Seattle, WA car shipping
Car Shipping in Seattle, WA
- Estimates clearly labeled
- Independent company rankings
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$585 – $4,935
Typical price
Sedan, open transport
1–9 days
Transit time
Most major cities
Los Angeles, Portland
Top destinations
$240 – $660
Trips within Washington
Published range for an in-state trip
Free · No obligation · About a minute
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About car shipping in Seattle
Seattle has one road in and out for long-haul traffic, and everything about shipping a car here follows from that. I-5 carries the whole north-south corridor, I-90 is the only way east, and when a mountain pass closes in winter the alternatives are hundreds of miles out of the way. The city itself adds hills, water and some of the narrowest residential streets on the West Coast.
- I-5 is the only north-south corridor; I-90 the only eastbound one
- Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 can close in winter storms
- Hillside and waterfront streets often need a meeting point
- Carriers do not take vehicles on the island ferries
- Main highways
- I-5, I-90, I-405
- Typical transit
- 1–9 days
- In-state trips
- $240 – $660
Car shipping rates from Seattle
Estimated from published industry figures for a standard car. Your quote depends on season, vehicle and exact addresses.
| Destination | Distance | Open transport | Enclosed transport | Transit time | Route page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 1,150 mi | $805 – $2,175 | $1,045 – $3,480 | 3–5 days | Washington to California |
| Portland, OR | 170 mi | $240 – $660 | $290 – $1,055 | 1–2 days | Washington to Oregon |
| Houston, TX | 2,270 mi | $840 – $4,290 | $1,090 – $6,865 | 5–10 days | Washington to Texas |
| Jacksonville, FL | 2,940 mi | $1,030 – $5,555 | $1,340 – $8,890 | 6–12 days | Washington to Florida |
| Boise, ID | 490 mi | $390 – $1,080 | $475 – $1,725 | 1–2 days | Washington to Idaho |
| New York City, NY | 2,880 mi | $1,010 – $5,445 | $1,310 – $8,710 | 6–12 days | Washington to New York |
Prices move with the season
No source publishes monthly prices by city, so this is what the studies say about timing.
Summer moving season and the holidays tighten truck space, while mid-January to February is usually the quietest stretch of the year.
Direct Connect Auto Transport reports 2026 versus 2025 running 3% to 8% higher.
Published price adjustments
- Pickup truckPickups cost about 38% more to ship than standard cars.Source: Move.org
- SUVAt 500 miles, an SUV averaged $743 against $696 for a car.Source: Move.org
- Non-running vehicleAdd $150 to $300 for a vehicle that does not run.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport
Transit times from Seattle
Typical days on the road after pickup.
- Portland, OR · 170 mi1–2 days
- Boise, ID · 490 mi1–2 days
- Billings, MT · 800 mi2–4 days
- Los Angeles, CA · 1,150 mi3–5 days
- Phoenix, AZ · 1,340 mi3–6 days
- Chicago, IL · 2,080 mi5–9 days
- Houston, TX · 2,270 mi5–10 days
Popular routes from Seattle
Car shipping companies serving Seattle
Researched companies ordered by Trustpilot rating, adjusted for review count. Not ranked by city data.
Pickup areas around Seattle
Where trucks reach easily, and where a meeting point helps.
- Bellevue, Redmond, KirklandNewer street layouts off I-405 with room to load.
- Shoreline, Tukwila, RentonFlat and right on I-5. Among the easiest handovers.
- Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, MagnoliaExpect to meet the truck on a flat arterial nearby.
Good to know in Seattle
- One road each way, and no redundancyEverything heading to California or British Columbia uses I-5, and everything heading east uses I-90 over the Cascades. There is no practical parallel route, so an incident on either one moves every schedule in the region at once rather than just yours.
- Snoqualmie Pass is a winter scheduling riskThe I-90 crossing east of the city closes for avalanche control and storms several times most winters. If your car is going east between November and March, the honest advice is to treat the delivery date as an estimate and to not book a flight around it.
- Hills and one-way streets rule out a lot of addressesQueen Anne, Capitol Hill, Magnolia and much of West Seattle have grades, tight turns and parked cars on both sides. An 80-foot carrier will not attempt them. Meeting in a large lot on a flat arterial is the normal outcome and costs nothing extra.
- The islands are a separate tripCar carriers do not ride the Washington State ferries. A vehicle going to Bainbridge, Vashon or the San Juans is delivered on the Seattle side, and someone drives it across. Confirm that at booking rather than assuming the quote covers the crossing.
- Moving to SeattleIf you're moving from another state, you'll generally need to register your vehicle in Washington. Check Washington's motor vehicle agency for deadlines and inspection rules.
Other Washington cities
Starting prices on popular routes.
Helpful guides for Seattle
Why ship from Seattle?
- Carriers already serving Washington
- Door-to-door pickup where trucks can reach
- Open and enclosed transport options
- Published price ranges you can compare before booking
- Common for relocations, students, military moves and car purchases
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a car from Seattle?
Published figures put a standard car on an open carrier at about $585 – $4,935 from Seattle to other major cities, depending on distance, season and vehicle. Shorter trips, such as to Portland, run about $240 – $660.
Car shipping cost calculatorHow long does it take to ship a car from Seattle?
About 1–2 days to Portland and 6–12 days to Jacksonville, plus the pickup window before the car is loaded.
How long car shipping takesCan the truck pick up at my home in Seattle?
Often, yes. On narrow, busy or restricted streets, the driver may ask to meet at a nearby open lot where a full-size carrier can load safely.
Door-to-door car shipping
Should I ship open or enclosed from Seattle?
Open transport suits most everyday cars and costs less. Consider enclosed for luxury, classic or exotic cars, or anything with fresh paint.
Open vs. enclosed shippingIs my car insured when shipping from Seattle?
Licensed carriers must carry liability insurance, and most carry cargo coverage for the cars they haul. Ask for the certificate of insurance before pickup.
Car shipping insuranceWhat's the cheapest way to ship a car from Seattle?
Choose open transport, be flexible with dates, book one to three weeks ahead and meet the truck near a main highway if your street is hard to reach.
Cheapest way to ship a car
Where these figures come from
Published industry studies, not Haulwide shipments. Checked Sep 16, 2026.
- SGT Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
Published Sep 9, 2026. 30 months of the company's own shipping data (January 2024 to June 2026) across all 50 states and 1,581 state-to-state lanes, limited to completed single-vehicle open transport deliveries and mix-adjusted for distance.
- Move.org(opens in a new tab)
Published Mar 4, 2026. Nearly 800 broker quotes analyzed, priced for a running 2025 Toyota Camry with a one-week lead time using October 2025 quotes.
- Kelley Blue Book(opens in a new tab)
Published Jan 12, 2026. Quotes requested from eight transport companies for a 2025 Honda Accord on three routes from Orlando, on standard open carriers.
- Direct Connect Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
No publication date given. The company's own carrier data for an operable sedan on open transport; the page states no publication date.
- RoadRunner Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
Published Sep 1, 2026. The company's completed shipment history, which it describes as over 1 million vehicles delivered across 30+ years, updated September 2026. Its nationwide average is $1,215 at a median distance of 987 miles and a median $1.23 per mile.
The sources disagree, so figures are shown as the span across them rather than a single price. Pricing methodology
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