Somebody always has a cousin who “shipped a car to Florida for $400.” Ask for the paperwork and the story changes. The $400 was a deposit, or the quote before the fees, or a 150-mile hop retold as a cross-country move. Real prices for moving a car between states in 2026 sit between $600 and $1,700 for most routes.

The cheapest honest way to do it is a set of choices, not a magic company. You can get a free quote from ABC Auto Shipping first, then use the nine choices below, ranked by how much each one saves, to bring that number down.

Quick answer: The cheapest way to ship a car to another state is an open carrier, booked 2 to 4 weeks ahead, with a 4 to 5 day pickup window, in a slow month (February through April or September), on a busy lane between two metro areas. Those choices together can cut 25 to 35 percent off a rush, peak-season, enclosed booking. Expect $0.45 to $0.70 per mile for trips over 1,000 miles and $1.00 to $1.50 per mile under 500 miles.

What state-to-state car shipping costs in 2026

Before you can save money, you need to know what the market charges. Here are the typical 2026 ranges for a running sedan on an open carrier with flexible dates, drawn from current rate data across the major national brokers.

Trip length Typical cost Per mile Transit time
Under 500 miles $400 to $700 $1.00 to $1.50 1 to 2 days
500 to 1,000 miles $550 to $900 $0.65 to $1.00 2 to 4 days
1,000 to 1,500 miles $700 to $1,100 $0.55 to $0.80 3 to 5 days
1,500 to 2,000 miles $850 to $1,300 $0.45 to $0.70 4 to 7 days
Over 2,000 miles $1,000 to $1,700 $0.40 to $0.65 7 to 10 days

The per-mile rate falls as the trip gets longer, so a cross-country move is proportionally the best value and a short hop is the worst. Our car shipping cost guide breaks the same ranges down by vehicle, season and route. ABC’s cross-country and state-to-state shipping page covers how those routes are run.

Nine ways to pay less, ranked by how much they save

1. Choose an open carrier (saves 40 to 60 percent versus enclosed)

This is the single biggest lever. An open carrier is the two-level, nine-car hauler you see on every interstate. It moves the large majority of vehicles in the country, including brand-new cars going from the factory to the dealership. Enclosed transport carries three to six cars in a covered trailer, so each spot costs more. On a $1,200 move, enclosed adds $500 to $700.

Open is the right choice for any daily driver. Choose enclosed only for a classic, an exotic, a car with a fresh custom paint job, or a vehicle whose value makes a stone chip an expensive event.

2. Ship in a slow month (saves 10 to 20 percent)

The industry’s busy season runs from late May through September, when families move during the school break. October and November are busy on southbound lanes into Florida and Arizona because of snowbird traffic. In those windows, trucks are full and prices rise 10 to 20 percent.

February, March, April, and September are the sweet spots. A Massachusetts to Florida move that prices at $1,300 in November can come in near $1,000 in April. If your move date is flexible by even a few weeks, this is free money.

3. Give a wide pickup window (saves 5 to 15 percent)

Carriers fill trucks by lining up loads along a route. If you can accept pickup on any day in a four or five day window, your car fits onto more trucks and the price falls. If you insist on one specific day, only the trucks passing you that day qualify, and you pay for the narrow match. ABC asks for a 4 to 5 day window as standard. Give it, and you have already saved.

4. Book 2 to 4 weeks ahead (saves 5 to 10 percent, avoids rush fees)

Booking 7 to 30 days before your earliest pickup date gives the dispatcher time to match your car to a truck that is already heading your way. Book three days out and you are paying a driver to change plans. Book three months out and the market may move before your date arrives. Two to four weeks is the window where price and certainty meet.

5. Ship two cars together (saves up to 15 percent per car)

If your household has two vehicles, ship them on the same carrier from the same origin to the same destination. The second car is cheaper because the driver is already making the trip, and ABC takes up to 15 percent off per vehicle for multi-car bookings. Our guide to shipping multiple vehicles at once covers how to set it up.

6. Use metro-to-metro addresses where you can (saves 5 to 15 percent)

Carriers price lanes, not miles. Dallas to Atlanta has trucks running daily and prices accordingly. A rural pickup 60 miles from the nearest interstate costs more because the driver has to leave the route. If you live outside a metro area and have a friend, relative, or workplace in the city, using that address for pickup or delivery can save real money. The same applies to a terminal, which brings us to the next point.

7. Consider terminal pickup or delivery (saves 5 to 15 percent, with trade-offs)

Door-to-door is standard, and ABC’s door-to-door service is included in every quote. Some routes also offer terminal service, where you drop the car at a secure lot in the metro area and the carrier collects it from there, or the reverse at the destination. It can be cheaper because the driver never leaves the main road. The trade-off is that you drive to the terminal, and the car may wait a day or two for the next truck. For a move between two big cities, it is worth asking about.

8. Ask about discounts (saves 5 to 15 percent)

Most people never ask, and most companies never volunteer. ABC’s discount page lists them plainly: 10 percent for seniors 65 and over and for disabled veterans, 8 percent for active and retired military, 7 percent for students, 5 percent for single parents, and $50 to $200 per vehicle for returning customers. ABC also price-matches a lower written quote for the same service.

9. Keep the car light and running (avoids $100 to $300 in surcharges)

Two avoidable charges catch people out. Personal items are allowed up to 100 pounds; beyond that, carriers charge $1 to $3 per pound and nothing in the car is insured. And a vehicle that does not run has to be winched aboard, which adds $100 to $300 and limits which trucks can take it. If the car has a weak battery or a flat, fix it before pickup day. The complete list is in our open carrier preparation checklist.

Put together, what does that save?

Take a 1,500-mile move for a sedan. Booked at the last minute, in July, enclosed, on a fixed date, with a rural pickup, the quote could reach $2,000 or more. The same car, open carrier, booked three weeks out for a five day window in September, picked up at a city address, comes in around $900 to $1,100. Nothing about the car changed. Only the choices did.

Three “cheap” options that cost more than they look

The lowball quote. Any quote more than 15 percent below the others is probably a number nobody will haul the car for. The company posts it, no truck accepts it, your pickup window passes, and the price rises to the market rate anyway. You lose a week and sometimes a deposit. Our post on no-deposit auto shipping explains why this happens so often, and how to avoid paying for a truck that was never booked.

Renting a trailer and towing it yourself. A tow dolly or car trailer runs $300 to $600 for a one-way rental, plus the rental truck, fuel for a heavy load, and three days of your time. Most people land near the cost of professional shipping with far more risk. All-wheel-drive and many electric vehicles cannot go on a dolly at all.

Driving it. Fuel, two or three nights of hotels, meals, and 1,500 miles of wear usually add up to $600 to $900 in hard costs before you count your time. For a one-way move the gap to shipping is small; for a round trip or a second vehicle, shipping almost always wins. The full comparison is in drive or ship: the cheapest way to move a car.

What ABC Auto Shipping does differently on price

ABC has shipped cars between states from Irvine, California for more than twenty years, and its pricing works the opposite way from the lowball model. The quote you receive is the price you pay once a carrier is assigned. There is no deposit at booking, so you can hold the quote while you compare. Discounts are applied up front rather than fees being added at the end. And if a competitor has genuinely priced your lane lower in writing, ABC will match it. The company is fully bonded and insured, and the dispatcher will tell you honestly if a slower month or a terminal option would save you more.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest month to ship a car to another state?

February and March on most lanes, followed by April and September. Avoid late May through August everywhere, and avoid October through December on routes into Florida and Arizona.

Is it cheaper to ship a car or drive it to another state?

For trips over about 1,000 miles, shipping is usually cheaper once fuel, hotels, meals, and vehicle wear are counted, and it is always cheaper in time. For short trips, driving wins on cost.

Is terminal-to-terminal shipping cheaper than door-to-door?

Often by 5 to 15 percent, if both ends have a terminal near a major route. It is not available everywhere and the car may wait a day or two for the next truck.

How far in advance should I book to get the lowest price?

Two to four weeks. That is close enough for an accurate market price and far enough for the dispatcher to match your car to a truck already heading your way.

Can I get a cheap quote without a deposit?

Yes. ABC takes no deposit at booking and still holds your quote while you compare. A company that needs money before it has found you a truck is asking you to carry its risk.

Does the cheapest quote mean the cheapest shipment?

Rarely. The lowest quote is often a number no carrier will accept, and the real price appears later with a delay attached. Compare complete written quotes and ignore the one that is far below the pack.

 

The bottom line

The cheapest way to ship a car to another state in 2026 is to choose an open carrier, ship in a slow month, give a five day pickup window, book two to four weeks ahead, use metro addresses or a terminal where it makes sense, ask about discounts, and send the car light and running. Stack those choices and the same move costs 25 to 35 percent less than the rush, peak-season version.

Request a free, no-deposit quote from ABC Auto Shipping and tell the dispatcher you want the lowest honest price for your route. Or call 877-686-5611 and ask which of these nine choices would save you the most on your lane this month.