State-to-state route
Texas to Florida car shipping
In October 2026, an open-carrier sedan from Texas to Florida typically costs $965–$1,200 for the 1,134-mile Dallas to Orlando run, with 3 to 5 days of transit after pickup. Houston cars start right on I-10 and skip the Dallas leg, so Houston to Tampa typically runs $870–$1,080 over 933 miles. Source: HaulFare price model, October 2026 edition.
Updated October 2026
$870–$1,230
Open carrier, sedan, across 12 metro pairs, October 2026
1,134 mi
Dallas to Orlando
1–5 days
pickup window
3–5 days
in transit
How much does it cost to ship a car from Texas to Florida?
1,134 miles hub to hub · October 2026 · estimates for door-to-door service, carrier pay and broker fee included.
| Vehicle | Open carrier | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan | $965–$1,200 | $1,370–$1,700 |
| Small SUV / crossover | $1,040–$1,295 | $1,480–$1,840 |
| Full-size SUV | $1,155–$1,440 | $1,645–$2,045 |
| Pickup truck | $1,175–$1,460 | $1,670–$2,080 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston → Tampa | 933 | $870–$1,080 | $1,230–$1,530 |
| Houston → Jacksonville | 968 | $880–$1,100 | $1,250–$1,555 |
| Houston → Orlando | 1,000 | $895–$1,115 | $1,270–$1,580 |
| Dallas → Jacksonville | 1,070 | $930–$1,160 | $1,325–$1,645 |
| Dallas → Tampa | 1,082 | $940–$1,170 | $1,330–$1,660 |
| Austin → Tampa | 1,104 | $950–$1,180 | $1,350–$1,680 |
| Austin → Jacksonville | 1,131 | $965–$1,200 | $1,370–$1,700 |
| Dallas → Orlando | 1,134 | $965–$1,200 | $1,370–$1,700 |
| Houston → Miami | 1,142 | $970–$1,205 | $1,375–$1,710 |
| San Antonio → Tampa | 1,152 | $970–$1,210 | $1,380–$1,720 |
| Austin → Orlando | 1,170 | $980–$1,220 | $1,395–$1,735 |
| San Antonio → Jacksonville | 1,191 | $990–$1,230 | $1,410–$1,755 |
Sedan, October 2026. Distances are road estimates between city centres.
When is it cheapest to ship a car from Texas to Florida?
Jan
$1,040
Feb
$1,030
Mar
$1,070
Apr
$1,105
May
$1,138
Jun
$1,183
Jul
$1,190
Aug
$1,155
Sep
$1,105
Oct (October 2026)
$1,083
Nov
$1,060
Dec
$1,070
- October 2026
- Yearly average
Show as a table
| Month | Price (midpoint) |
|---|---|
| Jan | $1,040 |
| Feb | $1,030 |
| Mar | $1,070 |
| Apr | $1,105 |
| May | $1,138 |
| Jun | $1,183 |
| Jul | $1,190 |
| Aug | $1,155 |
| Sep | $1,105 |
| Oct | $1,083 |
| Nov | $1,060 |
| Dec | $1,070 |
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
Where the car starts in Texas decides the first half of this trip. Houston is the simplest pickup on the lane, because I-10 runs from downtown straight to Florida past Beaumont, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, Mobile and Pensacola. San Antonio cars join that same highway heading east, and Austin cars usually reach it on US-290 or SH-71.
Dallas-Fort Worth cars have two common paths. Some trucks run I-20 east through Shreveport and Jackson, Mississippi, then work south toward Mobile. Others drop down I-45 to Houston to fill their last open slots before turning east. Near Lake City, trucks bound for Tampa or Orlando leave I-10 for I-75, about an hour short of Jacksonville.
Direction shapes the price. From fall into winter, Florida takes in far more cars than it sends out, so a carrier delivering there in November may wait days for an outbound load and builds that into the quote. By late winter, trucks want to be in Florida before seasonal residents ship north, and an eastbound Texas car pays for the drive in.
Timing and season
February is typically the cheapest month to ship a car from Texas to Florida, and July is typically the most expensive. Texas sends few snowbirds east, but Florida’s snowbird cycle still controls truck supply. From October through December, trailers pour into Florida loaded with cars from New York, Ohio and Michigan, and from March through May those owners ship north again.
The heart of the June to November hurricane season comes in late summer and early fall, and this lane follows the Gulf Coast nearly the whole way. A storm aimed at Houston, Lake Charles, Mobile or the Panhandle can close I-10 or jam it with evacuation traffic, pushing trucks north to I-20. Spring tornado outbreaks hit I-20 in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a North Texas ice storm can stall Dallas pickups in January or February.
Pickup and delivery in Texas and Florida
Suburbs like Plano, Allen and Mansfield have wide streets that suit a 75-foot hauler, but many HOAs there bar commercial trucks. Houston suburbs such as Cypress, Pearland and Sugar Land spread out for miles, so drivers usually suggest a shopping center lot near US-290, I-69 or I-45.
Carriers usually arrive 1 to 5 days after the date you list as ready. Take dated photos of every panel, leave about a quarter tank, and hand over all keys. If your Houston car sat through high water, say so, since a flooded car may need the winch.
In Florida, Tampa’s Hyde Park and Winter Park near Orlando have brick streets under heavy oaks, and retirement communities across Central Florida often keep carriers outside the gate.
What moves the price on this lane
In October 2026, a Dallas to Orlando sedan on an open trailer typically quotes $965 to $1,200. SUVs typically come in at $1,155 to $1,440, pickups at $1,175 to $1,460, and enclosed sedans at $1,370 to $1,700. Houston starts closer: Houston to Orlando covers 1,000 miles at $895 to $1,115, and Houston to Jacksonville runs $880 to $1,100.
Heavy-duty and dually trucks use up a trailer’s weight limit, so an F-250 or Ram 2500 often quotes near the top of the pickup range. A car that will not start adds $150 in our model for the winch, and a ranch pickup far from the interstate can add up to $175. HaulFare hands Gulf Coast quote requests to one licensed auto transport broker, who books the carrier and takes any payment. A careful shipper asks that broker for the carrier’s MC number and checks it on FMCSA before paying a deposit for the eastbound run.
Lane facts
- Houston, Austin and San Antonio cars reach Florida on I-10 through Beaumont, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, Mobile and Tallahassee, while many Dallas-Fort Worth trucks head east on I-20 through Shreveport and Jackson before working south to the Gulf.
- Eastbound loads come together in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston and break up in Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa, with Miami and Fort Lauderdale cars riding farther down I-75 or I-95.
- Eastbound demand typically bottoms out in February, when carriers move trucks into Florida ahead of the spring northbound snowbird rush, and peaks in July with summer relocations.
- Houston sits directly on the I-10 truck line to Florida, so its cars tend to load early in the 1 to 5 day pickup window, while Panhandle and West Texas cars take longer to match with a truck.
Related routes
Sources
- Texas Department of Transportation: Hurricane evacuation and contraflow routes, txdot.gov
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: Form HSMV 82042, VIN and odometer verification, flhsmv.gov
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology (June 1 to November 30 season), nhc.noaa.gov
- Car shipping cost by distance, vehicle and month (HaulFare price model), haulfare.com
Texas to Florida FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a car from Texas to Florida?
In October 2026 an open-carrier sedan typically runs $965 to $1,200 from Dallas to Orlando. SUVs typically run $1,155 to $1,440, pickups $1,175 to $1,460, and an enclosed sedan $1,370 to $1,700. Dallas to Jacksonville is a little shorter at 1,070 miles and typically costs $930 to $1,155.
How long does it take to ship a car from Texas to Florida?
After loading, most cars spend 3 to 5 days covering the roughly 1,134 miles from Dallas to Orlando. Add the 1 to 5 day pickup window, so plan on about 4 to 10 days from your ready date to delivery. A Miami or Fort Lauderdale address usually adds a day beyond Orlando.
What is the cheapest month to ship a car from Texas to Florida?
February is typically the cheapest, because carriers are positioning trucks in Florida before the spring northbound rush and welcome any paying load on the way in. July is typically the most expensive, when summer moves and school-break relocations fill trailers. Fall dates usually sit between the two, with hurricane season as the main wildcard.
Can the carrier pick up my car at my house in Dallas or Houston?
Often yes in newer suburbs with wide streets, as long as the HOA allows a large truck to enter. In older Dallas neighborhoods like Lakewood and the M Streets, tight lanes and low tree limbs usually mean meeting the driver at a big store lot off I-635 or US-75. In Houston, tell the broker if your street floods in heavy rain, since the driver may need a dry lot nearby.
What paperwork do I need to register a Texas car in Florida?
Florida requires a VIN verification for a vehicle last titled in another state, which a law enforcement officer, Florida notary or licensed dealer can complete. You also need proof of Florida auto insurance before the county tax collector will issue a plate. The carrier only moves the car, so schedule delivery ahead of your registration appointment.
