Car shipping costs in the United States range anywhere from $823 to $6,617 on average depending on service type, transport distance and vehicle type
Updated:
Jun 28, 2024
Written by:
Alex Carver
Alex Carver
Writer
Edited by:
Rashawn Mitchner
Rashawn Mitchner
Senior Editor
Key Takeaways:
- For shipments between 500 and 3,000 miles, the average cost of open auto transport is $1,116, while the average cost of enclosed car shipping is $1,641.
- We found that average costs can range anywhere between $823-$1781 for both open and enclosed car transport for the same shipment distance.
- The average cost to ship a sedan is $1,197, SUV shipping costs an average $1,373 and pickup trucks have an average transport cost of $1,529.
The average cost for you to ship a car depends on vehicle type, shipping distance, transport type along with many other factors. We at the MarketWatch Guides team have spent 300 hours researching and reviewing the best car shipping companies to present you the average costs of car shipping in this article. Read on to learn how much prices vary by the most important factors, get personalized price estimates and find out how you can save money without sacrificing service quality.
Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.
Average Car Shipping Cost
The average cost to ship a car in the U.S. is $1,378 or around $0.82 per mile (not including Hawaii transport), according to our research. We arrived at this figure by secret shopping our top five auto shipping companies. The price of any auto shipment depends on several factors, including service type, shipping distance and vehicle type.
Click each button below to learn about average rates for these factors so that you can use them as benchmarks in your search for an ideal provider.
Average Car Transport Cost by Service Type
The type of auto transport you choose — open or enclosed — can influence costs by as much as 19% on average. Below you can compare costs for open and enclosed transport:
| Service Type | Average Shipping Cost | Average Shipping Cost Per Mile | Cost Range |
| Open | $1,116 | $0.67 | $425-$1,936 |
| Enclosed | $1,641 | $0.98 | $649-$2949 |
*These average costs are based on quotes from our top five providers for national shipments in the U.S.
Read more: Open vs. Enclosed Car Shipping
Average Car Transport Cost to Hawaii
Due to the distance and few carriers that are available to transport cars by sea to Hawaii, you can expect shipping costs to be especially high. Shipping a car to or from Hawaii can take up to three weeks and typically uses roll-on/roll-off (RORO) transport, where cars are loaded onto a cargo ship via ramp and then unloaded at a port. The convenience of door-to-door service isn’t available when transporting your vehicle to or from any of the Hawaiian islands.
Here’s a look at average car shipping costs for the Aloha State:
| Service Type | Shipped From | Average Shipping Cost | Average Shipping Cost Per Mile | Cost Range |
| RORO (Open) | Long Beach, CA | $2,781 | $1.08 | $1,549-$3,848 |
| RORO (Open) | Jacksonville, FL | $4,672 | $1.00 | $3,039-$6,749 |
| RORO (Open) | New York, NY | $5,275 | $1.06 | $3,039-$8,121 |
| Enclosed | Long Beach, CA | $2,815 | $1.10 | $1,549-$3,917 |
| Enclosed | Jacksonville, FL | $5,479 | $1.17 | $3,509-$7,970 |
| Enclosed | New York, NY | $6,617 | $1.34 | $3,629-$10,417 |
*These average costs are based on quotes from our top five providers for all vehicle types
Read More: Car Shipping From California To Hawaii
Average Car Transport Cost by Distance
Distance can influence costs to be anywhere from 42% cheaper to 34% more expensive on average. Longer cross country auto shipments come with lower per-mile rates but higher overall costs. Below are the average car shipping quotes we received by distance:
| Distance | Average Shipping Cost | Average Shipping Cost Per Mile | Cost Range |
| 549 miles | $823 | $1.50 | $435-$1,215 |
| 1,588 miles | $1,532 | $0.96 | $909-$2949 |
| 2,877 miles | $1,781 | $0.62 | $1,068-$2,691 |
*These average costs are based on quotes from our top five providers for national shipments in the U.S. for both open and enclosed transport
Average Car Transport Cost by Vehicle Type
The type of vehicle you have causes rates fluctuate anywhere from 13% cheaper to 15% more expensive on average. Here’s a quick breakdown of average auto transport costs by vehicle type:
| Vehicle Type | Average Shipping Cost | Average Shipping Cost Per Mile | Cost Range |
| Sedan | $1,197 | $0.72 | $435-$2332 |
| SUV | $1,373 | $0.82 | $515-$2691 |
| Truck | $1,529 | $0.91 | $565-$2949 |
*These average costs are based on quotes from our top five providers for national shipments in the U.S. for both open and enclosed transport
Calculate Average Car Shipping Costs For Your Trip
You can use the tool below to get a car shipping cost estimate based on shipping distance, transport type and vehicle.
What Affects The Cost Of Car Shipping Services?
As you research providers and learn the process of how to ship a car, keep in mind that a range of variables determines the cost of every auto shipment. Here are the major factors that affect the cost of car shipping services, listed from greatest to least impact:
Transport type: Open auto transport is more cost-effective than enclosed auto transport, and it’s your best shipping option unless you’re shipping a luxury car or other high-end automobile. While enclosed car shipping is more expensive, you may want to use it if you have a valuable or antique vehicle. Classic car transport usually includes enclosed shipping because it protects vehicles on all sides. Enclosed trailers can only transport a few cars at once, which is one reason it costs more.
Shipping distance: Your vehicle shipping route distance has a direct impact on cost. You’ll pay a lower per-mile rate for long-distance shipments, but the overall price will be higher.
Vehicle type: Large SUVs and trucks usually cost more to ship than sedans and smaller SUVs because they weigh more and take up more space on trailers.
Seasonality: You can expect to pay higher rates during the summer months when families often move, and in January when snowbirds head south to avoid harsh winters.
Booking lead time: The further out you schedule a shipment, the more likely you will find a better rate, which is why expedited shipping is always more expensive.
Pick-up and delivery locations: Transport carriers often charge more to pick up a vehicle far away from a major highway or interstate, which is why terminal-to-terminal shipping is cheaper than door-to-door auto transport.
Fuel costs: If gas prices are higher, professional car shippers raise their prices too.
Vehicle condition: An inoperable vehicle is more expensive to ship than a functional one due to the extra hassle of loading and unloading.
How To Save Money on Car Shipping
We asked Sam Ismailzada, CEO of AmeriFreight, for his advice on how to bring down the cost of a car shipment. He stated, “Planning ahead of time and not rushing the process has a significant impact on the price. As is true with most things, it will cost way more if a customer has to ship a vehicle within a set timeframe with not much of a lead time.”
Here are a few other strategies that helped us find affordable car shipping rates in our research:
- Compare online quotes: Many auto transport brokers offer free quotes online, so it’s a good idea to compare prices from several companies. In our experience, most of our top-rated providers give quotes in less than a minute with just a few vehicle and shipping timeline details.
- Be flexible: You’ll get more carriers to bid on your auto shipment if you’re flexible with pick-up and drop-off dates so planning ahead can help you have a better chance of getting a good deal.
- Go with open transport: There are more open trailers available at any given time, so open transport is the cheapest way to go.
- Choose terminal-to-terminal service: If available, you can save some money by driving to centrally-located shipping terminals for pick-up and drop-off.
MARKETWATCH GUIDES TIP
Although some auto transport companies offer locked-in pricing, the initial quote you receive isn’t a safe bet to stay the same. A member of our team recently shipped their car across the country and saw her initial quote increase by $200 after she booked her shipment. This experience was also reflected in our team’s August 2023 survey of 1,000 car shipping customers where a quarter of respondents reported that the price of their shipment increased after booking.
Car Shipping Discounts To Know
There are discounts car shipping companies offer to make auto shipments more affordable and we recommend asking each company which ones are available. These are the savings opportunities we found in our research that you may qualify for:
| Car Shipping Discount | Discount Details |
| Cash Payment | Paying for your shipment up front in cash can unlock savings. |
| Military | Most auto transport brokers offer discounts for active military and veterans. |
| Multi-Vehicle | Shipping more than one vehicle can lead to reduced transport rates. |
| Loyalty | Some car shipping companies reward return customers with discounted rates. |
| Student | College students can often get discounts from auto transport companies. |
| Other Occupations | First responders and medical personnel are sometimes eligible for car shipping discounts. |
| Seniors | Senior citizens receive discounted rates from many auto shipping companies. |
Auto Shipping Costs: The Bottom Line
The average cost to ship a car 500 to 3,000 miles is $1,378. You can expect to pay about $1.50 per mile for shipments around 500 miles and about $1 per mile for 1,000-mile shipments. For long-distance auto transport, the average cost is usually between $0.50 and $0.60 per mile. To find a reliable company with the best price, book at least two weeks in advance and compare auto transport quotes from multiple companies.
Who Offers the Best Value for Car Shipping?
For its combination of affordability, industry reputation and auto shipping services, we consider Montway Auto Transport the best overall option and the best value. We also give the company our Best Customer Experience award.
We also like that Montway Auto Transport makes it easy to get quotes with its online quote tool. Some providers request a lot of personal information and send quotes by email, which can take a long time to receive — especially if their emails get filtered to your spam folder. When we used Montway’s tool for secret shopping, we were able to get instant (under 47 seconds), on-page estimates after filling out a simple, three-step form with shipping details and an email address. Learn more about our top pick in our comprehensive Montway Auto Transport review.
Car Shipping Cost: FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about car shipping costs and auto transport in general:
According to our research, the overall average cost to ship a car is $1,378. In general, you can expect to pay about $1.50 per mile for shipments around 500 miles, about $1.00 per mile for shipments around 1,000 miles and about $0.60 per mile for cross-country shipments.
This likely comes down to the distance you’re shipping your vehicle, but the extra protection against wear and tear is one reason why auto transport is a good investment. For long-distance moves, shipping your car helps you avoid the cost of food and lodging along the way.
Open auto transport is the cheapest way to ship a car. This is because open-air trailers are more readily available than enclosed haulers and can transport more cars at a time.
Car shipping costs are determined by shipping distance, transport type, delivery timeline, vehicle size, fuel prices and time of year. Booking well in advance helps you lock in the best possible price.
Booking as far in advance as possible is one of the best ways to save money on car shipping. You can also cut down on auto transport costs by being flexible with pickup and drop-off dates, opting for open shipping, taking advantage of discounts and choosing terminal-to-terminal service if available.
Keep in mind that, with many companies, the initial quote you receive can change. A broker might not be able to find a carrier at the original price, and there may be extra fees added to the first quote.
A member of our team recently shipped her car across the country and saw her initial quote increase by $200 after she booked her shipment. This experience was also reflected in our team’s August 2023 survey of 1,000 car shipping customers — a quarter of the respondents reported that the price of their shipment increased after booking.
Mercury Auto Transport consistently offers the most affordable car shipping rates. Across all shipping distances, the average quote we received from the company was just over $1,000.
Some car shipping companies won’t let you store things in your car when shipping it, and those that do typically only allow up to 100 pounds worth of personal items. We don’t recommend doing this, as the extra weight will make the shipping cost higher and cargo insurance won’t cover any items stolen or damaged during transport.
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car shipping companies. We collected data on dozens of auto transport providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Cost (33% of total score): Auto shipping companies with affordable rates, locked-in pricing and discount opportunities score highest in this category.
- Customer Experience (25% of total score): This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings and the availability of extras like GPS tracking. We also consider the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each transporter’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.
- Reputation (22% of total score): Our research team considers availability, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
- Shipping Methods (10% of total score): Companies that offer a variety of choices for car transport and added benefits are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Logistics (10% of total score): A smooth shipment is all about the details, which is why we look at how long it takes providers to pick up and ship vehicles, whether they include additional insurance coverage and more.
Our credentials:
- 200+ hours researched
- 20+ companies reviewed
- 2,000+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.
