feeguides.comFees made clear.

How much does it cost to ship a car?

Shipping a car costs $540 to $3,000 in 2026. What changes your price is below.

FreightWaves puts the 2026 average at about $1,150, from $540 for short trips to over $3,000 cross country. In Sherpa Auto Transport's data from more than 258,000 shipments, open transport averaged $1,205 and enclosed $1,804. A 1,000 mile trip commonly runs $1,000 to $1,300.

Shipping a car costs $540 to $3,000 in 2026

Estimate your car shipping cost

Pick what you need and add your ZIP. The price updates as you go. Got a price already? Check it in the last step.

1Which one do you need?
2Transport
3What is your ZIP?
Local prices not added yet.
4Got a price?
Optional. We check it.

Is this price fair?

A fair price is $700 to $1,800.

Type a price above to check it.

Low$1,250High
Your estimateUS average
$700to$1,800

Middle of the range: $1,250

$0$1,220$2,440
Normal range Middle

What you are paying for

500 to 1,500 milesUS range for this job.$700 to $1,800
Open carrierTransport.Base price
US averageLocal prices not added yet.US price
Middle of rangeHalfway between low and high.$1,250
How we calculate this

    Prices are for the United States in 2026 from published cost guides, checked September 2026. This is an estimate, not a quote.

    Middle $1,250$700 to $1,800

    Real prices by vehicle and option

    Under 500 miles$540 to $1,100, about $1.25 to $2.00 a mile (FreightWaves).
    500 to 1,500 miles$700 to $1,800, about $0.65 to $1.20 a mile.
    Over 1,500 miles$1,050 to $3,000 or more, about $0.55 to $0.95 a mile.
    Coast to coastAbout $2,200 to $2,800 (Ship A Car).
    Atlanta to Los Angeles$1,100 to $1,325 (Sherpa).
    Boston to Los Angeles$1,350 to $1,575.

    What pushes a quote up

    DistanceLonger trips cost more in total but less per mile.
    Open or enclosedEnclosed costs 20 to 60 percent more.
    Vehicle sizeSUVs and trucks cost more.
    Running or notNon running cars add $150 to $300.
    SeasonSpring and summer cost most, late fall and winter least.

    Car shipping cost by region

    Lower cost states$550 to $1,450. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia and most rural areas.
    Average cost states$700 to $1,800. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and most mid size cities.
    Higher cost states$900 to $2,300. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington, plus big metros such as Chicago, Denver and Washington DC.

    These rows are our estimate. We took the typical national range and adjusted it for local labor costs, which run about 20 percent lower in the cheapest states and about 30 percent higher in the dearest ones. Busy routes between big cities cost less per mile than remote pickups.

    How to get a fair quote

    Car shipping is a spot market, so prices move with season, fuel and how busy the route is. Ship A Car notes most standard cars on an open carrier price out at about $0.84 to $2.05 a loaded mile in 2026. Treat any online number as an estimate until a carrier accepts the job.

    Open transport is fine for most cars. Enclosed transport protects classic, luxury and freshly painted cars, and costs more. Sherpa's data showed enclosed averaging about $600 more than open.

    Avoid bait quotes

    A quote far below the rest often means your car will sit until a carrier accepts a higher price. Ask whether the price is locked, what the deposit is, and whether insurance is included. Photograph the car at pickup.

    For a short move, towing may cost less. See our towing cost page.

    Why this costs more in 2026

    Car carriers run on diesel, and fuel moves every quote this year.

    Fuel went up fast this year. AAA diesel topped $6 a gallon on September 11, 2026 (CBS 8), and building material prices rose 4.8 percent in a year (Roofing Contractor). Get the quote date in writing.

    How to judge the quote in your hand

    Ways to pay less