
Florida to Texas Car Shipping
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Written by Richard Avery, President of Smart Auto Move · USDOT 2887232 · MC 969368
How much does it cost to ship a car from Florida to Texas?
The cost to ship a car from Florida to Texas is typically $925 to $1,075 on an open trailer, and takes 3 to 4 days in transit time. That is our published Kissimmee to Houston lane, at about 975 miles. Kissimmee to Dallas runs $975 to $1,125.
Smart Auto Move provides nationwide car shipping throughout the lower 48 states, backed by four strategically located staffed offices, six additional service areas, and a trusted carrier network of more than 16,000 transport professionals nationwide. Our extensive network allows us to serve customers across the continental U.S. with reliable vehicle transport from coast to coast.
Service is not currently available in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.
Florida to Texas Car Shipping Prices
Every row is a running mid-size car on an open trailer. Plan on about 80 percent more for enclosed. Your quote gives the exact figure for your dates.
| Route | Also covers | Distance | Days on the road | Open transport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Central Florida | ||||
| Kissimmee to Houston | Orlando, St. Cloud | About 975 miles | 3 to 4 days | $925 to $1,075 |
| Kissimmee to Dallas | Orlando, St. Cloud | About 1,097 miles | 3 to 4 days | $975 to $1,125 |
| Orlando to Austin | Kissimmee, Sanford | About 1,110 miles | 3 to 4 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| Orlando to San Antonio | Kissimmee, Sanford | About 1,170 miles | 3 to 4 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| Tampa to Houston | St. Petersburg, Clearwater | About 980 miles | 3 to 4 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| Tampa to Dallas | St. Petersburg, Clearwater | About 1,120 miles | 3 to 4 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| From South and North Florida | ||||
| Miami to Houston | Fort Lauderdale | About 1,190 miles | 3 to 4 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| Miami to Dallas | Fort Lauderdale | About 1,310 miles | 4 to 5 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| Jacksonville to Houston | St. Augustine | About 870 miles | 3 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| Jacksonville to Dallas | St. Augustine | About 1,000 miles | 3 to 4 days | $900 to $1,600 |
| Pensacola to Houston | Destin, Fort Walton Beach | About 520 miles | 2 days | $900 to $1,600 |
Where these figures come from. The Kissimmee rows match the lanes we publish on our Kissimmee to Houston and Kissimmee to Dallas pages. The other rows use the range we publish nationwide for that distance, on our 2026 car shipping cost guide.
500 to 1,500 miles
$900 to $1,600. Every row on this page. Our Kissimmee lanes to Houston and Dallas sit inside that range.
Why is Florida to Texas an easy lane to ship?
I-10 runs from Jacksonville to Houston with few hills and big cities at both ends. Trucks run it every week.
A steady lane
Carriers move cars along the Gulf Coast all year. That gives us plenty of trucks to choose from for your dates.
An office at the pickup end
Our Kissimmee office handles dispatch for Central Florida. The person placing your car knows the local carriers.
Two big cities in Texas
Most cars go to Houston or Dallas. Austin and San Antonio are close behind, and we reach them door to door too.
Florida to Texas Car Shipping Questions
The questions we get asked most on this route, answered plainly.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Florida to Texas?
The cost to ship a car from Florida to Texas is typically $925 to $1,075 on an open trailer, and takes 3 to 4 days in transit time. That is our published Kissimmee to Houston lane, at about 975 miles. Kissimmee to Dallas runs $975 to $1,125. Your quote gives the real figure for your dates.
What sets the price of Florida to Texas car shipping?
Distance comes first. Then the size of the vehicle, whether it runs, open or enclosed, the time of year, and how easily a truck can reach both addresses. A wider pickup window helps the most, because it gives us more trucks to fit your car onto.
How long does it take to ship a car from Florida to Texas?
Most Florida to Texas moves take 3 to 4 days on the road. The trip is about 975 miles, mostly on I-10 along the Gulf Coast. Pickup comes first, inside a window that starts on your date.
How soon will a truck pick up my car in Florida?
Pickup happens inside a window that starts on the date you ask for. Standard service is a 6-day window. Expedited service is a 3-day window.
Can I ship more than one car from Florida to Texas?
Yes. Two or more cars going to the same address often ship on the same truck. Tell us when you book, and we will price them together.
Should I ship or drive from Florida to Texas?
Drive it if you want the car with you and have the days to spare. At about 975 miles, that is two long days behind the wheel plus motels, meals and fuel. Ship it when you would rather fly, when you have two cars and one driver, or when the car does not run.
Should I pick open or enclosed transport?
Open is the right call for most cars. Plan on about 80 percent more than open for enclosed. 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. For a daily driver, open is the right call.
Is my car insured while it ships?
Yes. Your car is covered by the carrier's Carrier Cargo Insurance from pickup to delivery. Once your order is assigned to a truck and carrier, we can send you the certificate of insurance right away.
Who is going to ship my car?
Smart Auto Move is. We place your car with a carrier we have vetted and worked with, and we stay with the move from pickup to delivery. We will get your car moved, or your money back.
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.
How do I get my car ready to ship?
Wash it so the inspection is clear. Take photos from every side. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Take out toll tags, garage openers and loose valuables. Tell us about any leaks or problems with starting. Then hand over one key.
How far ahead should I book Florida to Texas car shipping?
One to two weeks is enough for most moves. Give a little more in the busy summer season. Booking earlier does not cost more. It gives us more trucks to choose from.
How does payment work?
We take a deposit when you book and the balance is due at delivery. Drivers usually take a 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 are ready for the carrier.
Can I cancel if my 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.
How do I know a car shipping company is legitimate?
Check its USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA site, and read its reviews on the BBB and Google. Smart Auto Move is USDOT 2887232 and MC 969368, with a BBB A+ rating. Be careful of a quote far below the others. Ask that company if the rate is confirmed, then look for complaints about the price going up later.
Why do you take a deposit?
A deposit means we only work with committed customers, and it shows we are confident we can book a carrier at the price we quoted. A company that takes nothing up front is often not sure it can. Those are often the ones that come back later with a higher rate.
What do I need to register a car in Texas?
Texas asks new residents to register a car within 30 days, at the county tax office. Cars in the big metro areas often need an emissions test. Bring your old title or registration, proof of Texas insurance and your ID.
Do you have an office near Florida or Texas?
Yes, at the pickup end. Our staffed Central Florida office is in Kissimmee at 2095 E Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. Houston at the far end is a service area, on the national line 888-709-9078. Your car goes straight from your address onto the carrier.
Can you ship a car that does not run?
Yes. A non-running car needs a winch or a carrier with a lift, so it usually costs $200 or more above the same car running. Tell us when you book. We will talk it through and give you an accurate price.
Can I track my car while it ships?
You get the driver's phone number for calls or texts, plus email updates from us. GPS tracking is there when the carrier and the truck support it. We will tell you which applies once your carrier is assigned.
What happens on delivery day?
The driver calls ahead with a time. You walk around the car together and compare it with the pickup report. You note anything new on the Bill of Lading, sign, and pay the balance. Then the car is yours.
Does hurricane season affect Florida to Texas car shipping?
It can. A storm in the Gulf from June to November can close roads or slow a truck by a few days. We watch the weather and keep you posted.
Snowbirds also head back north in spring, which fills trucks leaving Florida. Book a week or two early from March to May.
Where can you pick up in Florida and deliver in Texas?
Door to door at both ends, wherever a 75-foot carrier can safely reach.
Pickup around Florida
Orlando, Kissimmee, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville and Pensacola. Gated communities are fine. Tell us the gate rules when you book.
Delivery around Texas
Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Austin and San Antonio. Some HOA streets limit big trucks, so we check ahead.
Tight streets
If either street is too tight for a 75-foot carrier, we meet at a nearby lot. It costs nothing extra.
Smart Auto Move Inc
Our staffed Central Florida office is in Kissimmee: 2095 E Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34744 · 407-377-6073
Call ahead to confirm office hours. The office handles dispatch and coordination, not drop-offs.
National line 888-709-9078
Registered business address: 4208 Six Forks Rd Ste 1000, Raleigh, NC 27609.
Your car is never stored anywhere. It goes from your address straight onto the carrier and stays covered under Carrier Cargo Insurance for the whole trip.
What do you need to register a car in Texas after it ships?
Texas has a few steps for a car that comes from another state. Plan for them before your car arrives.
Register within 30 days
Texas asks new residents to register a car within 30 days. Your county tax office handles it.
Emissions in the big metros
Cars in the Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and El Paso areas often need an emissions test. Check before your visit.
Bring the paperwork
Bring your old title or registration, proof of Texas insurance and your ID. If a bank holds the title, call them first.
Rules change from time to time, so check the Texas DMV site before your visit.
How Florida to Texas Car Shipping Works, Step by Step
Get your price
Give us both ZIP codes, the year, make and model, whether it runs, your first date, and open or enclosed. The Smart Price Promise holds the quote.
Book with a deposit
We take a deposit and start placing your car with a vetted carrier. Pickup runs inside a 6-day window from your date, or 3 days with expedited.
Meet the driver
You get the driver’s details once a carrier is assigned. The driver calls ahead. You walk around the car together and sign the pickup report.
Take delivery
The driver calls ahead again. Check the car against the pickup report, sign, and pay the balance.
Open, Enclosed and Expedited Florida to Texas Auto Transport
Open transport
The way most cars ship. A daily driver, an SUV or a pickup rides on an open carrier with up to ten vehicles. It is the right call for most Florida to Texas moves.
Enclosed transport
Plan on about 80 percent more than open. Worth it for a classic, an exotic, fresh paint or a car too low to clear a ramp.
Expedited transport
Pickup inside a 3-day window instead of 6. Good when you have a start date, a closing date, or orders to report.
Should you ship your car or drive it from Florida to Texas?
Drive it when
You want the car with you, you have two long days to spare, and you do not mind the motels, meals and fuel along the way.
Ship it when
You would rather fly, you have two cars and one driver, the car does not run, or you need it to arrive while you handle the move.
Top 5 Reasons to ship your vehicle from Florida to Texas instead of driving
- Skip the hard driving days. Long trips across several states bring weather, traffic and roads you do not know. Hand those miles to a driver who runs them every week.
- Rentals add up fast. A rental while you are away costs real money, comes with rules, and never feels like your own car.
- Get there sooner. Driving coast to coast eats days. Fly, land, and meet your car at the other end.
- Keep your travel money. Gas, motels, meals, tolls and the odd repair add up to more than most people expect.
- Enjoy the trip you planned. Storms, closures and a check-engine light can turn a drive into a three-day delay.
What our customers say
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Ready to ship a car from Florida to Texas?
Start with both ZIP codes, the vehicle details and your first available date. We will give you the real figure for your route and hold it with the Smart Price Promise.