Car shipping from Los Angeles, CA to Honolulu, HI
Hawaii is a special case: cars reach Hawaii by ship, mostly from ports in California and the Pacific Northwest, so a mainland-to-Hawaii move is usually a truck leg to the port plus an ocean leg to Honolulu or a neighbor-island port. Post the trip once and companies that handle Hawaii shipments send written quotes that spell out each leg.
- Distance
- About 2,550 miles (4,100 km) by sea
- Typical transit
- Depends on sailings
- Usual route
- By ship from a Southern California port
- Border
- No border crossing
Distance is our estimate from the two city centres. Transit times are typical ranges, not promises; each company writes its own in its quote.
About this route
Ocean shipping runs on sailing schedules, so the total time depends on when the next ship leaves and how far the car travels by truck before it reaches the port. Ask each company for its port cut-off date and expected arrival in writing.
Los Angeles, CA: California is the biggest car-shipping market in the US.
Hawaii: Ocean lines have their own rules (for example a low fuel level and no personal items in the car), so ask each company exactly which legs it handles.
Main highways in Hawaii: ocean shipping from West Coast ports. In busy downtown areas, carriers often ask to meet at a wide street or parking lot nearby, since a full car carrier is about 75 feet (23 m) long.
When to ship from Los Angeles, CA to Honolulu, HI
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.
Sailing schedules
Ocean legs run on sailing schedules, with cut-off dates at the port. Ask each company for its port cut-off and expected arrival date in writing.
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.
Open or enclosed on this route?
Most cars on this route travel on open carriers, the multi-car trucks you see on every highway. It's the most common choice and the one most carriers on this lane run.
Over a trip of about 2,550 miles (4,100 km), an open car picks up road grime. An enclosed trailer keeps it clean and covered the whole way.
Strong sun at the southern end of the trip is another reason owners of classic and dark-painted cars choose enclosed.
On the ocean leg the car rides inside a roll-on/roll-off ship or a container; open or enclosed applies to the truck legs at each end.
For classic, exotic, lowered or brand-new cars, ask for enclosed quotes too: you can say in your notes that you'd like both and compare them side by side.
Moving to Hawaii for good?
Once the car arrives, register it with the county motor vehicle office (Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui or Kauai County). Ask what it needs for a vehicle registered somewhere else (often a VIN check, an inspection or an emissions test) before your old plates or insurance run out.
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 this route
How far is it from Los Angeles to Honolulu?
How long does shipping a car from Los Angeles, CA to Honolulu, HI take?
How much does it cost to ship a car from Los Angeles, CA to Honolulu, HI?
Will companies call me after I post?
Do I need to be there at pickup and delivery?
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Ship your car from Los Angeles, CA to Honolulu, HI
Post once in about two minutes. Verified companies answer in writing; your phone stays private.