How much does it cost to ship a car from Iowa to Arizona?

For a running sedan on an open carrier, expect about $975–$1,400 from Des Moines to Phoenix (1,360 road miles). Between other big cities in the two states prices range from $900–$1,525. An SUV costs about $1,100–$1,550, a pickup $1,275–$1,800, and an enclosed trailer $1,475–$2,100 for a sedan.

How long does it take to ship a car from Iowa to Arizona?

Transit is usually 3–6 days after pickup for the 1,360-mile trip from Des Moines to Phoenix. Getting the car picked up takes another 1–5 days on a standard booking; expedited pickup within 1–2 days costs about 30% more.

When is the cheapest time to ship a car from Iowa to Arizona?

January–May and September–November is the cheapest window on this lane. Prices are highest in June–August, up to about 8% more. Whatever the month, a flexible pickup date booked 2–3 weeks out gets the best price.

How soon do I have to register my car in Arizona after moving?

Arizona requires new residents to register right away — there is no grace period. Arizona expects registration as soon as you become a resident. Cars kept in the Phoenix or Tucson areas may need an emissions test first.

Is it cheaper to drive or ship my car from Iowa to Arizona?

Driving 1,360 miles takes about 3 days: roughly $170 in gas and 2 nights of hotels and meals (about $280). Shipping a sedan costs about $975–$1,400. Add wear on the car and 3 days off work, and the two come out close.

Which car shipping companies go from Iowa to Arizona?

Our directory lists 6 companies based in Iowa and 34 based in Arizona, each checked against FMCSA records, plus 190 that ship nationwide.

Iowa to Arizona Car Shipping: Cost & Time (2026)

Car shipping from Iowa to Arizona

Car transport from Iowa to Arizona runs 1,360 road miles between the biggest metros. Shipping a running sedan from Des Moines to Phoenix costs about $975–$1,400 on an open carrier and $1,475–$2,100 in an enclosed trailer, with 3–6 days in transit. It ranks #131 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

$1,200

Road miles

1,360

Days in transit

3–6

People moving a year

5.7K

Companies at both ends

From	Phoenix	Tucson	Yuma	Flagstaff
Des Moines	$975–$1,4001,360 mi · 3–6 days	$975–$1,4001,360 mi · 3–6 days	$1,025–$1,4751,540 mi · 4–6 days	$950–$1,3501,260 mi · 3–5 days
Cedar Rapids	$1,000–$1,4501,480 mi · 3–6 days	$1,000–$1,4501,480 mi · 3–6 days	$1,050–$1,5251,660 mi · 4–7 days	$975–$1,4001,380 mi · 3–6 days
Davenport	$1,025–$1,4501,530 mi · 4–6 days	$1,025–$1,4501,520 mi · 4–6 days	$1,075–$1,5251,710 mi · 4–7 days	$1,000–$1,4251,440 mi · 3–6 days
Sioux City	$950–$1,3501,240 mi · 3–5 days	$950–$1,3501,260 mi · 3–5 days	$1,000–$1,4251,420 mi · 3–6 days	$900–$1,3001,130 mi · 3–5 days

Phoenix

Tucson

Yuma

Flagstaff

Des Moines

$975–$1,4001,360 mi · 3–6 days

$1,025–$1,4751,540 mi · 4–6 days

$950–$1,3501,260 mi · 3–5 days

Cedar Rapids

$1,000–$1,4501,480 mi · 3–6 days

$1,050–$1,5251,660 mi · 4–7 days

$975–$1,4001,380 mi · 3–6 days

Davenport

$1,025–$1,4501,530 mi · 4–6 days

$1,025–$1,4501,520 mi · 4–6 days

$1,075–$1,5251,710 mi · 4–7 days

$1,000–$1,4251,440 mi · 3–6 days

Sioux City

$950–$1,3501,240 mi · 3–5 days

$950–$1,3501,260 mi · 3–5 days

$1,000–$1,4251,420 mi · 3–6 days

$900–$1,3001,130 mi · 3–5 days

Price by vehicle type

Des Moines to Phoenix, 1,360 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	$975–$1,400	$1,475–$2,100
Midsize SUV or crossover	$1,100–$1,550	$1,650–$2,350
Large SUV (Tahoe, Expedition)	$1,225–$1,750	$1,825–$2,625
Pickup truck	$1,275–$1,800	$1,900–$2,725
Motorcycle	$600–$825	$875–$1,250

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 Iowa to Arizona is January–May and September–November.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cheapest: about $1,175 Peak: about $1,275

About this route

Why so many cars go from Iowa to Arizona

About 5,701 people moved from Iowa to Arizona in each of the last two years, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (6,805 in 2023, 4,596 in 2024). That is 7.9% of everyone who left Iowa for another state, making Arizona its #4 destination.

Traffic is lopsided: only about 2,632 people a year go the other way, Arizona to Iowa. Trucks heading into Arizona fill up quickly, so pickups are usually fast — but carriers have less reason to discount in peak months.

How the price compares

At a typical $1,175, shipping from Iowa to Arizona costs more than sending a car to Texas ($950) but less than to Florida ($1,250). That works out to about 86¢ a mile.

Distance and transit time

Expect about 1,360 road miles from Des Moines to Phoenix — 3–6 days on the truck after pickup. Carriers usually load several cars before heading out, so the pickup window matters as much as transit time. The car heads west-southwest and crosses one time zone — from Central to Mountain time — so confirm whether the delivery window you are given is in local time.

On the road

The route crosses mountain passes in the West; from November to March, snow and chain laws can hold trucks for a day or two.
Winter storms in Iowa can slow pickups and deliveries in December through February — leave slack in your schedule.