The first question almost everyone asks about shipping a car is what it will cost. The honest answer is a range, because the price depends on your route, your vehicle, and your timing. This guide explains the numbers, where they come from, and how to make sure the quote you accept is one that will actually move your car.
Typical prices by distance
Distance is the largest single factor. These are typical 2026 prices for a standard, running sedan on an open carrier.
| Distance | Example from Alabama | Open carrier | Time in transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 miles | Birmingham to Atlanta or Nashville | $350 – $700 | 1–3 days |
| 500 to 1,500 miles | Montgomery to Dallas or Chicago | $700 – $1,300 | 3–5 days |
| Over 1,500 miles | Huntsville to Los Angeles | $1,100 – $1,800 | 7–10 days |
Notice that longer trips cost more in total and less per mile. A carrier's time is spent largely on loading and unloading, so those fixed costs are spread over more miles on a long haul.
Seven things that change the price
- Vehicle size and weight. A carrier has a legal limit on what it can haul. A full-size pickup or a three-row SUV uses more of that allowance than a compact car and typically costs $75 to $150 more.
- Open or enclosed. Enclosed transport protects the vehicle completely and costs roughly 60 to 80 percent more.
- Whether it runs. A car that cannot be driven onto the truck has to be winched, which usually adds $100 to $200.
- The route. Trucks travel constantly between large cities on major interstates, so those routes cost less. A pickup an hour from the nearest highway costs more.
- The season. Late May through August is the busiest time of the year. Florida routes are also busy in January and again in March and April.
- Your flexibility. A pickup window of several days lets a dispatcher place your car on a truck that is already passing through. One fixed date costs more.
- How soon you need it. Expedited service puts your order ahead of others and is priced accordingly.
How a quote is actually set
Most auto transport companies, including ours, are brokers. A broker does not own the trucks. It offers your shipment to licensed carriers at a price, and a carrier that is heading your way accepts it. That means the price has to be high enough for a carrier to say yes.
This is the key to understanding quotes. A company can type any number it likes into an email. Whether a truck shows up at that number is another matter. A quote that is $200 below everyone else's is not a bargain if no carrier will take the job.
What should be included
A proper quote is all-inclusive. It covers the carrier's fee, door-to-door service, and cargo insurance while the vehicle is on the truck. You should not see a fuel surcharge added later, and the price should not change at delivery unless the shipment itself changed. Ask any company these three questions before you book:
- Is this the total price, with nothing added at delivery?
- Do I pay a deposit, and is it refundable?
- What happens to the price if no carrier accepts the job?
At Heartland, the answers are yes, no deposit at all, and we tell you before you book if a price is not realistic.
How to pay less without taking a risk
- Book 7 to 14 days ahead. Last-minute orders limit the choice of trucks.
- Offer a window. Three to five days of flexibility is the most effective way to lower a quote.
- Choose open transport unless the vehicle truly needs to be enclosed.
- Avoid peak weeks if your schedule allows. September and October are often the best value.
- Meet the truck near a highway if you live far from one.
- Ship two vehicles together when you can. One stop for the carrier means a better price for each.
A warning about the lowest quote
If one price is far below the rest, be careful. The usual pattern is a low quote, a deposit, a pickup date that comes and goes, and then a call explaining that the price has gone up. By then your move is days away. A fair quote from a company that takes no deposit protects you from that entirely.
The quickest way to see a real number for your own route is to enter two ZIP codes in the quote tool at the top of this page. It takes about a minute, and there is no obligation.