How Long Does It Take to Ship a Car to Another State? Timelines Revealed
Around 91.7% households in the US had at least a vehicle in 2022 and the number continues to rise. With more people relocating for work, education, or other purposes, moving a car has become a common phenomenon across the United States. Many choose to ship car to another state over driving it themselves. But how long does it actually take? In this article, we will discuss the time it takes to ship a car from one state to another.
How Long Does It Take To Ship Car To Another State?
The average car delivery time is 1-7 days. However, there are a lot of factors which may affect the interstate car shipping time. So it is natural to expect more quicker car deliveries for car carriers on shorter routes.
| Distance | Time |
|---|---|
| Short distance (1-500 miles) | 1-2 days |
| Mid distance (500-1500 miles) | 2-4 days |
| Long distance (1500+ miles) | 5-12 days |
How Long Should A Car Delivery Take?
Around 18% of US customers expect vehicle shipment to be delivered within a week, but most consider 3-4 weeks acceptable. Many interstate car shipping services provide a typical timeline based primarily on the distance between one state to another.
The top destinations for car shipping are New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, and Miami. Let’s discuss the most important factors to consider before you ship car to another state.
Route Of Your Car Shipping
Longer distance means your car is going to spend more time on the road, extending the delivery time. Furthermore, if your state-to-state auto transport company chooses a common route, you will more likely receive your car on the designated time. Both pickup and destination location affects the delivery time as well.
Common car shipping routes in the US are:
- East Coast to West Coast routes (areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago to Florida)
- Midwest To West Coast routes (Chicago and Kansas City to California or Florida)
- North to South (New York to Florida)
- Texas Routes (Dallas, Houston, and Austin)
- Cross-border routes
Let’s see the estimated time your car will take to reach your designated location.
| Common Routes | Estimated Time Depending On The Distance |
|---|---|
| Florida to New York | 3-5 days (1000 miles) |
| California to Texas | 4-6 days (1500 miles) |
| Washington to Arizona | 5-7 days (1000 miles) |
| Illinois to California | 5-7 days (2000 miles) |
| New York to Florida | 3-5 days (1200 miles) |
Vehicle Type And Type Of Shipping
Larger vehicles, such as oversized trucks and vans along with specialized cars such as expensive luxury cars and classic cars require more time to find a suitable carrier. If you choose enclosed car carriers for such cars, they are less common than open car carriers. Therefore, it may affect the delivery time.
| Vehicle Type | Enclosed transport estimated delivery time | Open transport estimated delivery time |
|---|---|---|
| SUVs and Pickup Trucks | 7-14 days | 5-10 days |
| Classic and Vintage Cars | 7-14 days | 7-10 days |
| Motorcycles | 7-10 days | 5-10 days |
Peak Season vs Quiet Season
Your car delivery time is also affected by the seasonal factors. Peak season is considered the period late summer through the end of the year (August to December) due to back-to-school and holidays.
The period through January to March is considered the “quiet season” with lower demands and quicker delivery times. Severe weather such as snow storms and hurricanes in colder areas and sandstorms in hotter areas may cause significant delays in nationwide car transport.
| Season | Time |
|---|---|
| Winter | 1-2 weeks (may extend to 4-6 weeks due to snowstorms and road closures, especially if you are shipping your car from California to Florida) |
| Spring | 8-10 days as the weather is more predictable and carriers are available too |
| Summer | 8-10 days as the transit times are typically faster due to favorable weather (but you can expect longer pickup times due to higher demands) |
| Fall | 8-10 days as the weather is more stable and demands for car shipments decreases |
How To Ship Your Car Faster?
To expedite your car shipment in the United States, you can follow these steps:
Choose Reliable Interstate Car Shipping Services
If you choose to get your car shipped during the peak season, there is a chance that the volume of cars could potentially lead to delay in shipment.
You can avoid delays by choosing a reputable and licensed long distance car shipping company. To verify the company’s credentials, you can check its DOT number issued by US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Many reputed companies are taking shorter and more resilient routes to move cars. To offer clarity, you can also ask if the car shipping companies offer real-time visibility via GPS. For longer routes along the East Coast, you can ask for shipping via train to move your vehicle during the peak season.
Choose Open Transport For Quick Delivery
Most long distance car shipping companies offer two options: open shipping and closed shipping. Open shipping is inexpensive and more common. It is more widely available and offers the fastest shipping method. Apart from that, the open shipping method is more easy to schedule and the pickup time is quick.
Close Shipping, on the other hand, offers a more sophisticated shipping method where your car is given attention and kept in an enclosed container. The purpose of the enclosed shipping method is to keep the vehicle safe from harsh environments throughout the transit. Therefore, if there is a slight disturbance in the weather during the transit, your car shipment may get delayed.
Book In Advance For Peak Season
Due to higher demands during peak seasons such as December, lesser car carriers are available to move your car. Almost all nationwide car transport companies offer advance booking options.
To minimize delays, you can book your car shipment at least 2-4 weeks ahead during peak season. Last-minute bookings are more likely to get delayed or your state-to-state auto transport company may charge you higher prices.
