Nationwide Car Movers
Car movers load your vehicle onto a trailer, drive it across the country and hand you back the keys. Smart Auto Move has done that for over ten years, in all 50 states. This page covers what a car move costs and how long it takes. It also covers how to tell a good car moving company from a bad one.
Most car moves cost $450 to $2,000 and take 1 to 10 days on the road. A short run inside one state can come in near $450 and arrive in a couple of days. Coast to coast usually runs $1,800 to $2,400 over 8 to 10 days. The price follows the route, the vehicle, whether it runs, the trailer type and how flexible your dates are. Figures here are open transport and a mid-size vehicle, based on our most recent shipments and the current fuel rates.
How much do car movers charge?
Most cars move for $450 to $2,000 on an open trailer. The routes below are ones we run often enough to publish a real range. All are open transport and a mid-size vehicle.
| Route | Price | Distance | Days on the truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh to Kissimmee | $650 to $800 | 617 miles | 2 to 3 |
| Houston to Kissimmee | $950 to $1,100 | 975 miles | 3 |
| New York City to Orlando | $1,250 to $1,450 | 1,080 miles | 3 to 5 |
| Chicago to Tampa | $850 to $950 | 1,180 miles | 3 to 4 |
| Raleigh to Dallas | $1,300 to $1,500 | 1,190 miles | 3 to 4 |
| Chicago to Los Angeles | $1,250 to $1,400 | 2,025 miles | 5 |
| Los Angeles to Kissimmee | $1,450 to $1,650 | 2,552 miles | 6 |
| Tacoma to New York | $1,850 to $2,000 | 2,845 miles | 7 |
| Seattle to Kissimmee | $1,850 to $2,000 | 3,105 miles | 8 |
Prices are estimates. Fuel moves and so do they, so the live number comes from the quote form or a phone call. Some of these routes have their own page with more detail: New York City to Florida, Raleigh to Dallas, California to Florida, Washington to Florida and Tacoma to New York.
Why two routes the same length cost different money
Look at Chicago to Tampa and Raleigh to Dallas. Both are about 1,185 miles. One is around $900. The other is around $1,400. The difference is whether a driver has a load waiting at the other end. Florida sends plenty of cars back north, so a driver drops yours and picks up another the same day. Out of Dallas there is less going back east. The driver covers empty miles to the next job, so the rate goes up. That is also why flexible dates save money. A wider window gives a driver more chances to fit your car into a trip already going your way.
How long does it take to move a car?
Transit runs about 1 to 2 days for a short in-state move. Coast to coast takes 8 to 10 days. Federal hours-of-service rules cap driving time, so a truck covers roughly 400 to 500 miles a day once loading and delivery stops are counted.
| Distance | Days on the truck | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Under 500 miles | 1 to 2 days | Tacoma to Portland |
| 500 to 1,000 miles | 2 to 3 days | Raleigh to Kissimmee |
| 1,000 to 1,500 miles | 3 to 4 days | Chicago to Tampa |
| 1,500 to 2,000 miles | 4 to 5 days | Los Angeles to Houston |
| 2,000 to 2,500 miles | 5 to 7 days | Chicago to Los Angeles |
| 2,500 to 3,000 miles | 6 to 9 days | Tacoma to New York |
| Over 3,000 miles | 8 to 10 days | Seattle to Kissimmee |
When the truck actually shows up
Pickup runs inside a window that starts on the date you ask for. Standard shipping uses a 6 day window. Expedited narrows it to 3 days. Your driver calls you directly as the truck gets close, so you get the day and a rough time rather than waiting by the window all week.
How the car moving process works
Six steps, and you only need to be present for two of them.
Get a quote
Give us the pickup and delivery cities, the year, make and model, whether it runs and drives, and the earliest date you are ready.
Book your spot
Pick open or enclosed, standard or expedited. A deposit holds the booking and locks the price.
We assign a carrier
We check the carrier's authority and insurance are active, then send you the driver's details. Ask and we will send the certificate of insurance too.
Pickup and inspection
The driver calls ahead and walks the car with you. Its condition goes on the Bill of Lading. Take your own photos too.
On the road
Your car is strapped down and runs the interstate corridors. Call or text the driver whenever you want an update.
Delivery
Walk the car again against the pickup record, pay the balance and take the keys.
Open, enclosed or expedited
Most cars go on an open trailer, and that is the right call for most cars. The other two options exist for a reason.
Open transport
The standard choice, and the basis of every price on this page. Your car rides on the same kind of trailer that delivers new cars to dealerships. Best value by a wide margin.
Enclosed transport
Plan on about 80 percent more than open. A $1,000 open move is roughly $1,800 enclosed. A hard-sided trailer holds two to six cars where an open one holds ten, so each car carries more of the cost. Worth it for a classic, an exotic, fresh paint, or a car too low to clear a ramp.
Expedited
Narrows the pickup window from 6 days to 3. Useful when a closing date, a lease handover or a report date is fixed. Transit days stay the same, because federal driving-hour rules set those.
Each service has its own page: standard door to door, enclosed and expedited. There is also a side by side open and enclosed comparison.
Insurance, access and what you can leave in the car
Your car travels under Carrier Cargo Insurance. It is held by the motor carrier assigned to your shipment. We check that the authority and the coverage are active before any car goes on a truck. Once a carrier is assigned, ask us for the certificate of insurance and we will send it the same day.
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.
Is door to door really door to door?
Yes, wherever a truck can legally and safely reach you. A car hauler is about 75 feet long. Tight streets, low branches and posted neighborhood rules can stop one at the corner. Tell us the address when you book and we will pick a wide lot a few minutes away. It takes ten minutes and there is no extra charge.
Can I leave personal items in the car?
Usually yes, within reason. Most drivers will take a few things as a courtesy. Keep it under about 100 pounds, pack it neatly, and keep it out of sight from outside the car. Think a few boxes in the trunk rather than a carload. The one thing to know is that you are paying to move the vehicle, so the carrier's insurance covers the car itself. Keep anything you would hate to lose with you.
Getting the car ready
- Wash it so the inspection photos are clear
- Leave about a quarter tank of gas
- Take out the toll tag and anything loose in the cabin
- Fold the mirrors and turn off the alarm
- Note any dents you already have, and take timestamped photos
- Tell us about big tires, a lift or a lowered suspension
Full detail is in the vehicle preparation guide.
Booking, payment and changing your mind
How payment works
A deposit is due when you book. The balance is due at delivery, usually by cashier's check, money order or cash. You can also put the full amount on a credit card, but only at the time of booking, so the funds clear and are ready for the carrier.
Two to three weeks of notice gets you the best choice of dates. We can work with less, and often do.
If your plans change
Cancel any time before we assign a carrier and your deposit comes back to you. Once we assign one and send you the driver's details, that money is spoken for. It is not gone, though. You can push the move back and use it on a later shipment.
Closings slip and orders change. Tell us early and we will move the date.
How to choose a good car moving company
Start with the paperwork, then look hard at the cheapest quote. Every company moving cars across state lines has a USDOT number and an MC number. Both are public. Ours are USDOT 2887232 and MC 969368. You can pull our authority and insurance on the FMCSA SAFER system in about thirty seconds.
The number one red flag
A quote far below everyone else. If four companies say $1,000 to $1,200 and the fifth says $500, ask that company straight out whether the rate is confirmed. If they say yes, go read their reviews looking for the words bait and switch. Loading, securing, the inspection and the slot on the trailer cost a driver about the same at any distance. There is a floor below which the route cannot be run.
The one people get backwards
Plenty of advice says a good company never asks for money up front. The opposite is closer to the truth. A company taking nothing up front is often not confident it can find a carrier at the price it quoted. Those are frequently the same companies that call back a week later saying drivers turned the load down and the rate has gone up. A deposit means we are booking committed customers and holding the price we gave you.
Read the reviews for detail, not for stars
Count is easy to game. Detail is not. If timing matters most to you, look for comments about pickup and delivery dates. If communication matters most, look for comments about updates and returned calls. Every review we publish sits on a public Google profile you can open and read yourself. We do not write testimonials. Our BBB profile is accredited with an A+ rating. The complaint history is there to read too.
Why communication separates good car movers from bad ones
Price and speed get all the attention. What customers remember is whether anyone told them what was happening. Trucks run on live roads. Weather, traffic and a breakdown two states away all move a schedule. What matters is how fast you hear about it.
You get the driver's phone number. A call or a text reaches the person with your car, not a queue. GPS tracking is available when the carrier and the truck support it, and plenty of trucks do not carry a reliable system. Companies promising live tracking on every load are overselling it. Nobody controls whether a driver's truck is tracked.
What you should expect
- A call from the driver before pickup
- A pickup window you knew about when you booked
- The driver's number for the whole trip
- An honest heads up when a day slips
- A call before the truck reaches the delivery address
- Someone to answer the phone at 888-709-9078
Where we move cars
All 50 states. Most long-distance moves run the main corridors: I-95 up and down the East Coast, I-40 and I-10 across the south, I-80 and I-70 across the middle, I-5 down the West Coast. Busy corridors have more trucks. That usually means a shorter wait and a better price.
Staffed offices in Lakewood WA, Chicago IL, Los Angeles CA and Kissimmee FL handle dispatch and customer calls in their own time zones. Regional teams cover McKinney and Houston in Texas, Iselin NJ, Huntington Station NY, Portsmouth VA and the Bronx. If something needs sorting on your move, someone near your end of it picks up.
Registered business address: 4208 Six Forks Rd Ste 1000, Raleigh, NC 27609. USDOT 2887232, MC 969368.
What our customers say
Every review below sits on a public Google profile. Open any of them and read the whole thing.
Crystal Evans was very helpful.
Helpful guides
Moving for a particular reason? We have pages for military moves, college students, seasonal moves, online car buyers and auction pickups.
Car mover FAQs
How much do car movers charge?
Most cars move for $450 to $2,000 on an open trailer. A short in-state run can come in near $450, and coast to coast usually sits between $1,800 and $2,400. Price follows the route, the vehicle, whether it runs, the trailer type and your dates. The routes on this page show real ranges for open transport and a mid-size vehicle.
How does car moving work?
You get a quote, book with a deposit, and we assign a carrier and send you the driver's details. The driver calls ahead, records the car's condition on the Bill of Lading and loads it. At the other end you walk the car against that record, pay the balance and take the keys.
How long does it take to move a car?
About 1 to 2 days under 500 miles, 3 to 4 days around 1,200 miles, and 8 to 10 days coast to coast. A truck covers roughly 400 to 500 miles a day once loading and delivery stops are counted. Federal hours-of-service rules cap the time a driver can be behind the wheel.
When will the truck pick up my car?
Pickup happens inside a window that starts on the date you ask for. Standard shipping uses a 6 day window and expedited narrows it to 3 days. Your driver calls you directly as the truck gets close, so you get the day and a rough time rather than waiting all week.
What is the cheapest way to move a car?
Open transport with a flexible pickup window. Open is the standard trailer and by far the best value. A wider date range then gives a driver more chances to fit your car into a trip already going your way, which is the cheapest concession you can make. Shipping in February to April also costs less than the May to August rush.
Why is one quote much cheaper than the others?
Ask that company whether the rate is confirmed. Loading, securing, the condition report and the slot on the trailer cost a driver about the same at any distance. So there is a floor below which a route cannot be run. A number well under everyone else usually means something has been left out, or that the price will move once a carrier actually has to be found.
Should I choose open or enclosed transport?
Open for a daily driver, enclosed for a car that justifies the premium. Plan on about 80 percent more than open. A $1,000 open move is roughly $1,800 enclosed, because a hard-sided trailer holds two to six cars where an open one holds ten. Worth it for a classic, an exotic, fresh paint, or a car too low to clear a ramp.
Is my car insured while it is being moved?
Yes. Your car travels under Carrier Cargo Insurance, held by the motor carrier assigned to your shipment. We confirm the authority and the coverage are active before a car is assigned. Once a carrier is assigned you can ask us for the certificate of insurance and we will send it. You can also check any carrier yourself on the FMCSA SAFER system.
Can I leave personal items in the car?
Usually yes, within reason. Most drivers will take a few things as a courtesy. Keep it under about 100 pounds, pack it neatly, and keep it out of sight from outside the car. Think a few boxes in the trunk rather than a carload. The one thing to know is that you are paying to move the vehicle, so the carrier's insurance covers the car itself. Keep anything you would hate to lose with you.
Is door to door really door to door?
Yes, wherever a truck can legally and safely reach you. A car hauler is about 75 feet long, so tight streets, low branches and posted neighborhood rules can stop one at the corner. Tell us the address when you book and a wide lot a few minutes away is used instead. There is no extra charge.
How do I get my car ready for the movers?
Wash it so the inspection photos are clear, leave about a quarter tank of gas, and take out the toll tag and anything loose in the cabin. Fold the mirrors, turn off the alarm, note any dents you already have and hand over one key. Tell us about oversized tires, a lift or a lowered suspension when you book.
How do I pay, and when?
A deposit is due at booking and the balance at delivery, usually by cashier's check, money order or cash. You can also put the full amount on a credit card, but only at the time of booking, so the funds clear and are available for the carrier. Some customers prefer that because it spreads the cost rather than paying out of pocket on the day.
Can I cancel or change my pickup date?
Cancel any time before we assign a carrier and your deposit comes back to you. Once we assign one and send you the driver's details, that money is spoken for. It is not gone, though. You can push the move back and use it on a later shipment.
Can car movers take a vehicle that does not run?
Yes, with a winch-equipped carrier, as long as the car rolls, steers and brakes. There is no flat fee for it. Expect it to run about $200 or more above the same car running, and the exact number needs a short conversation. Book it as inoperable up front. There is no penalty for that, and it costs less than sorting it out at the curb.
How do I know a car moving company is legitimate?
Check the USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA SAFER system, which takes about thirty seconds and is free. Ours are USDOT 2887232 and MC 969368. Then read the reviews on public profiles rather than testimonials on a website. Check the BBB complaint history. And treat a quote far below everyone else as the warning it usually is.
Ready to move your car?
Fill in the route, the vehicle and the week you are ready. You get a price, not a phone call. Asking early gives you the widest choice of pickup dates and usually the better number.
Prefer email? Contact Smart Auto Move.