Lakewood, Washington Car Shipping & Auto Transport
Written by Richard Avery, President of Smart Auto Move · USDOT 2887232 · MC 969368
Lakewood, Washington car shipping starts in Pierce County's second-largest city, a place named for the lakes it grew up around, and home to Thornewood Castle, built in 1911 from a 400-year-old English manor that was taken apart, shipped around Cape Horn and reassembled here brick by brick. Smart Auto Move is a car shipping company, and we move cars, SUVs and pickup trucks to and from Lakewood, Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia and every corner of Washington state.
As of August 2026, shipping a mid-size vehicle to or from Lakewood, Washington on an open carrier costs $450 to $2,200, with transit of 1 to 10 days after pickup. Regional runs like Portland start around $450. Cross-country lanes to Florida and the East Coast reach $1,900 to $2,200. Lakewood to Kissimmee, Florida is $1,925 in about 8 days.
- Door-to-door where accessible
- Open & enclosed options
- Military, student & senior discounts
- JBLM PCS moves
- BBB A+ accredited
How much does it cost to ship a car to or from Lakewood, WA?
As of August 2026, shipping a mid-size vehicle to or from Lakewood, Washington on an open carrier costs $450 to $2,200. Distance sets most of it: regional runs down the I-5 corridor start near $450, West Coast and Mountain routes land between $900 and $1,600, and cross-country lanes to Florida or the East Coast run $1,850 to $2,200.
Regional
$450–$900Under 800 miles: Portland, Boise, Northern California. Typically 1 to 2 days.
West Coast & Mountain
$900–$1,600800 to 1,500 miles: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver. Typically 3 to 4 days.
Long-haul
$1,250–$1,9001,500 to 2,500 miles: Chicago, Dallas, Houston and the Midwest. Typically 5 to 6 days.
Cross-country
$1,850–$2,200Over 2,500 miles: New York, Florida and the Southeast. Typically 7 to 10 days.
What do popular Washington car shipping lanes cost?
These are our current estimates for the Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood, WA → Kissimmee / Orlando, FL | 3,100 mi | 8 days | $1,925 | OFFICE TO OFFICE |
| Lakewood, WA → Chicago, IL | 2,065 mi | 5 days | $1,250–$1,450 | OFFICE TO OFFICE |
| Tacoma, WA → Orlando, FL | 3,150 mi | 8 days | $1,950 | Carrier network |
| Seattle, WA → Jacksonville, FL | 2,992 mi | 8 days | $1,900 | Carrier network |
| JBLM, WA → Miami, FL | 3,330 mi | 9–10 days | $2,200 | Carrier network |
| Olympia, WA → Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3,250 mi | 9–10 days | $2,100 | Carrier network |
| Kent, WA → Daytona Beach, FL | 3,075 mi | 8–9 days | $1,900 | Carrier network |
| Tacoma, WA → New York, NY | 2,845 mi | 7 days | $1,850–$2,000 | Carrier network |
| Lakewood, WA → Houston, TX | 2,350 mi | 6 days | $1,550–$1,750 | Carrier network |
| Tacoma, WA → Dallas, TX | 2,110 mi | 5 days | $1,600–$1,900 | Carrier network |
| Dallas, TX → Tacoma, WA | 2,110 mi | 5 days | $1,600–$1,900 | Carrier network |
| Tacoma, WA → Denver, CO | 1,320 mi | 4 days | $1,400–$1,600 | Carrier network |
| Tacoma, WA → Phoenix, AZ | 1,430 mi | 3 days | $1,350–$1,600 | Carrier network |
| Phoenix, AZ → Tacoma, WA | 1,430 mi | 3 days | $1,350–$1,600 | Carrier network |
| Lakewood, WA → Los Angeles, CA | 1,110 mi | 3 days | $900–$1,200 | OFFICE TO OFFICE |
| Tacoma, WA → Las Vegas, NV | 1,100 mi | 3 days | $1,100–$1,300 | Carrier network |
| Tacoma, WA → Sacramento, CA | 780 mi | 2 days | $650–$900 | Carrier network |
| Tacoma, WA → Boise, ID | 500 mi | 2 days | $700–$900 | Carrier network |
| Tacoma, WA → Portland, OR | 145 mi | 1 day | $450–$600 | 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 some destinations cost more than others at the same distance?
Because what sets the rate is whether there is a load waiting at the other end. Deliver into a busy two-way market and the driver picks up a return vehicle on the drop, so the lane prices at the average. Deliver somewhere quiet and the driver covers empty miles before the next load, and that shows up in the price, not the mileage.
Busy markets price better
A big metro with vehicles moving in both directions keeps trucks full and rates steady. Most of the Washington lanes above run into markets like that, which is why cross-country pricing holds up well from Puget Sound.
Flexible dates genuinely save money
A driver filling the last space on a trailer will often take a nearby vehicle rather than travel to reach one further away. 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. Winter tightens capacity across the mountain passes and the northern routes. Both move the number, and both are quoted up front rather than added later.
Why does shipping from Puget Sound price the way it does?
Because I-5 runs straight through it. Carriers move the corridor between Vancouver, Portland, Puget Sound and California every day in both directions, which is why our regional lanes start at $450 while a cross-country run from the same address costs four times that. Density, not distance, sets the floor.
The I-5 corridor
Seattle, Tacoma, Lakewood and Olympia all sit within an hour of each other on the same interstate, so a truck heading south can fill several spaces without leaving the highway. That is the practical reason Portland is $450 and Sacramento is $650.
The Port of Tacoma
The port has moved vehicles through the Seattle and Tacoma gateway for over fifty years, which means the whole region has deep auto-logistics infrastructure and constant carrier presence. Good for anyone shipping a car, not just anyone importing one.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord next door
JBLM borders Lakewood and generates steady vehicle movement in both directions all year. That two-way traffic keeps trucks coming through rather than arriving empty, and it is part of why Puget Sound holds its pricing better than markets that only ship one way.
When is the best time to book a Lakewood car shipment?
Book six to eight weeks ahead for an autumn run south and for a summer PCS move, and two to three weeks ahead for a student move. Lakewood to Kissimmee is $1,925 in about 8 days, and that lane fills first every October. Capacity tightens before prices do, so the date you book matters more than the date you travel.
Autumn south, spring north
Washington to Florida runs $1,900 to $2,200 and the demand is concentrated into a few weeks each October and again each April. Book the return when you book the outbound if your dates are settled.
PCS season is May to August
Military moves cluster into the summer, and JBLM is one of the largest posts in the country. Give us the widest pickup window your orders allow and ask about the military discount before your price is confirmed.
Student weeks are late August and mid-May
The tightest fortnights of the year for the whole region. Two to three weeks of notice makes a real difference to both the price and the pickup date.
Why ship your vehicle instead of driving it?
A Lakewood to Florida drive is roughly 3,100 miles and five to six days of your own time behind the wheel, 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
Five or six driving days on a cross-country move is a week of annual leave. Fly instead and meet the car at the other end.
No miles on the odometer
Three thousand miles is a full service interval, a set of tyres closer to replacement, 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.
Mountain passes handled
Snoqualmie, White and Chinook passes all require chains or close outright in winter. Drivers who run them 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
Military, student and senior discounts are available to Washington residents, worth asking about before you book, whichever way you are heading.
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 should you know about vehicle pickup in Lakewood?
Joint Base Lewis-McChord next door
JBLM borders Lakewood and is one of the largest installations in the country, so PCS moves are routine work for this office. Give us the widest pickup window your orders allow and we can usually place the vehicle sooner and for less. If your report date shifts, call us rather than starting a new quote.
I-5 and SR-512 access
Lakewood sits right on I-5 with SR-512 running east toward Puyallup and SR-16 crossing the Narrows to Gig Harbor. Carriers pass through the corridor daily in both directions, which keeps Puget Sound well served and is a large part of why regional lanes price the way they do.
The Lakes District and older streets
The neighborhoods around Steilacoom, American and Gravelly lakes have narrow, curving lanes and mature trees close to the road. Where a full-size carrier cannot turn comfortably, we arrange a meet-point minutes away, usually a wide arterial or a retail lot off Bridgeport Way, and the handover happens there.
Fort Steilacoom and the west side
Around Fort Steilacoom Park, Western State Hospital and the Steilacoom border, access is generally straightforward and most pickups happen at the door. The same is true across most of Lakewood's newer residential areas.
Pierce County and beyond
From this office we cover Lakewood, Tacoma, University Place, Fircrest, Steilacoom, DuPont, Puyallup, Spanaway, Gig Harbor, Olympia, Federal Way and the rest of Pierce and Thurston counties.
Students and seasonal moves
Pacific Lutheran in Parkland, the University of Puget Sound and UW Tacoma, plus Clover Park Technical College here in Lakewood. Late August and mid-May are the tightest weeks of the year, and booking two to three weeks ahead makes a real difference to both price and pickup date.
Which parts of Washington do you serve?
All thirty-nine Washington counties, from the Olympic Peninsula to the Idaho line. The Lakewood office coordinates the Puget Sound end of every lane, and pickups anywhere in the state route through the same team.
Puget Sound and Western Washington
King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, Kitsap, Clark, Whatcom, Skagit, Island, Jefferson, Clallam, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, San Juan and Skamania counties: Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Everett, Olympia, Vancouver, Bellingham, Bremerton and the coast.
Central and Eastern Washington
Spokane, Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, Whitman, Adams, Lincoln, Okanogan, Stevens, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Asotin, Columbia and Garfield counties: Spokane, Yakima, the Tri-Cities, Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Walla Walla and Pullman.
Where is the Smart Auto Move Lakewood office?
Lakewood is one of four staffed Smart Auto Move offices, alongside Chicago, 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 Pacific time, and they book the Puget Sound 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: 5607 Boston Ave SW, Lakewood, WA 98499
Local: 253-200-5645
National: 888-709-9078
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 across 31 Google reviews
| Mon – Thu | 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Friday | 6:00 AM – 4:00 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
Lakewood 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 — no terminal, no holding lot, no gap in coverage.
Our other offices
Chicago, IL · 742 E 87th Pl · 312-300-7773
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.
Open, enclosed and expedited Lakewood 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 debris and weather for classic, collector, exotic, restored, luxury and low-clearance vehicles. 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 Lakewood 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, pass conditions 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.
What our customers say
More than 120 Google reviews across our offices, averaging 4.7. Our Lakewood office holds 4.5 out of 5 across 31 of them.
Crystal Evans was very helpful.
Lakewood, Washington car shipping FAQs
How much does it cost to ship a car to or from Lakewood, WA?
Shipping a mid-size vehicle to or from Lakewood, Washington on an open carrier costs $450 to $2,200 as of August 2026. Regional runs such as Portland start around $450, West Coast and Mountain routes fall between $900 and $1,600, and cross-country lanes to Florida or the East Coast run $1,850 to $2,200. Lakewood to Kissimmee, Florida is $1,925.
How long does car shipping to or from Lakewood take?
Car shipping to or from Lakewood, Washington takes 1 to 10 days after pickup. Portland is about 1 day, Los Angeles about 3, Chicago about 5, and Florida 8 to 10. Eastbound routes crossing Snoqualmie, White or Chinook Pass can run a day longer between November and March, when chain requirements are in effect.
How much is it to ship a car from Lakewood to Florida?
Lakewood, Washington to Kissimmee, Florida is $1,925 for a mid-size vehicle on an open carrier, taking about 8 days over roughly 3,100 miles. Nearby Florida destinations price similarly: Seattle to Jacksonville is $1,900, Tacoma to Orlando $1,950, Olympia to Fort Lauderdale $2,100 and JBLM to Miami $2,200.
Why do two destinations the same distance away cost different amounts?
Because what sets the rate is whether there is a load waiting at the delivery point. A driver dropping into a busy two-way market picks up a return vehicle on the same trip, so the lane prices at the average. A quieter destination means empty miles before the next load, and that shows up in the price. Distance matters, but two-way demand matters more.
How can I get a lower price on my Lakewood 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. Flexible dates are the single most effective way to lower a car shipping price, ahead of anything else you can control.
Does Smart Auto Move have an office in Lakewood?
Yes. Smart Auto Move Inc has an office at 5607 Boston Ave SW, Lakewood, Washington 98499, with a local line on 253-200-5645. It is a logistics office where dispatchers schedule carriers and update customers, and visits are by appointment. Pacific hours are Monday to Thursday 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday 6:00 AM to 4:00 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.
Do you ship vehicles for military families at JBLM?
Yes. Joint Base Lewis-McChord borders Lakewood, and PCS vehicle moves are routine work for this office. JBLM to Miami is $2,200 in about 9 to 10 days. Military discounts are available to Washington residents, alongside student and senior discounts. Give us the widest pickup window your orders allow and we can usually place the vehicle sooner and for less.
Do you offer discounts?
Yes. Smart Auto Move offers military, student and senior discounts to Washington state residents, shipping in either direction. Ask when you request your quote or mention it on the phone, and it will be applied before your price is confirmed rather than adjusted afterwards.
Can a transport truck reach my street in Lakewood?
Usually, yes. Most of Lakewood's newer residential areas and the roads around Fort Steilacoom Park take a full-size carrier without difficulty. Where the older lanes near Steilacoom, American and Gravelly lakes are too narrow or too heavily treed, we arrange a meet-point minutes away on a wide arterial or a retail lot off Bridgeport Way, at no extra cost.
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.
How much more does enclosed transport cost?
Every estimate on this page is for open transport. Enclosed transport costs more because those trailers carry fewer vehicles and are in shorter supply, and the premium varies by vehicle value, route and season. Rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most vehicles, we price enclosed transport individually through the calculator or over the phone.
Do I need to be present at pickup and delivery?
Someone must be present to release and receive the vehicle and sign the Bill of Lading condition report, but it does not have to be you. You may designate any responsible adult over 18. A spouse, family member, neighbor or coworker can hand over and accept the vehicle on your behalf. Give us their name and number when you book.
More Washington car shipping resources
Lakewood to Los Angeles
Office to office down I-5, and why it prices below the distance.
View Lakewood → Los AngelesLakewood to Houston
Puget Sound to the Gulf Coast, with Texas delivery guidance.
View Lakewood → HoustonPuget Sound to San Antonio
Seattle, Tacoma and Lakewood pickup to South Texas.
View Puget Sound → San AntonioTacoma Car Shipping
Pierce County pickup, JBLM PCS moves and lane pricing from Tacoma.
View Tacoma PageWashington Car Shipping
Statewide pricing, routes and transport options across Washington.
View Washington PageWashington to New York
Our coast-to-coast lane, with pricing by city pair.
View Washington → New YorkReady to ship a car to or from Lakewood?
Start with your pickup and delivery ZIP codes, vehicle details and preferred date, or call the Lakewood office and we will quote you over the phone.