Best Car Shipping Companies In California
While the best California car shipping company is Montway Auto Transport, we’d also recommend Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, and American Auto Shipping.
From our #1 rated provider, 
If you need to move to or from California, whether it’s just for a little while or for good, transporting your car should be an easy process. In this article, we’ll provide a look at the five best car shipping companies in California that offer peace of mind and competitive costs. We will also explain the costs of shipping cars with open and enclosed transport services, and show you how to do it easily.
The Gist:
- Our team found that Montway Auto Transport is the best California car shipping company, though it’s best to compare rates with those from Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping and AmeriFreight.
- The average cost to ship a car to or from California is $1,005 for open car shipping services and $1,408 for enclosed auto transport.
- Your car shipping cost in California depends on factors like a city’s size, nearby traffic patterns, and weather conditions.
5 Best Car Shipping Companies In California
We have dedicated more than 300 hours to researching the auto transport industry in order to give an unbiased review of the top car shipping companies. If you’re moving a car to or from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, or beyond, check out our list of the best California car shipping companies.
1. Montway Auto Transport: Best Reputation
In 2024, Montway Auto Transport is our favorite choice among the top auto transport companies. While they don’t have the lowest prices, their service is dependable and rates are satisfactory. Montway stands out from the competition due to their excellent customer service and the various options they offer.
Montway Auto Transport is a big and well-liked company that transports cars. They operate in all states of the country and also offer shipping services internationally. Because they have many carriers in their network, Montway is able to provide customers with prices lower than the typical average.
Read more: Montway Auto Transport review
2. Sherpa Auto Transport: Best For Locked-In Rates
According to our research, Sherpa Auto Transport has received a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars. This high rating is due to their consistent and affordable rates, excellent customer satisfaction, and wide range of services. On top of that, Sherpa also provides customers with a $20 reimbursement for car washes, as part of their Clean Car Guarantee.
Sherpa Auto Transport makes shipping easy and gives you a guaranteed price with their Price Lock Promise. This means that the initial quote you get is the final price – they will even help cover up to $300 if needed so that your rate stays the same.
Read more: Sherpa Auto Transport review
3. SGT Auto Transport: Best Price-Match Guarantee
SGT Auto Transport is given a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars. This is because they provide a range of shipping choices at good prices. The company has received high scores for their services, thanks to options like open, enclosed, and door-to-door auto transportation. They also offer expedited delivery and guaranteed pickup dates.
You don’t have to pay for SGT Auto Transport until they send someone to pick up your vehicle. If you find a cheaper price from another company, SGT Auto Transport will give you the same price. Most customers say they have a good experience with this provider, according to our team’s research.
Read more: SGT Auto Transport review
4. American Auto Shipping: Best Service Availability
American Auto Shipping provides various auto transport services to help you transport your vehicle to where it needs to go. With a high rating of 5.0 in services, this provider offers convenient door-to-door shipping, both open and enclosed auto transport, shipping to Hawaii, motorcycle shipping, military vehicle shipping, heavy equipment transport, and more.
American Auto Shipping strives to offer customers a pleasant experience with perks like a covered rental car if your shipment is delayed over 14 days past the delivery date. Another benefit is your choice of pickup times from three different options–standard, priority, or expedited.
Read more: American Auto Shipping review
5. AmeriFreight: Best For Discounts
AmeriFreight has prices that are typical for the industry. However, customers can decrease their rates by taking advantage of AmeriFreight’s discounts and pricing levels. There are various ways to get discounts, such as returning customers, shipping multiple vehicles, being a first responder or medical personnel, a senior, or a student.
AmeriFreight is one of the top five companies for shipping cars because they offer lots of discounts, price match services, and great customer service. They work with over 10,000 car carriers and make sure each one is licensed and insured by doing background checks.
Read more: AmeriFreight review
Other California Car Shipping Companies
Although we mentioned five trusted providers on a national level earlier, there are also excellent regional choices for transporting cars within California. Take a look below for another option you can consider.
A 1 Auto Transport
A 1 Auto Transport is headquartered in Aptos, CA. Learn more about this provider on the A 1 Auto Transport website.
California Car Shipping Costs
The price of shipping a car in California can change a lot based on different things. Some of these things depend on what you want, like the type of transportation you choose for your car. When shipping your car, you’ll probably use either an open trailer or an enclosed trailer. In the next sections, we’ll give you the average prices for both types of shipping to and from California.
Open Car Shipping Costs In California
Open car shipping means using a trailer without walls or a roof to transport many vehicles at once. It is cheaper but more risky than enclosed transport services.
The average cost to ship a car to and from California using open car shipping is $1,005, which is 0 percent cheaper than the national average of $1,010. We gathered cost estimates for open car transport along popular California car shipping routes, which you’ll find below:
| Auto Shipping Route | Total Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles To Atlanta | $1,099 |
| Los Angeles To Boston | $1,399 |
| Sacramento To Chicago | $1,199 |
| Sacramento To Miami | $1,329 |
| San Francisco To Fort Lauderdale | $1,379 |
| San Francisco To Honolulu | $2,299 |
| San Jose To New York | $1,589 |
| San Jose To Miami | $1,379 |
| San Diego To Chicago | $1,099 |
| San Diego To Miami | $1,379 |
| Chicago To San Francisco | $1,099 |
| New York To San Francisco | $1,199 |
| Washington To Los Angeles | $999 |
| Nashville To Los Angeles | $1,129 |
| New York To San Diego | $1,249 |
| Miami To San Diego | $1,129 |
| New York To Sacramento | $1,199 |
| Miami To Sacramento | $1,179 |
| Miami To San Jose | $1,329 |
| Chicago To San Jose | $1,099 |
Enclosed Car Shipping Costs In California
Enclosed auto shipping services utilize an enclosed carrier that provides the ultimate level of protection from road hazards during transport. While it makes California car shipping much pricier than open car shipping services, owners of classic or luxury cars should consider it.
The average cost to ship a car to and from California using enclosed auto transport is $1,408, which is 40 percent more than the average cost of open car shipping in California. The table below has average costs of popular California car shipping routes using enclosed transport.
| Auto Shipping Route | Total Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles To Atlanta | $1,539 |
| Los Angeles To Boston | $1,959 |
| Sacramento To Chicago | $1,679 |
| Sacramento To Miami | $1,859 |
| San Francisco To Fort Lauderdale | $1,929 |
| San Francisco To Honolulu | $3,219 |
| San Jose To New York | $2,229 |
| San Jose To Miami | $1,929 |
| San Diego To Chicago | $1,539 |
| San Diego To Miami | $1,929 |
| Chicago To San Francisco | $1,539 |
| New York To San Francisco | $1,679 |
| Washington To Los Angeles | $1,399 |
| Nashville To Los Angeles | $1,579 |
| New York To San Diego | $1,749 |
| Miami To San Diego | $1,579 |
| New York To Sacramento | $1,679 |
| Miami To Sacramento | $1,649 |
| Miami To San Jose | $1,859 |
| Chicago To San Jose | $1,539 |
What Affects Car Shipping Costs In California?
Your exact auto transport expenses for California will likely depend on various factors. When you’re shipping a car, different factors can influence the cost you have to pay. These include things like the type of transport, where it will be delivered, the prices of fuel, the distance it needs to be shipped, the type of vehicle, and the condition of the car.
How To Ship A Car To And From California
Do you want to send a car in California but don’t know where to begin? Transporting your vehicle might seem complicated, but we have explained the process below to make it easy and stress-free.
Choose Your Shipping Method
To start, you have to choose how you want to transport your vehicle. As previously mentioned, enclosed and open carrier car shipping are the most common types used across the industry. Both have their pros and cons, so comparing enclosed vs. open auto transport will help you determine which best fits your needs.
Compare California Car Shipping Quotes
After you have chosen how you will transport your vehicle, the next step is to compare the quotes you receive for California auto transport. It’s easy to get car shipping quotes online, and we recommend providing vehicle details to various car shipping companies to find the best price.
Remember that some companies promise to keep the price they quoted you for shipping your car in California, while other companies might raise their rates because of changes in the market. If it’s important to you to have a guaranteed price for shipping your car in California, choose a company that offers this guarantee.
Select A Transport Provider
After you compare quotes from different providers, you’ll probably start focusing on which California car shipping service you prefer. This is when you decide if you’re more comfortable with a car shipping broker or an online shipping marketplace. Brokers will help you find a car carrier, while shipping marketplaces let you handle carriers directly.
Make sure to do your research before making a choice by checking online review platforms and discussion boards. Hearing about other people’s experiences with shipping providers is really helpful when deciding on a company to transport your car to California.
Prepare Your Car And Meet The Carrier
After you’ve reserved a service to transport your vehicle, it’s important to prepare your car for shipment. Remove any personal belongings from your vehicle, since some transporters in California factor in the weight of the vehicle when determining the cost. It’s also wise to leave your gas tank no more than a quarter full.
It’s now time to meet your carrier at a predetermined time and location. Whether you opted for door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal shipping, you’ll inspect your vehicle for prior damages such as dents, scratches, and dings. Make sure you take pictures of your car before it gets loaded onto the trailer so that you have the right records. All you need to do now is sign the bill of lading, which is a receipt that follows your vehicle as it travels to or from California.
Pick Your Car Up
If the vehicle transport company you choose has GPS tracking, you can see your car’s location in real time as it travels to or from California. If not, the carrier will still contact you at some point to let you know the date when your vehicle will be picked up.
When you arrive at the specified pickup spot and time, meet your carrier and check your vehicle for any damage. This is particularly important if you choose open auto transport. If you find any damages, report them on the bill of lading and take photos for potential claims. However, if everything looks good, you’ll just sign the bill of lading one last time and drive the car away.
What To Expect With California Car Shipping
When you send a car to or from California, there are certain things that are specific to the state which could affect your car shipping experience. These include the size of the city, the number of people living there, the traffic patterns, and the bad weather. These factors might affect how long it takes for your car to be shipped in California. It’s a good idea to know about these things ahead of time so that you’re not surprised when you go through the shipping process.
Population density can also have an impact on the availability of door-to-door transport. California is less densely populated than other states in the U.S., which may make door-to-delivery less of a hassle. However, availability may differ in major cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In addition, many cities in California have less-than-average rainfall and less chances of extreme weather. Bad weather like storms or floods may cause delays in shipping cars in California. To avoid any issues, make sure to plan ahead and be open to adjusting delivery times during the shipping process.
California Car Shipping: FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions customers have about California car shipping.
Why would a person want to ship their car?
If you’re moving more than a few hundred miles away, a long-distance road trip might not be worth it. Cross-country car shipping can provide peace of mind while offering protection from risks associated with long drives, such as mechanical breakdowns and car accidents. Getting your car to California from far away states is much easier with auto transport.
What are the benefits of car shipping?
Car shipping is a safe way to get your car to and from California without wasting the time and expenses associated with a long road trip. Choosing to ship your car rather than drive it will also protect your car from the wear and tear that comes along with extended driving periods.
How do I ship a car to California?
You’ll start the shipping process by researching various car shipping companies and getting free quotes online. Next, you’ll choose a provider, book your shipment, and prepare the car for transport. Once your car has made it to or from California, you’ll meet the car carrier for pickup.
How We Rate California Auto Shippers
Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of car shipping companies. While there are multiple qualities that make an auto transport provider successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:
- Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between providers because so many factors impact auto shipping rates. To determine our cost score, we perform a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and routes.
- Services: Our team of experts looks at the types of services available, as well as insurance coverage and the ability to guarantee pickup and dropoff dates. Ratings also take into account whether the transport company is a broker or a carrier.
- Reputation: It’s important that a car shipping provider is able to deliver your vehicle in a safe and timely manner. Companies with a strong rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) score well in this category. Established providers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
- Customer Experience: We comb through consumer reviews on sites like the BBB to learn about customer experiences. Car transport companies with a low volume of complaints score well in this area.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
*Read more about our methodology.
