How much does it cost to ship a car?
Shipping a car in the United States cost $1,225 on average across 160,781 car shipments arranged by Sherpa Auto Transport, with the middle half paying $950 to $1,400, in data the broker updated in July 2026. Kelley Blue Book, dated 12 January 2026, collected quotes from eight transport companies and found an average of $1,020 to ship a car 1,000 miles on an open carrier, about $1.02 a mile, and $1,406 for 2,500 miles. Distance sets most of the price, and the cost per mile falls the further the car goes.
$1,225
average to ship a car, from 160,781 car shipments
$950 – $1,400
typical range for a car, 25th to 75th percentile
$1,020
average quote for 1,000 miles on an open carrier, $1.02 a mile
$614
more on average for enclosed transport than open
Cost breakdown
Each table below comes from one source, named underneath it, with the date that source last revised the figures. Everything is a United States figure in USD.
Car shipping quotes by distance, open carrier
| Distance | Quote range | Average cost | Per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 miles | $650 – $890 | $751 | $1.50 |
| 1,000 miles | $800 – $1,350 | $1,020 | $1.02 |
| 2,500 miles | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,406 | $0.56 |
What shipments cost by vehicle type
| Vehicle | Typical range | Average | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | $950 – $1,400 | $1,225 | 160,781 |
| SUV | $1,050 – $1,500 | $1,306 | 141,728 |
| Pickup | $1,125 – $1,800 | $1,501 | 25,590 |
| Van | $1,050 – $1,650 | $1,375 | 6,236 |
Open against enclosed, and running against not running
| Shipment | Typical range | Average | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open transport | $975 – $1,450 | $1,238 | 310,510 |
| Enclosed transport | $1,425 – $2,200 | $1,852 | 24,527 |
| Running vehicle | $1,000 – $1,475 | $1,280 | 332,089 |
| Not running | $1,050 – $1,950 | $1,576 | 2,948 |
Average shipping cost by region
| Region | Average |
|---|---|
| Northeast | $1,354 |
| Southeast | $1,207 |
| Midwest | $1,206 |
| Southwest | $1,207 |
| Mountain West | $1,413 |
| Pacific | $1,455 |
A bar for each row of the table above, 3 of them, drawn to the same scale so the spread is visible at a glance. The figure beside each bar is the one the table prints.
What changes the price
- Distance
- The total rises with distance and the rate per mile falls. Kelley Blue Book's quotes average $1.50 a mile for 500 miles and $0.56 a mile for 2,500. It says greater distances cost more in total but less per mile on long hauls.
- Open or enclosed trailer
- Most cars go on an open multi-car carrier. Sherpa Auto Transport says about 93 percent of its customers chose open transport, and an enclosed trailer, which keeps off weather and road debris, averaged $614 more.
- Size of the vehicle
- Kelley Blue Book says full-size trucks, minivans and SUVs cost more to ship because the carrier burns more fuel hauling the weight. In Sherpa's data a car averaged $1,225, an SUV $1,306 and a pickup $1,501.
- Whether it runs
- A car that cannot drive onto the trailer has to be winched on. Sherpa Auto Transport's shipments of non-running vehicles averaged $296 more, and the vehicle still has to roll, brake and steer.
- Time of year
- Sherpa says prices run 10 to 20 percent above average from June to August, when people move house, and that routes to and from Florida and Arizona rise in the snowbird months. Kelley Blue Book says brokers call April through September the busier half of the year.
- Pickup and delivery points
- Kelley Blue Book notes that rural pickups and drop-offs away from interstates and major highways can cost more, because the carrier has to leave its route.
How to pay less
- Ship in the quieter months
- Sherpa calls January to March off-peak, with more carriers free. Avoid the summer moving season if your dates can move.
- Use an open carrier unless the car needs cover
- Sherpa recommends enclosed transport for luxury, classic and high-value vehicles. For an everyday car the open trailer is what most of its customers chose.
- Compare the train on the East Coast
- Kelley Blue Book points out that Amtrak's Auto Train carries a car between Lorton, Virginia, near Washington, and Sanford, Florida, for $285 plus your own ticket, $295 for vehicles longer than 216 inches.
- Get several quotes and check who is carrying the car
- Many companies are brokers who hand the job to a carrier. Kelley Blue Book advises shopping around and asking for recommendations, and a carrier or broker moving cars between states must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which you can check by its USDOT number.
Questions
How much does it cost to ship a car?
Sherpa Auto Transport's car shipments averaged $1,225, with the middle half at $950 to $1,400, in data updated July 2026. Kelley Blue Book's January 2026 quotes average $751 for 500 miles, $1,020 for 1,000 miles and $1,406 for 2,500 miles.
How much does it cost to ship a car per mile?
Kelley Blue Book's quotes work out at $1.50 a mile for 500 miles, $1.02 for 1,000 miles and $0.56 for 2,500 miles, and it gives about $1 a mile for 1,000 miles as a rule of thumb.
How much does it cost to ship a car across the country?
Kelley Blue Book's quotes for 2,500 miles ranged from $1,050 to $1,800, an average of $1,406, on an open carrier. Enclosed transport would add more.
Is enclosed car shipping worth it?
For a classic, luxury or high-value car it buys protection from weather and road debris. Sherpa Auto Transport's enclosed shipments averaged $1,852 against $1,238 for open, a difference of $614.
Is it cheaper to drive or ship a car?
Kelley Blue Book says driving is almost always cheaper than shipping. Shipping saves the time, the miles on the car and the cost of getting back.
Where these figures come from
These are US figures in US dollars, read on 12 October 2026. Sherpa Auto Transport's figures come from shipments it arranged and are updated July 2026; it sells car shipping, and the page does not say over what period its shipments ran. Kelley Blue Book's figures, dated 12 January 2026, are quotes from eight companies for one car from Orlando, a small sample; its text names the routes as 500, 1,200 and 2,000 miles while its table is headed 500, 1,000 and 2,500, and the table is what is shown here. A quote for your own car, route and dates is the price that counts.
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