Chicago Car Shipping & Auto Transport
Written by Richard Avery, President of Smart Auto Move · USDOT 2887232 · MC 969368
Chicago car shipping starts in a city that once reversed the flow of its own river to protect its drinking water, and has been solving logistics problems at scale ever since. Smart Auto Move is a car shipping company, and we move cars, SUVs and pickup trucks to and from Chicago, Cook County, the collar counties and every corner of Illinois.
As of August 2026, shipping a mid-size vehicle to or from Chicago on an open carrier costs $800 to $1,600, with transit of 2 to 6 days after pickup. Chicago to Newark is $850 in about 2 days. Chicago to Los Angeles is $1,300 in about 5 days, and Chicago to Las Vegas is $1,400 in about 4.
- Door-to-door where accessible
- Open & enclosed options
- Expedited pickup available
- Student, military & senior discounts
- BBB A+ accredited
How much does it cost to ship a car to or from Chicago?
As of August 2026, shipping a mid-size vehicle to or from Chicago on an open carrier costs $800 to $1,600. Distance sets most of it. Runs east to the New Jersey and New York metro start near $800, Mountain West routes to Nevada land between $1,250 and $1,600, and West Coast lanes to California run $1,200 to $1,400.
East Coast
$800–$900Under 1,000 miles to the New Jersey and New York metro. Typically 2 days.
Mountain West
$1,250–$1,6001,500 to 2,000 miles to Nevada, Utah and Colorado. Typically 4 to 5 days.
West Coast
$1,200–$1,400Around 2,000 miles to California. Typically 4 to 6 days.
Enclosed or inoperable
Quoted individuallyClassic, collector, luxury, low-clearance and non-running vehicles are priced one at a time.
What do popular Illinois car shipping lanes cost?
These are our current estimates for the Illinois lanes we run most often, open transport and a mid-size vehicle, as of August 2026. Fuel and demand move with the market, so treat every figure as an estimate and use the calculator or a phone call for a live price.
| Route | Distance | Transit | Estimated price | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL → Tampa, FL | 1,180 mi | 3–4 days | $899 | Carrier network |
| Naperville, IL → Tampa, FL | 1,195 mi | 3–4 days | $949 | Carrier network |
| Aurora, IL → Clearwater, FL | 1,215 mi | 3–4 days | $999 | Carrier network |
| Chicago, IL → Newark, NJ | 790 mi | 2 days | $850 | Carrier network |
| Aurora, IL → Edison, NJ | 823 mi | 2 days | $800 | Carrier network |
| Chicago, IL → Seattle, WA | 2,065 mi | 5 days | $1,250–$1,450 | OFFICE TO OFFICE |
| Chicago, IL → Los Angeles, CA | 2,025 mi | 5 days | $1,300 | OFFICE TO OFFICE |
| Chicago, IL → Las Vegas, NV | 1,780 mi | 4 days | $1,400 | Carrier network |
| Las Vegas, NV → Chicago, IL | 1,760 mi | 4 days | $1,500 | Carrier network |
| Chicago, IL → Reno, NV | 1,950 mi | 5 days | $1,600 | Carrier network |
| Aurora, IL → San Francisco, CA | 2,110 mi | 6 days | $1,400 | Carrier network |
| Aurora, IL → Henderson, NV | 1,750 mi | 4 days | $1,375 | Carrier network |
| Rockford, IL → San Diego, CA | 2,000 mi | 5 days | $1,275 | Carrier network |
| Rockford, IL → Reno, NV | 1,850 mi | 5 days | $1,500 | Carrier network |
| Peoria, IL → San Jose, CA | 2,000 mi | 5 days | $1,275 | Carrier network |
| Peoria, IL → Elko, NV | 1,560 mi | 4 days | $1,250 | Carrier network |
| Springfield, IL → Sacramento, CA | 1,989 mi | 5 days | $1,250 | Carrier network |
| Springfield, IL → Silver Springs, NV | 1,820 mi | 4 days | $1,550 | Carrier network |
| Bloomington, IL → Los Angeles, CA | 1,931 mi | 4 days | $1,200 | Carrier network |
Every figure above is for open transport and a mid-size, operable vehicle. Enclosed transport, inoperable vehicles, oversized pickups and modified vehicles are priced individually. Run them through the calculator or call the office.
Why do two destinations the same distance apart cost different amounts?
Because what sets the rate is whether a load is waiting at the delivery point. Chicago to Las Vegas and Chicago to Reno are within 200 miles of each other, yet Reno costs $200 more. Las Vegas sends vehicles back east constantly. Reno sends far fewer, so the driver covers empty miles before the next load.
Chicago is a strong origin
Almost every long-haul route in the country passes through or near Chicago, so trucks are plentiful in both directions. That is why an Illinois pickup usually prices better than the same distance run out of a smaller market, and why we can often place a vehicle here within a day or two.
Flexible dates genuinely save money
A driver filling the last space on a trailer will often take a nearby vehicle rather than travel further to reach another. A three-day pickup window gives us far more chances to catch one of those, and it is the single easiest way to lower your price. Tell us the widest window you can live with.
Vehicle and season
SUVs and full-size pickups take more deck space and weight than a mid-size car. January and February tighten capacity across the Midwest, and the snowbird rush south each autumn does the same. Both are quoted up front rather than added later.
When should Chicago snowbirds book a car south?
Book six to eight weeks ahead for an October or November pickup, and again by February for the return north. Chicago to Tampa is $899 in 3 to 4 days, and the same lane in late autumn is one of the busiest in the country. Capacity tightens first, then prices follow, so the date you book matters more than the date you travel.
Going south: October to December
Every retiree in the Midwest is heading for Florida and Arizona at the same time. Book early and you get the date you want at the rate you expected. Book in the last fortnight and you are competing with everyone who left it late.
Coming north: March to May
The return runs just as heavily in the other direction, and it catches people out because the outbound trip went smoothly. Book the return when you book the outbound if your dates are settled.
Fly one way, ship the car
A Chicago to Tampa drive is roughly 1,180 miles and two long days each way. Shipping hands those miles to someone whose job is covering them, keeps the mileage off your odometer, and lets you fly down in three hours.
Why does shipping from Chicago price better than most cities?
Because almost every long-haul route in the country passes through or near Chicago. Trucks run in and out in every direction, every day, which means more carriers competing for your vehicle and less waiting to be placed. It is the reason our Illinois lanes hold steady pricing while thinner markets swing with the season.
More trucks, shorter waits
A vehicle in Chicago is usually placed within a day or two rather than sitting on a board waiting for a driver to come through. That is capacity, not salesmanship, and it is the practical advantage of shipping from a crossroads city.
Dealers and auctions
Chicago is a major auction and dealer market, and we move vehicles for both. Dealer shipping and auction pickups run on their own terms and timelines.
Why ship your vehicle instead of driving it?
Chicago to Tampa is roughly 1,180 miles and two long days behind the wheel each way, before fuel, motels, meals and the wear you put on the car. Shipping hands those miles to someone whose job is covering them, and you keep your week.
Your time back
Two days south and two days back is most of a week. Fly instead and meet the car at the other end the same afternoon.
No miles on the odometer
A round trip to Florida is well over 2,000 miles, a full service interval and real resale value on a newer vehicle.
Covered the whole way
Your vehicle travels under Carrier Cargo Insurance from pickup to delivery. Driving it yourself, that risk is entirely your own.
Winter driving handled
Leaving Chicago in January means lake-effect snow and salted interstates for the first few hundred miles. Drivers who run it weekly handle the conditions and the timing.
More than one vehicle
Two cars and one driver means two trips or a tow. We load both on the same carrier and deliver them together.
Discounts that apply here
Student, military and senior discounts are available in either direction. Worth asking about before you book.
What should you know about vehicle pickup in Chicago?
Lake Shore Drive is closed to trucks
Commercial vehicles are banned from Lake Shore Drive, so a carrier reaching the lakefront neighborhoods comes in on surface streets instead. It rarely changes your price and never changes your delivery, but it does mean the driver may approach from a direction you would not expect. Worth knowing if you are tracking the truck in.
Two-flat blocks and permit zones
Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Wicker Park, Bridgeport and Hyde Park have narrow streets, resident permit parking and cars on both sides. Where a full-size carrier cannot turn comfortably we arrange a meet-point minutes away, usually a wide arterial or a retail lot, and the handover happens there at no extra cost.
Alleys are not loading zones
Chicago's alley grid is one of the most extensive in the country, and it is tempting to point a driver down one. Car carriers cannot use them safely, so we plan the meet-point at booking rather than discovering the problem at the curb.
Winter is a real factor here
January and February bring lake-effect snow, road salt and tighter carrier capacity across the Midwest. Build an extra day into your plan for a winter move, and give the widest pickup window your schedule allows. Enclosed transport is worth considering in those months if the vehicle warrants it.
The suburbs are straightforward
Evanston, Oak Park, Cicero, Skokie, Schaumburg, Naperville, Aurora, Elgin, Joliet, Oak Lawn and the rest of Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane and McHenry counties are usually door-to-door without difficulty. Wide streets and driveway access make suburban pickups some of the simplest we handle.
Students and campus moves
Northwestern, the University of Chicago, UIC, DePaul and Loyola in the city, with Illinois State in Normal and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign downstate. Late August and mid-May are the tightest weeks of the year, so booking two to three weeks ahead makes a real difference to both price and pickup date.
Which parts of Illinois do you serve?
All of Illinois, from the Wisconsin line to the Ohio River. The Chicago office coordinates the northern end of every lane, and pickups anywhere in the state route through the same team.
Chicagoland
Chicago and every neighborhood in it, plus Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, Schaumburg, Evanston, Cicero, Waukegan, Arlington Heights, Oak Park, Skokie, Des Plaines, Berwyn, Wheeling, Niles, Carol Stream, Dolton and Oak Lawn, across Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane and McHenry counties.
Downstate Illinois
Rockford, Peoria, Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, Decatur, Quincy, Carbondale, Belleville, East St. Louis and the Quad Cities. Downstate origins often price below Chicago on westbound lanes because they sit closer to the route, as the Bloomington and Springfield rows above show.
Where is the Smart Auto Move Chicago office?
Chicago is one of four staffed Smart Auto Move offices, alongside Lakewood, Los Angeles and Kissimmee. That matters in a practical way rather than a promotional one: the people scheduling your carrier and calling you with updates work here, on Central time, and they book the Illinois corridor every day. Three of the lanes below run office to office, which means a Smart Auto Move team at each end of the route.
Smart Auto Move Inc
Address: 742 E 87th Pl, Chicago, IL 60619
Local: 312-300-7773
National: 888-709-9078
| Mon – Thu | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
| Friday | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Mon – Thu | 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
What happens at this office
Chicago is a logistics office. Our dispatchers schedule transport with carriers, call customers with updates, and sort out anything that comes up mid-route. Booking happens online or over the phone, and visits are by appointment.
Vehicles are never stored here, and that is deliberate. Your car goes from your address straight onto the carrier and stays covered under Carrier Cargo Insurance for the entire trip, with no terminal, no holding lot and no gap in coverage.
Our other offices
Lakewood, WA · 5607 Boston Ave SW · 253-200-5645
Los Angeles, CA · 5111 Harold Way Ste 301 · 213-766-0064
Kissimmee, FL · 2095 E Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy · 407-377-6073
Corporate headquarters: 4208 Six Forks Rd Ste 1000, Raleigh, NC 27609. Smart Auto Move has moved vehicles for over ten years under USDOT 2887232 and MC 969368.
Open, enclosed and expedited Chicago auto transport
Open transport
The basis for every estimate on this page and the right choice for most cars, SUVs and pickup trucks. Best value on any lane.
Enclosed transport
Full protection from road salt, debris and weather for classic, collector, exotic, restored, luxury and low-clearance vehicles. Worth serious thought for a Chicago winter move. Priced individually.
Expedited pickup
Narrows the pickup window when priority scheduling is available. Transit days stay the same, since federal driving-hour limits do not move.
How does Chicago car shipping work, step by step?
1. Request your quote
Enter your pickup and delivery ZIP codes, vehicle details, first available date and preferred service, or call and we will do it with you.
2. Confirm the shipment
Review route, transport type, timing, access and your confirmed price before anything is booked.
3. Carrier pickup
The assigned carrier documents vehicle condition on a Bill of Lading and loads at your address or an agreed meet-point.
4. Transit
The vehicle moves on the carrier's route, subject to federal driving hours, weather and scheduled stops.
5. Delivery coordination
The driver contacts you as the truck approaches and confirms a safe, legal delivery point.
6. Final inspection
Compare the vehicle against the pickup condition report and note anything before signing the handoff.
Your car never sits anywhere. It goes from your address straight onto the carrier and stays covered under Carrier Cargo Insurance for the entire trip.
What our customers say
More than 120 Google reviews across our offices, averaging 4.7.
Crystal Evans was very helpful.
Chicago car shipping FAQs
How much does it cost to ship a car to or from Chicago?
Shipping a mid-size vehicle to or from Chicago on an open carrier costs $800 to $1,600 as of August 2026. East Coast runs to the New Jersey and New York metro start near $800, Mountain West routes to Nevada land between $1,250 and $1,600, and California lanes run $1,200 to $1,400. Chicago to Newark is $850 and Chicago to Los Angeles is $1,300.
How long does Chicago car shipping take?
Transit takes 2 to 6 days after pickup, depending on distance. Chicago to Newark is about 2 days, Chicago to Las Vegas about 4, Chicago to Los Angeles about 5, and Aurora to San Francisco about 6. Winter weather across the Midwest can add a day between January and March.
How much is it to ship a car from Chicago to Los Angeles?
Chicago to Los Angeles is $1,300 for a mid-size vehicle on an open carrier, taking about 5 days over roughly 2,025 miles. Downstate origins price lower on the same westbound route: Bloomington to Los Angeles is $1,200 in about 4 days, because it sits closer to the corridor the truck is already running.
Why does Chicago to Reno cost more than Chicago to Las Vegas?
Because Reno is a quieter delivery market. The two destinations are within 200 miles of each other, yet Reno is $1,600 against $1,400 for Las Vegas. Las Vegas sends vehicles back east constantly, so the driver picks up a return load on the drop. Reno sends far fewer, so the truck covers empty miles before its next job.
Can a transport truck reach my street in Chicago?
Usually, and where it cannot we come to you a different way. Suburban pickups across Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane and McHenry counties are almost always door-to-door. On narrow two-flat blocks in Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Wicker Park or Hyde Park we arrange a meet-point minutes away on a wide arterial or retail lot, at no extra cost.
Why is the driver not using Lake Shore Drive?
Commercial vehicles are banned from Lake Shore Drive, so carriers reaching the lakefront neighborhoods come in on surface streets. It does not change your price or your delivery, but it does mean the truck may approach from a direction you would not expect if you are tracking it in.
Can you use my alley for pickup?
No. Chicago has one of the most extensive alley grids in the country, but a full-size car carrier cannot use them safely or legally. We plan the meet-point when you book rather than discovering the problem at the curb, and it is usually a wide street or retail lot within a few minutes of your address.
Does winter affect Chicago car shipping?
Yes. January and February bring lake-effect snow, heavy road salt and tighter carrier capacity across the Midwest, which can add a day to transit and firm up pricing. Build the extra day into your plan, give the widest pickup window your schedule allows, and consider enclosed transport if the vehicle warrants protection from salt.
Do you pick up outside Chicago?
Yes, anywhere in Illinois. That covers all of Chicagoland including Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, Schaumburg and Evanston, and downstate in Rockford, Peoria, Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, Decatur, Carbondale and the Quad Cities. Downstate origins often price below Chicago on westbound lanes because they sit closer to the route.
Does Smart Auto Move have an office in Chicago?
Yes. Smart Auto Move Inc has an office at 742 E 87th Pl, Chicago, Illinois 60619, with a local line on 312-300-7773. It is a logistics office where dispatchers schedule carriers and update customers, and visits are by appointment. Central hours are Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Is my vehicle insured while it is being shipped?
Yes. Your car never sits anywhere. It goes from your address straight onto the carrier and stays covered under Carrier Cargo Insurance for the entire trip. There is no terminal, no holding lot and no gap in coverage between pickup and delivery, and you can verify any carrier's active authority and insurance through the FMCSA SAFER system before your vehicle is loaded.
How can I get a lower price on my Chicago shipment?
Give the widest pickup window you can. A driver filling the last space on a trailer will often take a nearby vehicle rather than travel further to reach another, and a three-day window gives us far more chances to catch one of those. Chicago is a strong origin market, so flexible dates pay off here more than almost anywhere.
Can you ship an inoperable or non-running vehicle?
Yes, when the assigned carrier has a winch or the equipment needed to load it. Inoperable vehicles are priced separately from the open transport estimates on this page. Enter the vehicle's true condition when you request a quote, because a vehicle listed as running that will not roll, steer or brake at pickup will need to be re-rated at the curb.
Will Smart Auto Move call or text me after I ask for a quote?
No. We do not call or text quote-form leads. Your quote comes back to you and the next move is yours. If you would rather talk it through, call the Chicago office on 312-300-7773 or the national line on 888-709-9078 and we will quote you over the phone.
Chicago lane pages
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$899 in 3 to 4 days, plus six more Illinois to Tampa Bay city pairs.
View Chicago to TampaChicago to Orlando
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Illinois to Southern California, office to office.
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Illinois to Nevada, with the return lane priced separately.
View Chicago to Las VegasLakewood Car Shipping
Our Washington office and full Puget Sound lane pricing.
View Lakewood Car ShippingReady to ship a car to or from Chicago?
Start with your pickup and delivery ZIP codes, vehicle details and preferred date, or call the Chicago office and we will quote you over the phone.