Route guide · CA → FL

Car shipping from California to Florida

Car transport from California to Florida runs 2,770 road miles between the biggest metros. Shipping a running sedan from Los Angeles to Miami costs about $1,400–$1,975 on an open carrier and $2,075–$2,975 in an enclosed trailer, with 6–10 days in transit. It ranks #8 among the 250 busiest car-shipping lanes, based on Census moving data.

Prices updated October 2026 · Estimates, not quotes · Calculate for your car →

Open carrier, sedan: $1,700
Road miles: 2,770
Days in transit: 6–10
People moving a year: 37.6K
Companies at both ends: 270

City to city

Cost to ship a car from California to Florida, city to city

Open-carrier prices for a running sedan between Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and San Jose and Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa — 2,460 to 3,090 road miles apart.

From	Miami	Orlando	Jacksonville	Tampa
Los Angeles	$1,400–$1,9752,770 mi · 6–10 days	$1,350–$1,9252,620 mi · 6–9 days	$1,325–$1,8752,540 mi · 6–9 days	$1,325–$1,9002,550 mi · 6–9 days
San Francisco	$1,475–$2,1253,090 mi · 7–11 days	$1,450–$2,0502,930 mi · 6–10 days	$1,400–$2,0252,840 mi · 6–10 days	$1,425–$2,0252,860 mi · 6–10 days
San Diego	$1,350–$1,9502,670 mi · 6–10 days	$1,325–$1,8752,530 mi · 6–9 days	$1,300–$1,8502,460 mi · 5–9 days	$1,300–$1,8502,460 mi · 5–9 days
San Jose	$1,475–$2,0753,010 mi · 7–11 days	$1,425–$2,0252,850 mi · 6–10 days	$1,400–$1,9752,760 mi · 6–10 days	$1,400–$2,0002,780 mi · 6–10 days

Estimate, not a quote

A pickup or delivery far from these metros usually adds $75–$150. Quotes move with fuel prices and truck space, so treat these as a yardstick. Price your own addresses →

By vehicle

Price by vehicle type

Los Angeles to Miami, 2,770 miles. Bigger and heavier vehicles take more room and weight on the trailer, so they cost more.

Vehicle	Open carrier	Enclosed
Sedan or small car	$1,400–$1,975	$2,075–$2,975
Midsize SUV or crossover	$1,550–$2,225	$2,325–$3,350
Large SUV (Tahoe, Expedition)	$1,750–$2,475	$2,600–$3,725
Pickup truck	$1,800–$2,575	$2,700–$3,875
Motorcycle	$825–$1,200	$1,250–$1,800

By month

Best time to ship

Prices on this lane peak in June–August (the summer moving peak), running about 8% above the quietest months. The cheapest time to ship from California to Florida is January–May and September–November.

Cheapest: about $1,700 Peak: about $1,825

About this route

Why so many cars go from California to Florida

About 37,623 people moved from California to Florida in each of the last two years, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (39,052 in 2023, 36,194 in 2024). That is 5.6% of everyone who left California for another state, making Florida its #5 destination.

Only about 17,568 people a year go back from Florida to California, so demand here is mostly one-way. With trucks toward Florida in steady demand, expect quick pickups and little room to haggle.

How the price compares

At a typical $1,700, shipping from California to Florida costs more than sending a car to Maryland ($1,675) and South Carolina ($1,625) but less than to New York ($1,725) and New Jersey ($1,725). That works out to about 61¢ a mile — long hauls cost less per mile because loading and paperwork are spread over more distance.

Distance and transit time

Count on 6–10 days on the truck for the 2,770 road miles from Los Angeles to Miami — federal rules cap drivers at 11 hours a day behind the wheel, and a full carrier makes several stops on the way. The car heads east and crosses 3 time zones — from Pacific to Eastern time — so confirm whether the delivery window you are given is in local time.

On the road

Trucks usually take the southern route across the desert Southwest, which stays open all winter — one reason this lane runs on schedule year-round.
Hurricane season (June–November) occasionally delays Gulf and Atlantic coast deliveries; carriers will reschedule rather than drive into a storm.

Moving data

CA → FL, 2024: 36,194
CA → FL, 2023: 39,052
FL → CA, yearly: 17,568
Share of people leaving California: 5.6%
Florida's rank among California destinations: #5
California's rank among sources of new Florida residents: #4

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, state-to-state migration flows (people aged 1+). 2024 margin of error ±5,759.

Registering in Florida

10 days after you become a resident

Buy Florida insurance first — the 10 days count from the day you establish residency, such as starting a job or enrolling children in school.

Checklist & inspection form for pickup day →

Checked September 2026. Official Florida page ↗

Companies

Car transport companies from California to Florida

Companies headquartered at either end of the route usually run this lane often. Filter by services, company type and safety record — every listing is matched to its FMCSA record.

Pickup end California 88 companies · 67 carriers · 24 brokers · 1,921 trucks · 12 yrs avg.
Delivery end Florida 182 companies · 159 carriers · 27 brokers · 1,618 trucks · 10 yrs avg.

Filter companies

Based in

Both ends California Florida

Services Open car transport71 Cross-country shipping56 Door-to-door delivery48 Enclosed car transport47 State-to-state shipping38 Luxury car transport37 Classic car transport36 Terminal-to-terminal shipping33

Company type

Any Carrier Broker

Years in business

Any 5+ 10+ 20+

Safety & insurance Satisfactory FMCSA safety rating Cargo insurance $250K+

Include 134 companies from other states that serve both California and Florida

270 companies for this route

Hilton Auto Transport

Featured FMCSA verified

Los Angeles, CA · Broker · 16 trucks · 34 yrs in business · USDOT 2232328

We are a family owned and operated nationwide auto transport and auto moving company with long experience specializing in shipping cars around the United…

Open car transport
Enclosed car transport
Door-to-door delivery
+7 more