7 Easy Ways on How to Move a Car to Another State

August 2, 2023

Rev up Your Move: 7 Effortless Ways to Transport Your Car Across State Lines!


Finding out how to relocate an automobile to another state on top of moving to another state itself is a huge hassle. It becomes considerably more difficult if, like the majority of households nowadays, you have more than one automobile to relocate.

It need not be difficult to get your automobile sent to another state. A few choices are available to make the transition as simple as possible. Let's examine each one so you can decide which one is most appropriate for your circumstance.


Option #1: Drive it Yourself

This is the most obvious option. Yet it’s often not the cheapest, safest, or most convenient option many people assume it is.

If your move is just a few hundred miles across state lines, then driving your car is probably the most convenient and cheapest way to move a car to another state. Once you approach 500 miles or more, then the costs of driving yourself might not add up in your favor. You’ll have to consider the following:

  • How much will gas cost?
  • How many hours can you realistically drive in a day?
  • Will the drive take one day or five?
  • How much will hotels cost?
  • How much will food cost?
  • Will you have the money and time to handle an unexpected breakdown?
  • Where are you moving to and what time of year are you moving? Driving in the northern states during the winter can be treacherous at times!
  • How much wear and tear (and miles) will the trip put on your car?

After you consider all those questions, you might realize you’re better off delegating the task of moving your car to someone else, which leads us to the next option.


Option #2: Hire a Driver

Another option you have to get your car moved to another state is to hire a driver. This “hired driver” can be a family member, a friend, or even a professional driver.

This option requires a great deal of trust. Who are you putting behind the wheel of your car? Do they have enough driving experience to safely drive their car to another state? Will they be respectful of your car and drive it “normally” or will they “drive it hard”? Are they going to be careful not to spill anything in your car and refrain from smoking in it? These are all considerations you’ll need to tackle before you hand someone your keys.

Regardless of who you hire, keep in mind that hiring a driver will still put extra miles (and wear and tear) on your car and you incur the risk of them getting into an accident with your car.

You’ll also want to confirm what the total cost is going to be. What will the driver charge for the job? Will the driver cover the cost of gas, food, and lodging or will you be responsible for those expenses as well?

There are many things to consider and questions to ask when hiring a driver to transport your car to another state, but it can be a viable option.


Option #3: Tow or Trailer Your Car

A car trailer or tow dolly can frequently be used to attach your vehicle to a moving truck that you rent.

If you own both a car and a truck, you might be able to accomplish two goals at once. A hired car trailer or tow dolly can be used to attach your vehicle to the truck.

Those with expertise and comfort in pulling trailers and automobiles should choose this option. It may be incredibly unpleasant and even hazardous if you don't know how to pull a car or trailer.


Option #4: Transport Your Car with Your Moving Company

Whether you're choosing a moving company, ask them whether they also provide automobile shipping services. Your overall relocation will be simpler as a result of having one fewer thing to think about. If they do provide the service, they might either handle the auto transfer themselves or act as a middleman for you.


Option #5: Ship Your Car to Another State by Train

This option is only available for those on the East Coast. Amtrak Auto Train allows you to transport your car with a passenger train through the direct-to-consumer freight train option. However, you do need to be on the train with your car. Traveling from Virginia to Florida can take a lot longer than flying, and it can cost close to $150 for a one-way ticket at the time of this writing.


Option #6: Ship Your Car by Boat

There are a couple of states where moving a car by boat is the best option (or only option). If you need to ship a car to Hawaii, a boat is your only option. Alaska is another state where shipping a car by boat makes sense. It isn’t cheap, however. At the time of this writing, you’ll pay over $2,100 just for the car’s boat ride from the Port of Tacoma in Washington to the Anchorage Port in Alaska.


Option #7: Hire an Auto Transport Company

Instead of racking up miles on your car and exposing it to unnecessary wear and tear, consider hiring an auto transport company such as Budget Auto Transporter. This is a safe, convenient, and surprisingly affordable option.

When you work with an auto transport company, the company may be a broker or carrier (or both). Budget Auto Transporter is an example of a company this is both a car carrier and a licensed broker. Whether you work with a broker or a carrier, you’ll want to make sure they provide door-to-door service, which means they will pick up your car at your home and deliver it to your new home in the state you are moving to.

You’ll also want to find out if they provide open or enclosed car shipping. Open car shipping is the most common and least expensive option, but if you have a very expensive or rare car, enclosed car shipping might be worth the added expense.


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