How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car? 2026 Prices

The Short Answer

For a standard car in good running condition on an open carrier, expect roughly $650 to $2,450 depending on distance: about $900 to $1,100 for a 1,000-mile trip, and about $1,450 to $2,450 for a long cross-country move. Enclosed transport costs more, often about 40% to 150% more. Longer trips cost more in total but less per mile. Motorcycles ship enclosed, typically about $1,100 to $1,500 for 1,000 miles.

Treat every number on this page as an estimate. Shipping prices move with demand, the season, fuel costs and how many trucks are available on your route. The only way to know your price is to get a current quote, and that takes a quick call.

Typical Car Shipping Cost by Distance

Estimated prices for a standard sedan in good running condition, door to door:

Distance	Open carrier	Enclosed carrier
About 1,000 miles	$900 – $1,100	$1,450 – $2,450
About 1,500 miles	$1,100 – $1,550	$2,100 – $3,600
About 2,000 miles	$1,250 – $2,000	$2,700 – $4,700
About 2,500 miles (cross-country)	$1,450 – $2,450	$3,350 – $5,850

Shorter trips: trips under about 500 miles usually start around $650. They cost more per mile because loading, securing and inspecting a car take the same effort at any distance. Long trips cost more in total but less per mile. These figures are for a running vehicle in good condition, and enclosed prices vary widely by carrier, trailer and route.

Estimated Cost on Popular Routes

Open carrier, standard sedan. Click a route for its full guide.

Route	Typical range
New York → Florida	$900 – $1,350
New Jersey → Florida	$850 – $1,400
Pennsylvania → Florida	$900 – $1,300
Massachusetts → Florida	$1,050 – $1,550
California → New York	$1,450 – $2,700
California → Texas	$1,050 – $1,500
Texas → California	$1,050 – $1,550
California → Arizona	$750 – $1,100

Motorcycle Shipping Cost

We ship motorcycles too. Motorcycles travel on enclosed carriers, which protect the bike from weather and road debris. Estimated prices for a motorcycle in good running condition, door to door:

Distance	Motorcycle (enclosed carrier)
About 1,000 miles	$1,100 – $1,500
About 1,500 miles	$1,550 – $2,150
About 2,000 miles	$2,000 – $2,800
About 2,500 miles (cross-country)	$2,450 – $3,450

Shorter trips cost more per mile, and the final price depends on the bike, the route and the time of year. Call for today's price.

Rates Change With the Time of Year

Car shipping prices are always changing, because they follow demand. When many cars need to move on the same route and trucks are limited, rates go up. When demand slows, they come down. That is why the price you saw last month may not be the price today.

Time of year	What happens to demand and price
Autumn	Snowbird season begins. Drivers send cars south to Florida, Arizona and other warm-weather states, so southbound routes get busier and more expensive.
Winter	Snowbird demand continues on warm-weather destinations. Holidays and winter weather can limit truck availability and stretch schedules.
Spring	Snowbirds head home, so northbound routes get busier. The moving season starts to build.
Summer	Peak moving season. Some industry estimates put prices roughly 13% to 25% above off-peak levels on busy routes.

What to do about it: if you are shipping during a busy season, plan ahead, and stay flexible on your pickup dates where you can, since flexibility often helps. Read our snowbird guides for when to book and for Arizona.

What Else Affects the Price

• Distance and route. Busy interstate lanes tend to be cheaper than rural or remote pickups.
• Open or enclosed. Enclosed protects the car fully and costs more. See open vs. enclosed.
• Vehicle size. SUVs, pickups and oversized or lifted vehicles take more room and cost more than a sedan.
• Whether the car runs. A car that doesn't run needs a winch to load, which typically adds about $125 to the regular rate. If it has no wheels or can't roll, it must be loaded and unloaded with a forklift, and you arrange one. See inoperable vehicle shipping.
• Fuel and truck availability. Both move rates, and both change often.
• Timing. Rush pickups cost more than flexible ones.

Get a Price That Is Current

Guides like this one give you a range. A short call gives you a real, current price for your car and route. Call now, or leave your number and we'll call you back. Shipping for a dealership? See our dealer auto transport page for volume deals.

About these numbers: the ranges above are estimates based on our experience with carrier rates and on published 2026 industry guides, including FreightWaves, American Auto Shipping, Cars.com and MyGoodMovers. They are not United Auto Transport quotes. Your price depends on your vehicle, route, dates and market conditions. Last updated November 10, 2026.