Florida → Texas · About 965 miles
Ship a Car from Orlando to Houston
A Gulf Coast lane with constant traffic — energy and medical-center relocations to Houston, military moves, students, seasonal workers, and dealers moving inventory between two of the South's biggest metros. Carriers run I-10 west almost the entire way, through the Florida Panhandle, Mobile, New Orleans, and Lake Charles into Houston. It is one of the most direct long lanes in the South, with steady trucks in both directions.
Typical transit is 2–3 days door to door once your vehicle is loaded. Most cars move on open transport — the standard way the majority of vehicles travel, and every shipment includes insurance coverage. Classic, luxury, and exotic owners often step up to enclosed transport for added protection from Gulf rain and highway debris.
Below you’ll find the typical price ranges for this route, how the process works, and the details that actually move the price. The ranges below are a guide — your exact price depends on your specific pickup and delivery cities, since a pickup well outside the Orlando metro or a delivery in a smaller Texas city prices differently than metro to metro. The quote form gives you a price for your specific cities.
Orlando to Houston car shipping cost
Typical ranges for a standard sedanOpen transport
typically $900–$1,300
Enclosed transport
typically $1,300–$1,900
Typical ranges for a standard sedan in running condition. Season is a factor too: prices run higher when demand peaks — snowbird season in the fall and spring, the summer moving season, and the year-end holidays — and lower in quieter months. Your exact price depends on your specific pickup and delivery cities — locations well outside the Orlando or Houston metros can price differently than metro to metro. Use the quote form for your free quote.
Get a shipping quote
Enter your vehicle and dates to get your free quote for Orlando to Houston — no obligation, and no payment due to get the number.
How it works
Three steps from quote to delivery — we handle the carrier, the scheduling, and the updates.
Get your quote & book
Get a shipping quote and book.
We assign your carrier
We match your vehicle with a vetted, insured carrier already running the Orlando–Houston lane, and confirm your pickup window with you.
Pickup, transit & delivery
The driver inspects and loads your vehicle at your door, transits 2–3 days, and delivers in Houston with updates along the way.
What we ship on this route
Cars & SUVs
Daily drivers, family SUVs, and crossovers.
Pickup trucks
Half-ton through heavy-duty, priced by size and weight.
Classic & collector cars
Enclosed transport recommended for full protection.
Motorcycles
Enclosed only, for full weather and road protection.
Vans & heavy-duty trucks
Quoted by our team — call for a quote.
What affects the price on this route
The typical ranges above are for a standard sedan shipping metro to metro. Here’s what moves your quote within — or outside — those ranges.
Distance — about 965 miles
Mileage is the backbone of every quote. Your specific pickup and delivery cities set the exact distance — and metro-to-metro moves price better than remote or hard-to-reach endpoints, where a carrier has to travel out of its way to reach you.
Vehicle size & weight
A compact sedan takes one standard slot. Large SUVs, trucks, and heavy vehicles take more trailer space and weight capacity, so they price higher.
Running condition
A vehicle that runs, steers, and brakes loads in minutes. A non-running vehicle needs a winch and extra handling, which adds to the price.
Open vs. enclosed
Open transport (typically $900–$1,300) is the standard for everyday vehicles. Enclosed (typically $1,300–$1,900) puts your car inside a covered trailer.
Season & timing
Demand on this lane climbs in summer relocation season and around major Houston hiring cycles, when carriers fill up fast and prices follow. If your dates are flexible — even by a day or two — you’ll usually price better than a fixed, must-move date.
Ways to save on this route
- Stay flexible on pickup dates. Carriers fill trucks around their own schedules and reward flexibility — even a day or two of give usually prices better than a fixed, must-move date.
- Book 1–2 weeks ahead in peak season. Summer moves fill trucks on the I-10 corridor fast — booking early helps you secure a better price and a wider choice of pickup days.
- Ship metro to metro when you can. Pickup and delivery in metro areas price better than remote or hard-to-reach locations, where a carrier has to deadhead to reach you.
- Choose open unless the car calls for enclosed. Open transport (typically $900–$1,300) is the best value for everyday vehicles — save enclosed for a classic, exotic, or high-value car.
Good to know for this route
- I-10 the whole way. Few lanes this long are this straightforward — one interstate, Gulf Coast to Gulf Coast. That directness is why transit runs just 2–3 days and pickup windows in Orlando are usually short.
- Hurricane season is a real factor. From June through November, tropical systems along the Gulf can shift pickup or delivery by a day or two. We watch the forecast with you and reschedule around a storm rather than push a truck into one.
- Houston is sprawling — ZIP matters. From The Woodlands to Sugar Land to Pasadena, the Houston metro covers a lot of ground. Your specific delivery city and ZIP are part of the price, and suburban deliveries with room for a hauler are routine on this lane.
- Heat and humidity at both ends. A summer shipment between two of America's most humid metros is normal carrier work. After delivery, a wash removes road film from the trip and makes the delivery inspection easy to review together.
Preparing your car for pickup
A few quick steps before the driver arrives make pickup smooth — and protect you if anything comes up in transit.
- Keep the fuel tank about a quarter full. That’s plenty for loading and unloading, without the extra weight of a full tank.
- Remove personal items and loose accessories. Carriers aren’t insured for belongings left inside the vehicle, so clear out anything you can’t replace.
- Wash the car before pickup. A clean car makes the pre-shipment inspection photos accurate, so any existing marks are documented clearly.
- Note any existing damage with the driver. Walk the car together at pickup and make sure it’s recorded on the bill of lading before you sign.
- Disable alarms and remove toll tags. It prevents surprise alarms in transit and toll charges piling up along the way.
- Have a spare key ready if possible. The driver needs a working key for loading and unloading at both ends.
Orlando to Houston car shipping FAQs
The questions we hear most on this lane, answered with this route’s typical ranges.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Orlando to Houston?
For a standard sedan in running condition, open transport typically runs $900–$1,300 and enclosed transport typically runs $1,300–$1,900 on this route of about 965 miles. The exact number depends on the specific cities and ZIPs on both ends — pickups or deliveries well outside the Orlando and Houston metros can price differently. Larger vehicles, non-running condition, and tight timelines can also move the price. Your price comes from the quote form — get your free quote with the quote tool above or by calling 800-507-2629.
How long does it take to ship a car from Orlando to Houston?
Typical transit is 2–3 days door to door once your vehicle is picked up. Carriers average roughly 500 miles a day, and the wait for pickup after booking is usually short on this lane as well.
Is open or enclosed transport better for this route?
For most everyday vehicles, open transport is the right call — it is how the large majority of cars move between Orlando and Houston, and every shipment includes insurance coverage either way. Choose enclosed if you are shipping a classic, luxury, exotic, or freshly restored vehicle: the covered trailer shields it from Gulf weather and road debris for the whole I-10 run.
What happens if a Gulf storm affects my shipment?
During hurricane season, a tropical system can shift pickup or delivery by a day or two — carriers will not run into a storm, and we will keep you updated and reschedule around it. Outside of major weather, typical transit on this lane is 2–3 days once your vehicle is picked up. Building a little flexibility into your dates is the best protection against a weather delay.
Can you pick up or deliver outside the main metro areas?
Yes. We pick up across the Orlando area — Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, Altamonte Springs, Sanford, Winter Garden, Lake Mary, Clermont — and the surrounding metro — and deliver throughout the Houston area. Service is door to door to your exact address wherever a full-size carrier can safely and legally reach it — and if a street is too tight, the driver will arrange the nearest accessible meeting spot with you. Keep in mind the figures on this page are based on the Orlando and Houston metro areas — pickups or deliveries well outside those metros can price differently, which is why the quote form asks for your specific cities.
Areas served on this lane
Orlando area pickups
Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, Altamonte Springs, Sanford, Winter Garden, Lake Mary, Clermont — and the surrounding metro.
Houston area deliveries
Houston, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Katy, Pasadena, Pearland, Spring, Cypress, Humble — and the surrounding metro.
Service is door to door — the truck comes to your address wherever it can safely and legally park. If a street is too tight for a full-size hauler, the driver will arrange the nearest accessible meeting spot with you.