California → Florida · About 3,090 miles
Ship a Car from San Francisco to Miami
Coast to coast, corner to corner — at about 3,090 miles this is one of the longest car shipping lanes in the continental United States. It carries relocations from the Bay Area to South Florida, retirees trading one coast for the other, collectors sending cars to Florida's year-round show scene, and online purchases where the right car happened to be 3,000 miles away.
Carriers drop south on I-5 out of the Bay Area, then run I-10 east across the entire southern tier — the Los Angeles basin, Phoenix, El Paso, San Antonio, the Gulf Coast — before turning south into Miami. Typical transit is 6–8 days door to door once your vehicle is loaded. Most cars move on open transport, and every shipment includes insurance coverage. Classic, luxury, and exotic owners often step up to enclosed transport — on a trip this long, the covered trailer protects the car through every climate zone in the South.
Below you will 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 in a smaller Bay Area community or a delivery up in Palm Beach County prices differently than metro to metro. The quote form gives you a price for your specific cities.
San Francisco to Miami car shipping cost
Typical ranges for a standard sedanOpen transport
typically $1,600–$2,000
Enclosed transport
typically $2,400–$3,000
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 San Francisco or Miami 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 San Francisco to Miami — 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 San Francisco–Miami lane, and confirm your pickup window with you.
Pickup, transit & delivery
The driver inspects and loads your vehicle at your door, transits 6–8 days, and delivers in Miami 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 3,090 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 $1,600–$2,000) is the standard for everyday vehicles. Enclosed (typically $2,400–$3,000) puts your car inside a covered trailer.
Season & timing
Demand on this lane climbs in summer and during snowbird season, 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 and snowbird months fill trucks on this lane fast — booking early secures 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 $1,600–$2,000) is the best value for everyday vehicles — save enclosed for a classic, exotic, or high-value car.
Good to know for this route
- Plan for the full 6–8 days. This is a genuine cross-country haul. Carriers average roughly 500 miles a day with scheduled stops and other deliveries along I-10, so build the full window into your plans and keep some flexibility on the delivery day.
- The southern route runs in every season. Staying on I-5 and I-10 keeps the truck south of northern winter weather most of the year. Florida storm season, June through November, is the main exception — tropical weather can shift a Miami delivery by a day.
- San Francisco pickups need street sense. Steep, narrow streets in the city itself sometimes cannot fit a full-size carrier. When that happens, pickup meets at a nearby accessible spot — the driver arranges it with you in advance. East Bay pickups are usually door to door.
- Your car crosses every southern climate zone. Bay Area cool, desert heat, Gulf humidity, and Florida sun, all in one trip. Remove anything heat-sensitive from the cabin, keep the tank about a quarter full, and make sure the battery is strong before pickup.
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.
San Francisco to Miami 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 San Francisco to Miami?
For a standard sedan in running condition, open transport typically runs $1,600–$2,000 and enclosed transport typically runs $2,400–$3,000 on this route of about 3,090 miles. The exact number depends on the specific cities and ZIPs on both ends — pickups or deliveries well outside the San Francisco and Miami 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 San Francisco to Miami?
Typical transit is 6–8 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 San Francisco and Miami, 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 weather and road debris for the whole trip.
Why does this lane take 6–8 days?
Distance is the honest answer: about 3,090 miles, with carriers averaging roughly 500 miles a day while making other scheduled pickups and deliveries along the I-5 and I-10 corridor. Weather, traffic, and the truck's stop order can move your delivery a day in either direction within that window. You will get updates along the way, and the driver calls ahead as the truck gets close to Miami.
Can you pick up or deliver outside the main metro areas?
Yes. We pick up across the San Francisco area — San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Daly City, San Mateo, Fremont, Walnut Creek, Richmond — and deliver throughout the Miami area, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Doral, and Kendall. 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 San Francisco and Miami 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
San Francisco area pickups
San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Daly City, San Mateo, Fremont, Walnut Creek, Richmond — and the surrounding metro.
Miami area deliveries
Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Doral, Kendall, Miami Beach — 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.