrier.
Zero upfront fees
We do not require any payment upfront from you to reserve a spot on a car carrier. You can book your order now and pay later. Call our agents now for details and a quote.
Dedicated agent
One of our team members will always be your only point of contact, alongside the driver. You will not be transferred from sales agent to customer service, and carrier to dispatch. You will know the name of your agent.
Market price
We quote market prices to ship your car now. W In this industry a current market price is crucial. Our prices are valid for one week only because market rates fluctuate. It is the nature of the logistics industry.
attention to details
We have over a decade of auto transport experience. Our knowledge, dedication and integrity guarantees exceptional customer service. Our business model is transparent and validated by our growing customer base and 5-star reviews.
5-star rated
Read our customer reviews online. We are family-owned and operated and we take care of our customers. And our 5-star reviews speak volumes. This is why we are considered one of the best car shipping companies in the U.S.
Peace of mind
We educate our customers and make sure they understand how shipping a car works. On our website you will find information about the cost to ship a car, how to prepare a car for shipping, how long it takes to ship a car and more.
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The cost to ship a car depends on a few things: a) vehicle type; b) vehicle condition; c) the exact distance; d) the exact locations; e) transport type; f) vehicle modifications; and g) seasonal fluctuations – current supply and demand. This is the formula that calculates the price to ship a car. So, based on that it could cost between $200 and $3000. Please, call us now for a quick quote!
A partial payment is usually required upon placing the order to reserve the spot on the car carrier. We accept all major credit and debit cards. Still for customer convenience you will have these two choices:
The price to ship a car we quote is valid for one week. After that period the price may change as logistics is a supply and demand driven industry. It is best to know your shipping date and be ready to check prices and book one to two weeks in advance.
Per our cancellation policy every cancellation must be submitted in writing. You can cancel anytime. For a full refund of any partial payment that may have already been paid to reserve a spot on a car carrier, your cancellation should be requested before we have assigned a truck.
We always advise our customers to book one to two weeks in advance. Some prefer to book even a month in advance. This allows for good organization and finding the best car carrier to accommodate your time-frame. When you need a last minute shipping then we have expedited services as well. But the cost to ship a car expedited is usually higher.
Yes, you can. We only need the state and the city in order to be able to quote a car shipping price. The cost would be current based on market situation.
This is the date your car is ready to be loaded. It is not the exact pick up date the carrier will show up at your door. If there is a carrier available on this date we may be able to send it that day. If this is not the case then we should be able to have a truck within our usual pick-up window of about one to five days starting from this date.
The delivery time generally depends on the distance. Also, please remember ETA is an ESTIMATED time of arrival. Our dispatchers will make every effort to notify you of any deviations, such as delays or early arrivals, so it is very important to have a good call back number.
Distance – Miles / Days
0-100 / 1 to 2
300-600 / 2 to 4
600-1000 / 3 to 5
1000-1500 / 4 to 6
1500-2000 / 5 to 7
2000-2400 / 6 to 8
2400 and up / 8 to 10
When you call to get your cost to ship a car quote, our logistics experts will discuss your options, budget and preferences and give you a current market price to ship a car now.
