State-to-state route
Michigan to Florida car shipping
As of October 2026, an open-carrier sedan from Michigan to Florida typically costs $1,105–$1,380 for the 1,130-mile Detroit to Orlando haul, and the trip takes 3 to 5 days once the car is loaded. Detroit trucks can ride I-75 nearly the whole way, since that one interstate links the Detroit metro to Tampa, Fort Myers and Naples on the Gulf Coast. Source: HaulFare price model, October 2026 edition.
Updated October 2026
$1,020–$1,550
Open carrier, sedan, across 8 metro pairs, October 2026
1,130 mi
Detroit to Orlando
1–5 days
pickup window
3–5 days
in transit
How much does it cost to ship a car from Michigan to Florida?
1,130 miles hub to hub · October 2026 · estimates for door-to-door service, carrier pay and broker fee included.
| Vehicle | Open carrier | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan | $1,105–$1,380 | $1,570–$1,955 |
| Small SUV / crossover | $1,195–$1,490 | $1,695–$2,110 |
| Full-size SUV | $1,330–$1,650 | $1,885–$2,345 |
| Pickup truck | $1,350–$1,680 | $1,915–$2,385 |
HaulFare price model 2026.09-seed, October 2026. Ranges, not quotes; the licensed transport partner confirms the actual price.
City pairs on this route
| City pair | Miles | Open carrier | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit → Jacksonville | 983 | $1,020–$1,270 | $1,450–$1,805 |
| Grand Rapids → Jacksonville | 1,062 | $1,065–$1,325 | $1,515–$1,885 |
| Detroit → Orlando | 1,130 | $1,105–$1,380 | $1,570–$1,955 |
| Detroit → Tampa | 1,173 | $1,130–$1,405 | $1,600–$1,995 |
| Grand Rapids → Orlando | 1,209 | $1,150–$1,430 | $1,630–$2,025 |
| Grand Rapids → Tampa | 1,242 | $1,165–$1,450 | $1,650–$2,055 |
| Detroit → Miami | 1,364 | $1,215–$1,510 | $1,725–$2,145 |
| Grand Rapids → Miami | 1,449 | $1,245–$1,550 | $1,770–$2,200 |
Sedan, October 2026. Distances are road estimates between city centres.
When is it cheapest to ship a car from Michigan to Florida?
Jan
$1,038
Feb
$1,025
Mar
$995
Apr
$1,025
May
$1,055
Jun
$1,178
Jul
$1,188
Aug
$1,155
Sep
$1,100
Oct (October 2026)
$1,243
Nov
$1,218
Dec
$1,228
- October 2026
- Yearly average
Show as a table
| Month | Price (midpoint) |
|---|---|
| Jan | $1,038 |
| Feb | $1,025 |
| Mar | $995 |
| Apr | $1,025 |
| May | $1,055 |
| Jun | $1,178 |
| Jul | $1,188 |
| Aug | $1,155 |
| Sep | $1,100 |
| Oct | $1,243 |
| Nov | $1,218 |
| Dec | $1,228 |
Sedan, open carrier, midpoint of the range; columns rise above or fall below the lane's yearly average. Includes the national seasonal index and snowbird direction adjustment for this lane.
Route notes
By HaulFare Research Team. Car shipping price research. Updated Oct 1, 2026
The corridor
I-75 does most of the work on this lane. The interstate starts at Sault Ste. Marie, crosses the Mackinac Bridge, passes Flint and Detroit, then keeps going through Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Atlanta and Macon. In Florida, Orlando-bound cars typically exit at Wildwood for the Turnpike, Gulf Coast cars stay on I-75, and Jacksonville cars turn east on I-10 at Lake City.
Carriers often build a southbound load in the downriver suburbs near I-75 and I-94, then top it off around Toledo. Grand Rapids sits about 80 miles farther from Orlando than Detroit, and trucks there either cut east toward I-75 or drop through Indiana on I-69.
Direction shapes the price more than distance. Each fall Michigan sends many more cars south than Florida sends north, so a truck heading down in October expects a light trip home and charges the southbound car for both legs. By March the flow has turned, and a Detroit car is extra money for a truck going south to collect snowbird cars.
Timing and season
October is typically the priciest month to ship south from Michigan. Retirees from Oakland County, the Grand Rapids area and the northern lake towns send cars ahead of the first snow, and demand usually stays firm into December. March is typically the cheapest, because northbound cars fill the trucks and southbound decks have room.
Pickups in September, before that fall run, and in January, after it, usually price lower. Hurricane season lasts through November, and the Gulf Coast towns where many Michigan owners winter, from Tampa to Naples, sit in the path of Gulf storms that can close delivery areas or pack I-75 with evacuation traffic. In winter, lake-effect snow around Grand Rapids and ice on the steep I-75 grades near Jellico, Tennessee can cost a day. Summer is steady, mostly job moves and students.
Pickup and delivery in Michigan and Florida
Metro Detroit has its own quirks. Many main roads use Michigan lefts, median crossovers a loaded hauler cannot always swing through, so the driver may ask to meet at a large lot near I-75, I-696 or M-59. Older Detroit and Dearborn blocks have cars parked along both curbs, and some subdivisions and condo associations in Troy, Novi and Macomb County keep big trucks out.
Frost laws lower weight limits on many county roads in early spring, so a rural March pickup may need to happen on a state highway.
Expect a pickup window of 1 to 5 days. Leave about a quarter tank, clear out personal items, hand over every key and photograph the car before it loads.
In Florida, gated communities in The Villages, Fort Myers and Naples often send the driver to the gatehouse or a nearby plaza.
What moves the price on this lane
In October 2026 a Detroit to Orlando sedan on an open trailer typically quotes $1,105 to $1,380. An SUV typically runs $1,330 to $1,650, a pickup $1,350 to $1,680, and an enclosed sedan $1,570 to $1,955. Detroit to Jacksonville is the shortest pairing at 983 miles, typically $1,020 to $1,270, while Grand Rapids to Tampa is the longest at 1,242 miles, typically $1,165 to $1,450.
The October surge moves quotes most, pushing them toward the top of each range, especially for Gulf Coast delivery below Tampa. Enclosed trailers are scarce, and fall demand from collectors wintering cars in Florida can stretch the wait. A car that will not start adds $150 in our model for the winch. HaulFare is a price guide and asks for nothing; a Detroit or Grand Rapids request is referred to one licensed auto transport broker, who confirms the southbound rate and pickup window. Hold off on any deposit until a carrier is named, and check that carrier’s authority on FMCSA before the truck heads south on I-75.
Lane facts
- Detroit cars ride I-75 almost the entire trip, south through Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Atlanta and Macon before crossing into Florida below Valdosta.
- Southbound trailers often fill in the downriver Detroit suburbs and around Toledo, then unload in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers, with Naples cars coming off last.
- October is typically the priciest month southbound as Michigan retirees send cars ahead of the first snow, and March is typically the cheapest because trucks go south mainly to collect northbound cars.
- Michigan frost laws lower weight limits on many county roads each spring, so a rural pickup in March or April may have to meet the hauler on a state highway.
Related routes
Sources
- Michigan Department of Transportation: Spring seasonal weight restrictions (2026 notice), michigan.gov
- Florida Department of Transportation: Emergency shoulder use on hurricane evacuation routes, fdot.gov
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology (June 1 to November 30 season), nhc.noaa.gov
- HaulFare car shipping cost guide and model methodology, haulfare.com
Michigan to Florida FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a car from Michigan to Florida?
In October 2026 a Detroit to Orlando sedan on an open carrier typically costs $1,105 to $1,380. SUVs typically quote $1,330 to $1,650, pickups $1,350 to $1,680, and an enclosed sedan $1,570 to $1,955. Detroit to Tampa runs 1,173 miles and typically costs $1,130 to $1,405.
How long does it take to ship a car from Detroit to Florida?
Most cars spend 3 to 5 days on the road after loading, covering about 1,130 miles to Orlando. Expect a 1 to 5 day pickup window before that. Fort Myers and Naples deliveries can take an extra day because the truck drops Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa cars first.
When is the cheapest time to ship a car from Michigan to Florida?
March is typically the cheapest month, since snowbirds are heading back north and southbound trucks have empty slots. October is typically the most expensive, when Michigan owners send cars to Florida for the winter. If your date can move, a September pickup or one after New Year's usually avoids the fall premium.
Can a car hauler pick up at my house in metro Detroit?
Often, but not always. A 75-foot hauler cannot make the median U-turns on many Michigan left boulevards, and some subdivisions and condo associations in Troy, Novi and Macomb County keep large trucks out. Drivers then meet owners at a big store lot near I-75, I-696 or M-59.
Can I ship a car from northern Michigan or the Upper Peninsula to Florida?
Yes. I-75 crosses the Mackinac Bridge, so a Traverse City, Petoskey or Sault Ste. Marie car can join the same southbound road Detroit cars use. Fewer trucks run that far north, so the pickup window is often longer, high winds can hold trucks at the bridge, and a remote address can add up to $175.
