How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Car?

The short answer

Most car shipments in the United States land somewhere between $500 and $1,800 for open transport, depending almost entirely on distance. Enclosed transport typically runs 40 to 60 percent higher on the same route.

That range is wide because it has to be. A 300-mile move and a coast-to-coast move are not the same product, and neither are a compact sedan and a dually pickup.

The five things that decide your price

1. Distance and route popularity. Busy interstate corridors have trucks running them constantly, which keeps rates competitive. A rural pickup two hours off the main route costs more because a driver has to leave their lane to reach you.
2. Vehicle size and weight. Carriers are limited by both deck space and legal gross weight. A full-size pickup can occupy the space and payload of roughly two sedans, so it is priced accordingly.
3. Open or enclosed. Enclosed trailers carry fewer vehicles and cost more to operate, so the same journey costs substantially more under cover.
4. Running or not running. An inoperable vehicle needs a winch and a carrier equipped for it, which narrows the available pool and raises the rate.
5. Season and timing. Snowbird months and the summer relocation peak tighten capacity nationally. Flexible dates almost always price better than a fixed single day.

What is included in a proper quote

• Door-to-door collection and delivery
• Carrier cargo insurance for the whole journey
• All tolls, fuel and road taxes
• Loading, securing and unloading
• A signed condition report at both ends

If a quote does not clearly include these, ask what happens when the invoice arrives. Fuel surcharges and terminal fees added after collection are how a cheap quote becomes an expensive shipment.

How to spot a quote that will never be dispatched

This is the single most useful thing to understand about auto transport pricing.

Some brokers quote deliberately low to win your booking, then post the load at that rate. No carrier accepts it, because it is below what running the route actually costs. Days pass. Eventually you are told the price needs to increase to secure a truck, by which point your dates are tight and you feel stuck.

A price that is $200 below the others and a price that is $600 below the others are very different signals. The first is competitive. The second is a placeholder.

Rough guide by distance

Distance	Open transport	Enclosed transport
Under 500 miles	$450 – $750	$700 – $1,150
500 – 1,000 miles	$600 – $950	$950 – $1,500
1,000 – 1,500 miles	$750 – $1,150	$1,150 – $1,800
1,500 – 2,500 miles	$900 – $1,500	$1,400 – $2,350
Coast to coast	$1,100 – $1,800	$1,700 – $2,800

These are planning figures for a standard sedan in normal conditions. Larger vehicles, non-runners, rural collections and peak season all sit above them.

Five ways to genuinely reduce what you pay

• Give a wider pickup window. A three-day window lets a carrier fit you into an efficient route. A single fixed date removes that flexibility and you pay for it.
• Ship more than one vehicle. The trip cost is largely fixed, so a second car shares it rather than doubling it.
• Avoid peak weeks. Shipping either side of the snowbird and summer peaks can save meaningfully on the same route.
• Meet closer to a main route. If you are well off the interstate, agreeing to meet nearer a corridor can reduce the rate.
• Book with lead time. Two to three weeks out gives carriers room to plan. Booking for tomorrow costs a premium everywhere.