Ship your car with a price you can actually plan around
See a real estimate before you share a phone number. Want a quote? We send your request to one licensed auto transport broker, our transport partner, who confirms the actual price and pickup dates. Open or enclosed, running or not, anywhere in the US.
- Instant estimate, no email gate
- One licensed broker, not a bidding war
- Your details go to one company, never sold
- Free to use: you pay HaulFare nothing
Why people start with HaulFare
Many people dread car shipping quotes: a low first number that rises later, and calls from several companies at once. We run the other way: a published price model, free tools that need no email, and one licensed broker instead of a list of companies.
Transparent price model
Our estimates use a published car shipping cost formula: distance bands, vehicle class, carrier type, season and the national diesel average, refreshed each month. Nothing is hidden behind a form.
One licensed broker, not a bidding war
Quote requests go to our licensed transport partner, an FMCSA-licensed auto transport broker. The broker confirms the price and dates, books the shipment and assigns the carrier. You can check any broker or carrier yourself with our free FMCSA lookup.
Your details go to one company
We never sell or rent your information, add it to lead lists or pass it to other brokers. If you leave the consent box unchecked, you get personal calls only, never automated ones.
Free tools and data
A cost calculator, transit time estimator, company lookup, checklists and a monthly Cost Index, all free with no email required, whether or not you ask for a quote.
How it works, from your free estimate to delivery.
The numbers behind every estimate
Every price on this site comes from one published model, refreshed each month with the national diesel average.
An estimate is a range, not a quote. We show the price model’s range for your route and month (10% below to 12% above its midpoint); if you ask for a quote, the licensed broker confirms the actual price before anything is booked.
HaulFare Car Shipping Cost Index, October 2026Read the Cost Index
- $0.99
per mile for an open-carrier sedan on a 1,000-mile route
- +42%
typical premium for enclosed transport over an open carrier
- 30
routes with dated prices, transit times and pickup notes
- 7–10
typical coast-to-coast transit once your car is picked up
Open or enclosed, priced up front
Typical October 2026 ranges for a running sedan on a 1,000-mile route. Your exact estimate takes ZIPs and a vehicle.
Open carrier
How most cars ship
- Multi-car trailer, 7 to 10 vehicles
- Open to weather, like a highway drive
- Fastest to schedule on busy routes
- Right for daily drivers and most SUVs
Enclosed carrier
For classic, exotic and new cars
- Hard-sided trailer, no road debris or weather
- Liftgate or low-angle ramp loading on many trucks
- Carriers often hold higher cargo limits
- Right for low-clearance and high-value cars
Shipping two or more cars?
Multi-vehicle estimatorPopular car shipping routes
Dated price ranges and transit times for the lanes people search for most.
Free tools, no email required
Built on the same price model as every estimate on this site.
- Car shipping cost calculatorZIP-to-ZIP price range with a full breakdown of every adjustment.
- Transit time estimatorPickup window plus driving days for any route.
- Auto transport company verifierLive FMCSA authority, insurance and safety check for any broker or carrier.
- Shipping vs driving calculatorTrue cost of driving vs shipping with fuel, hotels, wear and time.
- Enclosed vs open cost calculatorDollar difference and a recommendation for your car and route.
- Car shipping checklistPrintable prep list tailored to your vehicle and transport type.
Frequently
asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a car in 2026?
In October 2026, the HaulFare model estimates an open-carrier sedan at $620–$775 for 500 miles, $895–$1,115 for 1,000 miles and $1,370–$1,700 for 2,500 miles. That works out to about $1.64–$2.04 per mile on short runs and $0.52–$0.65 coast to coast. Enclosed adds about 42%, a non-running vehicle adds $150, and prices rise in summer and on with-the-flow snowbird lanes. Across the 50 major lanes in the Cost Index, the average is $1,215.
Is HaulFare a broker or a carrier?
Neither. HaulFare is a free car shipping price guide and referral service: we publish prices, tools and guides, and we hold no FMCSA authority. When you ask for a quote, your request goes to our licensed transport partner, an FMCSA-licensed auto transport broker, which confirms the price, books the shipment and assigns an FMCSA-registered motor carrier to move the car. The broker pays us a referral fee; you pay HaulFare nothing. The broker vs carrier guide explains who does what.
How long does car shipping take?
Carriers drive 400–500 miles a day and stop for other cars on the trailer. The HaulFare transit model allows 1–4 days in transit under 1,000 miles, 3–7 days for 1,000–2,000 miles and 7–10 days coast to coast, plus a 1–5 day pickup window while the load is assembled. Expedited service targets a 24–48 hour pickup window.
Do I pay anything up front?
Not to HaulFare: the estimates, tools and referral are free, and we never take payment for transport. Price, deposit and payment terms for the shipment are set by the licensed broker that books it and by the carrier. Before you book, ask whether any deposit is charged before a carrier is assigned, whether it is refundable, and how the carrier balance is paid at delivery. The guide to avoiding car shipping scams lists the other warning signs.
Is my car insured during transport?
Federal rules require motor carriers to file liability insurance, but cargo insurance is not federally required for auto haulers. Before pickup, ask the broker for the assigned carrier’s cargo insurance certificate and compare its per-vehicle limit with your car’s value. Trucking insurance agents cite common cargo limits of $100,000–$250,000 per load on open trailers and $250,000 to $1 million or more on enclosed.
Why is the estimate a range instead of a single price?
Our estimate comes from a published price model, and the price that actually moves a car depends on which carriers are routing through your area on your dates. The range covers the typical spread for your route, vehicle, trailer type and month. If you ask for a quote, the licensed broker that receives it confirms the actual price before anything is booked; HaulFare does not set it. A single exact price shown online can still change later, so ask whether a quoted price is a carrier rate or a target.
What happens after I submit the quote form?
You get an email confirmation from HaulFare right away, and your request goes to one licensed auto transport broker, our transport partner, who contacts you to confirm the price, dates and vehicle details. We send each request to that one broker only and never sell or rent your information to other companies. If you leave the consent box unchecked, you get manual calls only.
