Car shipping to and from California
Moving to California, leaving it, or shipping a car within the state? Post the trip once and verified carriers and brokers send written quotes to your private dashboard. No spam calls.
Shipping a car in California
California is the biggest car-shipping market in the US. The ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Hueneme handle vehicle imports, and there are constant moves between Southern California, the Bay Area, Texas, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest. Many people moving out of state fly ahead and ship the car, and Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley draw winter snowbirds from Western Canada.
Main routes: I-5, I-10, I-15, I-40, I-80 and US-101.
Cities we serve include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, Palm Springs and Fresno, plus every other town in California: if a truck can reach it, you can post it.
Distances and typical transit from Los Angeles, CA
Road distances are our estimate from city centres. Transit is the typical time on the truck after pickup; each company writes its own in its quote.
| To | Distance | Typical transit |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 2,850 miles (4,600 km) | 7–10 days |
| Miami, FL | 2,750 miles (4,400 km) | 7–10 days |
| Chicago, IL | 2,050 miles (3,300 km) | 5–8 days |
| Dallas, TX | 1,450 miles (2,350 km) | 3–5 days |
| Seattle, WA | 1,100 miles (1,800 km) | 3–5 days |
| Toronto, ON | 2,550 miles (4,100 km) | 7–11 days |
| Calgary, AB | 1,400 miles (2,250 km) | 3–6 days |
Popular routes to and from California
- Calgary, AB to Palm Springs, CA
- Vancouver, BC to Palm Springs, CA
- Los Angeles, CA to Dallas, TX
- Dallas, TX to Los Angeles, CA
- Los Angeles, CA to Houston, TX
- Houston, TX to Los Angeles, CA
- Los Angeles, CA to Austin, TX
- San Francisco, CA to Austin, TX
- San Diego, CA to San Antonio, TX
- Los Angeles, CA to New York, NY
- New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA
- San Francisco, CA to New York, NY
- New York, NY to San Francisco, CA
- Boston, MA to Los Angeles, CA
- Los Angeles, CA to Seattle, WA
- Seattle, WA to Los Angeles, CA
- San Francisco, CA to Seattle, WA
- Seattle, WA to San Francisco, CA
- San Francisco, CA to Portland, OR
- Los Angeles, CA to Portland, OR
- San Diego, CA to Seattle, WA
- Los Angeles, CA to Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA to Phoenix, AZ
- San Francisco, CA to Denver, CO
- Los Angeles, CA to Denver, CO
- Los Angeles, CA to Nashville, TN
- Los Angeles, CA to Chicago, IL
- Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT to Los Angeles, CA
- Los Angeles, CA to Boise, ID
- Atlanta, GA to Los Angeles, CA
- Los Angeles, CA to Honolulu, HI
- Vancouver, BC to Los Angeles, CA
When to ship to and from California
Mountain passes
Routes through California can cross mountain passes where winter storms and chain laws slow trucks. Building a spare day or two into a winter pickup window takes the pressure off.
Peak moving season
June to August is the busiest moving season in North America: school-year moves, new jobs and military transfers all land in summer. Posting early gives you more quotes and more choice of dates.
Snowbird season in California
Southbound demand into California peaks from October to December and northbound demand from March to May. Post a few weeks before you need the car, and give a flexible pickup window; trucks on snowbird lanes fill quickly in those months.
Moving to California?
Once the car arrives, register it with the California DMV. Vehicles coming from out of state need a VIN verification and, for most, a smog certificate before they can be registered.
Shipping across the Canadian border? Only companies that handle cross-border work will quote, and you'll need the ownership or title, ID and a signed authorization letter; permanent imports have extra steps. Each cross-border route page explains the paperwork.
How it works here
Same three steps on every route, and nobody gets your phone number unless you book them.
Post once
Vehicle, pickup and delivery cities, first available date, open or enclosed, and a few photos. About two minutes, free.
Verified companies quote in writing
Checked carriers and brokers (USDOT/MC or NSC/CVOR plus insurance) send a written price, pickup window and transit time to your private dashboard.
No spam calls
Message companies in-app. Your name, phone and street address go only to the company you book.
Questions about shipping to and from California
How long does it take to ship a car to and from California?
How much does it cost to ship a car to and from California?
Do you cover small towns in California?
Will my phone start ringing after I post?
Get quotes to and from California
Post once in about two minutes. Verified companies answer in writing; your phone stays private.