Best Car Shipping Companies in Florida (2024)
Whether you’re shipping a car to or from the state of Florida, the difference between choosing the best car shipping company vs. an inferior one could be hundreds of dollars, mountains of frustration or both. To help save you from either of those outcomes, we at the MarketWatch Guides team have used our research and resources to put together this guide to the best car shipping companies in Florida.
You’ll find a list of the top providers from our latest study, along with all the information you need to know before choosing the right company for your shipment to or from the Sunshine State.
Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.
What Is My Best Car Shipping Option in Florida?
We chose Sherpa as the best auto transport company for Florida car shipping, but we also recommend checking out the rest of our top four. See our list here for quick reference or scroll below to the provider card to learn more about each individual auto transport company.
What To Look For in a Car Shipping Company
Whether you’re shipping a car to or from Florida, there’s more to consider than just cost. In this section, we’ve provided a guide to choosing the best auto transport provider for your shipment.
You’re likely to find substantial price differences from one company to the next when you ship a car to Florida. Getting quotes from a few different providers to see what that difference is and who offers the best rates can save you enough money to make it worth your time.
Open containers are the default option for transporting a vehicle and typically the cheapest.
Enclosed auto transport, on the other hand, offers additional protection from debris and weather during transit, albeit at an additional cost. Using the table below, compare open and enclosed shipping prices to and from popular Florida locations.
| Florida Auto Shipping Route | Average Total Cost – Open Shipping |
Average Total Cost – Enclosed Shipping |
| Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | $309 | $429 |
| Chicago to Orlando, Fla. | $359 | $499 |
| Chicago to Tampa, Fla. | $409 | $569 |
| Orlando to New York | $819 | $1,149 |
| Miami to Dallas | $869 | $1,219 |
| Tallahassee, Fla., to Chicago | $869 | $1,219 |
| Kansas City, Mo., to Miami | $869 | $1,219 |
| New York to Tallahassee | $1,019 | $1,429 |
| Fort Lauderdale to New York | $1,079 | $1,509 |
| Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale | $1,099 | $1,539 |
| Miami to San Diego | $1,129 | $1,579 |
| Tampa to New York | $1,149 | $1,609 |
| Tampa to Los Angeles | $1,179 | $1,649 |
| Tallahassee to Los Angeles | $1,199 | $1,679 |
| Los Angeles to Orlando | $1,199 | $1,679 |
| Salt Lake City to Miami | $1,279 | $1,789 |
| Orlando to San Francisco | $1,399 | $1,959 |
| San Francisco to Tampa | $1,439 | $2,019 |
| Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco | $1,449 | $2,029 |
| San Francisco to Tallahassee | $1,549 | $2,169 |
Auto Shipping Cost Factors
There are several factors that influence how much it costs to ship a car. Most of these factors are out of your control, but you do have a few choices.
- Shipping distance: Most car shipments have a per-mile charge. The per-mile cost typically goes down as shipping distance increases.
- Shipping method: Your cheapest shipping method is typically open transport. Many car shippers offer premium options like enclosed transport or single-car shipping for an additional charge.
- Delivery method: Door-to-door pickup and dropoff is the most common method of delivering a vehicle. However, shipping companies offer terminal-to-terminal shipping between centralized locations at a cheaper rate.
- Fuel prices: Diesel and gas are one of the biggest costs for auto transporters. For that reason, car shipping rates fluctuate alongside changes in fuel prices.
- Time of year: Car shipping rates tend to go up in the summer months when transporters get busier. You may be able to find lower rates at other times.
- Vehicle condition: Shipping a car that’s in operable condition tends to be cheaper than one that can’t be driven.
Additional Fees: How Your Quotes Can Change
One common complaint that car shipping customers report — especially first-time ones — is their final price that ends up being higher than their initial quote. This is typical for the auto transport industry, and doesn’t necessarily mean a company isn’t reputable.
However, some companies, such as Sherpa, offer price guarantees on its services called a Price-Lock Promise. Initial quotes from such shipping providers may be higher than others, but could end up being cheaper in the end — depending on your unique situation.
Saving a few bucks on your car shipment to Miami means very little if the actual service doesn’t live up to its promise. Not all companies provide the same level of service. Below, we’ve provided some key considerations of the car shipping customer experience.
Getting Quotes
Because comparison shopping can be such an effective way to save money, the ease of getting shipping quotes is an important factor. Companies that offer easy-to-use online tools and diligent communications make the shopping process more efficient.
Finalizing a Contract
From getting an offer to setting up your pickup and delivery, the process isn’t always frictionless. Prices can change and dates might not always be easy to agree on. Because this issue can be so big, some companies emphasize responsiveness and transparent pricing.
The Car Shipping Experience
The process of shipping a car is, of course, what you’re paying for. Car shipping companies that have reputations for timeliness and reliability, along with friendly and professional drivers are more likely to provide you with that same service. The best car transporters offer tools such as GPS tracking to make the shipping process less stressful.
Customer Support
Issues arising during the shipping process happen. When they do, it’s important to be able to reach the support team of your provider — or that it reaches out to you as soon as it knows something is wrong. You can find auto transporters that offer things like 24/7 support and multiple channels of communication.
The way companies are spoken about and written about on online sites such as the BBB, Trustpilot and Google, can also clue you in on how reputable they are. There are a few aspects of a company’s reputation worth looking into.
Broker vs. Direct Provider vs. Marketplace
There are three main business models for car shipping companies: auto transport brokers, direct shipping providers and auto transport marketplaces. Which model is best for you depends on your preferences. The graphic below demonstrates the primary differences between these models.
Car Shipping Company Ratings That Matter
There are several organizations that help act as watchdogs for the car shipping industry. We use their ratings as part of our studies, and you can use them to help you assess different car shippers. The ratings we pay attention to include:
- BBB rating: A letter grade that represents how well the company responds to complaints from customers.
- BBB customer rating: The BBB also invites ratings from customers. While they tend to skew negative, using the platform to compare various companies is still indicative of each one’s service quality.
- Trustpilot: Car shipping companies tend to get a high volume of reviews on Trustpilot. These review scores tend to be more positive overall than those on the BBB.
- Google: Many car shipping customers leave reviews on Google. Like those on Trustpilot, Google reviews are typically more positive on average than BBB customer reviews.
How you ship your car is another vital consideration. The method you choose, open vs. enclosed car shipping, can have a strong influence on the cost of your shipment. In addition, some car shippers offer free perks that can add to the value of their service.
Types of Car Shipping Services
One of the main ways auto shippers differentiate themselves is through the services they offer. Some are more focused providers with limited selections, while others provide a long list of shipping options that include:
- Open shipping: Your car is transported in an open container, exposed to the elements.
- Enclosed container shipping: Ships your car in a tractor trailer container for extra protection at an additional cost.
- Single-car shipping: Top-tier service for vehicles that need guaranteed protection at a premium price.
- Door-to-door delivery: As the most common delivery method, your vehicle will be picked up and dropped off at locations of your choosing — or as close to it as possible.
- Terminal-to-terminal delivery: Ships your car between two centralized locations, usually at a lower price point than door-to-door shipments.
- International shipping: Gets your car across land, oceans and borders and into another country.
- Hawaii shipping: Not all car shippers will transport your car to or from Hawaii.
- Classic car shipping: Many shipping companies offer white-glove service for especially valuable, rare and classic vehicles.
Added Benefits
Some auto transporters include a few extra perks with their services that may include:
- Clean car policy: Some providers will reimburse you for a car wash following a shipment.
- Additional insurance: A number of providers include insurance coverage that exceeds the standards for the industry.
- Rental car reimbursement: The company will pay for the cost of a rental car if your shipment is delayed by a stated amount of days.
- Damage-free guarantee: A policy that reimburses you if your car is damaged in transit.
Another quality worth looking for in a provider is how it manages its actual shipments. Companies vary in what they promise and what they deliver.
What You Should Expect From a Car Shipping Company
Shipping a car is expensive, so naturally it’s important to get what you pay for. There are a few indicators of what a company provides for your car shipment, including:
- Pickup dates: In some cases, you can pay extra to get an exact pickup date, but most car shippers give you a window of dates in which they will pick your car up for shipping.
Industry norm: 1 to 5 days
- Transit times: The amount of time your vehicle spends in transit depends on the shipping distance. However, while shipping times vary, some companies promise a tighter window than others — and do a better job of sticking to those promises.
Industry norm: 1 to 10 days, depending on the distance
- Communication: Car shipping companies can make the shipping process easier to manage by providing ways for you to keep track of your shipment. Many providers offer 24/7 updates over the phone or digital communications, while others offer real-time GPS-based tracking.
Industry norm: 24/7 customer support with tracking updates
- Insurance: Most car shippers include some kind of basic insurance against damages incurred while shipping. Some providers, however, go above and beyond, offering additional insurance as an add-on or even for free.
Industry norm: Up to $100,000 in basic coverage
How To Ship a Car to or From Florida
With a little research and preparation, you can help ensure you get the right provider and an easy, stress-free car shipping experience. In the following section, we go over everything you need to know on how to ship a car into or out of the Sunshine State.
Shipping a Car to Florida: Step-by-Step Guide
There are a few steps to the car shipping process:
1. Establish Your Car Shipping Needs
Get your car shipping ducks in a row before you begin shopping. While you may not know absolutely everything just yet, having a good idea of what you need and when you need it helps make the shopping process more efficient.
Here are some things to think about:
- Where: The pickup and destination for your auto shipment.
- When: A range of dates around when you need your car shipped and delivered.
- How: The shipping methods you want to use to transport your car (i.e. open transport or enclosed transport)
2. Research Car Shipping Companies in Florida
Once you know what you’re looking for, you can start to research your options for a provider and get quotes. Most companies offer service into and out of Florida, but it’s a good idea to double-check anyway. Exclude providers who don’t meet other basic criteria.
You can use articles like this one to help you narrow your search down to providers who:
- Offer services to and from your pickup point and destination
- Offer the type of auto transport service you need
- Have customer reviews and ratings you’re comfortable with
- Provide clear and transparent information about its prices, services and service providers
3. Compare Florida Car Shipping Quotes and Choose a Provider
With your quotes in hand, it’s time to choose a company for your auto shipment. Of course price is your primary consideration, but take the time to consider the following as you compare car shipping quotes:
- Are you comparing finalized quotes, or are one or more of the quotes still just estimates?
- Is the price difference between the cheapest provider and next cheapest provider enough to outweigh the difference in quality and reputation?
- Have you compared shipping times and delivery windows?
Once you’ve found the option that best fits your needs, contact the provider of your choice and finalize your contract. This process will look different depending on the provider, but make sure to use this time to ask any lingering questions and get clarity on specific details.
4. Get Your Car Ready for Pickup
As your pickup date draws close, it’s a good idea to prepare your car for being picked up ahead of time. There are a few things you can do to help ensure a smooth pickup on the day your transporter arrives, including:
- Cleaning out your car: Remove any personal items and look for any loose objects that could potentially damage your vehicle during transit. Some shipping companies allow you to ship personal items in your vehicle, but this typically includes a fee or restrictions.
- Taking photos of your vehicle: Spending a few minutes taking photos of the interior and exterior condition of your car can help if you need to make an insurance claim later.
- Making the vehicle easy to pick up: Park your vehicle in a way that the truck driver can get to it and load it without any hassle. This means leaving enough space in front of the car for the trucker to pull completely in front of it with a little extra room.
5. Meet Your Driver at the Pickup Point
You or a representative will need to meet the driver when they arrive to pick up your vehicle. At this meeting, you’ll:
- Do a quick inspection of your vehicle for pre-existing damage
- Discuss your agreement and ask questions
- Sign the bill of lading, a shipping receipt that documents the condition of your vehicle and other details of your agreement
- Hand over the keys and see the driver off
6. Wait for Delivery
Everything is out of your control after the driver picks your vehicle up and begins transporting it to your destination. Many companies offer services like GPS tracking or allow you to contact the company for an update.
While auto transporters do their best to meet delivery times as agreed, delays are a normal part of the industry. A good provider will update you if things change.
7. Meet Your Driver at the Delivery Point
Your delivery appointment will essentially be the same process as your pickup appointment. Here’s what’s involved:
- Inspecting your vehicle and documenting any new damage
- Signing the bill of lading once again, noting any new damages
- Signing your shipping agreement, if necessary
- Handing over payment to the driver
- Collecting your keys
Shipping a Car to or From Florida: What To Consider
In many ways, shipping a car to or from the state of Florida is the same as anywhere else. However, Florida has a few local features that may have unique implications for transporting your vehicle. These include:
- Severe storms: Florida’s high volume of storms each year, especially during the busy summer shipping months, can cause evacuations and damage to infrastructure.
- Traffic delays: Major urban centers such as Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando and others often experience traffic jams that can impact shipment times.
- Car theft: Florida ranks third among all states for the highest number of car thefts, based on the most recent data available from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). According to the NICB, the state experienced 46,213 motor vehicle thefts in 2023. While the risk of having your car stolen in transit is small, it’s still a risk — in Florida more than in other states.
Best Car Shipping Companies for Florida: The Bottom Line
Sherpa emerged as our top pick for the best car shipping company in Florida in 2024, due to its combination of shipping options and benefits such as its Price Lock Promise and Clean Car Guarantee. However, any of the providers we named in our top five are worth a look if they offer the Florida auto transport services you need.
Best Car Shipping Florida: FAQ
It costs between $823 and $1,781 to ship a car on average. The exact price depends on from where to where in Florida you want to ship a car, your shipping options and other factors.
Sherpa Auto Transport offers reliable service and reliable pricing through its Price Lock Promise. While car shipping costs often change from the original quote, Sherpa guarantees the prices it quotes you, making it a reliable option to compare against others.
There are a few ways to save money on car shipping, but the first is to get quotes from multiple transporters and compare. In addition, you can choose open container transport, which is typically cheaper than enclosed transport. If a provider offers terminal-to-terminal shipping, this option can also save you some money. Car shipping rates are also seasonal, so if you can be flexible on when you ship your car, you may be able to get a better rate.
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car shipping companies. We collected data on dozens of auto transport providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Cost (33% of total score): Auto shipping companies with affordable rates, locked-in pricing and discount opportunities score highest in this category.
- Customer Experience (25% of total score): This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings and the availability of extras like GPS tracking. We also consider the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each transporter’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.
- Reputation (22% of total score): Our research team considers availability, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
- Shipping Methods (10% of total score): Companies that offer a variety of choices for car transport and added benefits are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Logistics (10% of total score): A smooth shipment is all about the details, which is why we look at how long it takes providers to pick up and ship vehicles, whether they include additional insurance coverage and more.
Our credentials:
- 200+ hours researched
- 20+ companies reviewed
- 2,000+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
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