Car shipping by state
New Jersey car shipping
Shipping a car within New Jersey or to a neighboring state costs about $410–$510 for 250 miles in October 2026; a cross-country move from Newark to Los Angeles runs $1,495–$1,860 open and takes 7–10 days in transit. Carriers concentrate around Newark and Jersey City, so pickups there get the fastest windows. Source: HaulFare price model, October 2026 edition.
Updated October 2026
$410–$510
About 250 miles, sedan, open, October 2026
$1,495–$1,860
Newark to Los Angeles, open
7–10 days
in transit to Los Angeles
Cost to ship a car from New Jersey
From Newark, sedan, hub to hub, October 2026. For your exact ZIPs, use the cost calculator or the transit time estimator; the cost guide explains the model.
| Destination | Miles | Open carrier | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 2,875 | $1,495–$1,860 | $2,125–$2,645 |
| Dallas, TX | 1,608 | $1,305–$1,625 | $1,855–$2,305 |
| Orlando, FL | 1,105 | $1,095–$1,360 | $1,555–$1,930 |
| New York City, NY | 12 | $295–$370 | $425–$525 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 102 | $295–$370 | $425–$525 |
| Chicago, IL | 829 | $815–$1,015 | $1,155–$1,440 |
| Columbus, OH | 552 | $660–$825 | $935–$1,165 |
| Atlanta, GA | 873 | $835–$1,040 | $1,190–$1,480 |
Estimates from the HaulFare price model 2026.09-seed, October 2026. Ranges, not quotes; our licensed transport partner confirms the actual price.
New Jersey shipping notes
By HaulFare Research Team. Car shipping price research. Updated Oct 5, 2026
Truck limits around Newark, Jersey City and the Parkway
Newark and Jersey City, the two carrier hubs on this page, both sit on the New Jersey Turnpike, but two local shortcuts are closed to a loaded hauler. NJDOT bars trucks and buses in both directions from the Pulaski Skyway, the Route 1&9 span linking Newark, Kearny and Jersey City. The Turnpike Authority’s own rules shut commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating above 10,000 pounds out of the Garden State Parkway north of Interchange 105 in Monmouth County. The same rules cap a loaded car-carrying combination at 65 feet, with no more than three feet of overhang in front and four behind.
Retitling at a New Jersey MVC agency
Arriving residents get 60 days from the move to transfer an out-of-state title and registration, or less if the old registration expires first. Book a New Title or Registration appointment and bring identification (usually your license), the original title, insurance details, the Universal Title Application (OS/SS-UTA) and the Vehicle Registration Application (BA-49). When a lender or leasing company holds the title, form OS/SS-54 asks it to release the document, the New Jersey title is mailed to that company, and you leave with a title receipt, registration, plates and a temporary inspection card. The MVC lists the title fee at $60, $85 with one lien and $110 with two, plus registration.
A two-week inspection deadline, emissions only
That temporary card starts a short clock. Under N.J.A.C. 13:20-7.4, a car previously registered in another state must be presented for inspection within 14 days of the certificate’s issue date. Cars under five model years old must use a state-run facility; older ones may also go to a licensed private inspection facility. For a passenger-plated gasoline car from model year 1996 onward, the test checks emissions only and repeats every two years. Bring your original license and registration plus a New Jersey insurance identification card.
Nor’easter season and the snowbird swing
The National Weather Service notes that nor’easters can arrive in any month but are most common and strongest between September and April, carrying heavy rain or snow, gale-force wind and at times coastal flooding. Mount Holly forecasters confirmed blizzard conditions during a late-January nor’easter in 2022 on the Monmouth County coast, Long Beach Island, Atlantic City and Cape May. New Jersey is also a snowbird origin state: southbound demand climbs from October to December, just as that storm season opens, and the return flow runs north from March to May. Trailers moving with either wave tend to price higher, and a car heading against it usually costs less.
Port Newark-Elizabeth and Port Jersey
The Port Authority places its vehicle processing yards at the Port Newark/Elizabeth Marine Terminal complex and at Port Jersey in Jersey City. Most imported vehicles arrive on roll-on/roll-off ships and are driven off rather than lifted. To export a used car by sea, Customs and Border Protection must see the vehicle and its title at least 72 hours before sailing.
Route guides for New Jersey
Other state guides on these routes: Florida.
Carrier hubs in New Jersey
The price model measures New Jersey lanes from these metros. An address more than 50 miles from the nearest hub in any state adds up to $175 at that end.
- Newark
- Jersey City
Seasonality in New Jersey
From Newark to Orlando, the model's lowest month is March ($970 midpoint) and its highest is October ($1,215). October 2026 sits 11% above the yearly average. New Jersey is a snowbird origin in the price model: lanes south to states such as Texas, Florida and Arizona price 15% higher from October to December and 7% lower from March to May; lanes north into New Jersey do the reverse.
Jan
$1,015
Feb
$1,005
Mar
$970
Apr
$1,000
May
$1,030
Jun
$1,150
Jul
$1,160
Aug
$1,130
Sep
$1,075
Oct (October 2026)
$1,215
Nov
$1,190
Dec
$1,200
- October 2026
- Yearly average
Show as a table
| Month | Price (midpoint) |
|---|---|
| Jan | $1,015 |
| Feb | $1,005 |
| Mar | $970 |
| Apr | $1,000 |
| May | $1,030 |
| Jun | $1,150 |
| Jul | $1,160 |
| Aug | $1,130 |
| Sep | $1,075 |
| Oct | $1,215 |
| Nov | $1,190 |
| Dec | $1,200 |
Midpoint, sedan, open carrier, Newark to Orlando by month; columns rise above or fall below the yearly average.
Sources
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission: Moving to New Jersey, nj.gov
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission: Vehicle Inspection FAQs, nj.gov
- Cornell Law School LII: N.J.A.C. 13:20-7.4, Temporary authorization certificates; period of validity, law.cornell.edu
- Cornell Law School LII: N.J.A.C. 19:9-1.9, Limitations on use of Roadway (New Jersey Turnpike Authority), law.cornell.edu
- New Jersey Department of Transportation: Restricted Access, Route US 1 and 9, nj.gov
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey: Auto Processing at the Port, portfolio.panynj.gov
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Motor Vehicle export requirements, cbp.gov
- National Weather Service: What is a Nor'easter?, weather.gov
- National Weather Service Mount Holly: January 28-29 Nor'easter Brings Blizzard Conditions at the Coast, weather.gov
- HaulFare price model methodology (car shipping cost page), haulfare.com
New Jersey questions
How much does it cost to ship a car from New Jersey?
In October 2026, a sedan on an open carrier from Newark runs $295–$1,860 to the eight destinations in the price table, depending on distance. Enclosed transport adds about 42% to the price model's estimate.
How long do I have to put my car on New Jersey title and plates after moving in?
Sixty days from the move, and sooner if the registration from your previous state lapses before then. The switch happens at an MVC agency after booking a New Title or Registration appointment, and a financed or leased car also needs form OS/SS-54 so the lienholder releases the old title.
When does a car registered in another state have to be inspected in New Jersey?
Within 14 days after the MVC issues its temporary authorization certificate at registration. A car younger than five model years must visit a state-run station to receive its decal, while an older car may go to either a state lane or a licensed private garage.
Does New Jersey still run safety inspections on ordinary passenger cars?
No, a passenger-plated car gets an emissions check only, every two years from its fifth model year. The yearly safety plus emissions inspection is kept for gasoline vehicles on commercial plates and for passenger transportation vehicles such as taxis, jitneys, limousines and ambulances.
Can a car carrier use the Garden State Parkway to reach my house?
Not if you live along the Parkway north of Interchange 105. Turnpike Authority rules keep commercial vehicles rated above 10,000 pounds off that stretch unless they hold a special permit, so a loaded hauler has to approach northern Monmouth, Middlesex, Union, Essex and Bergen towns on other roads.
Does a New Jersey car that winters in another state still need its inspection?
Not while it stays off New Jersey roads; the requirement resumes when the car comes back. Before the sticker runs out, the owner can phone the MVC for a one-time Inspection Extension, which needs current New Jersey registration and liability insurance, plus a local test first if the car is in a state with an enhanced emissions program.
Where do vehicles shipped overseas from New Jersey pass through the port?
Through the Port Newark/Elizabeth Marine Terminal complex or Port Jersey in Jersey City, the two places the Port Authority lists for vehicle processing. A used car leaving by ship has to be shown to Customs with its original or certified title no less than 72 hours ahead of departure.
