Car shipping from Montréal, QC to Fort Lauderdale, FL
Every fall, snowbirds from Québec send their cars south for the winter, and Fort Lauderdale, FL is a popular place to spend it. Post the trip once and verified carriers and brokers who run this lane answer in writing, so you can compare prices, pickup windows and insurance without a single sales call.
- Distance
- About 1,600 miles (2,600 km)
- Typical transit
- 4–8 days after pickup
- Usual route
- Autoroute 15 to the Lacolle–Champlain crossing, then I-87 and I-95
- Border
- Crosses the US–Canada border
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
Once your car is on the truck, a trip of this length typically takes about 4–8 days, including time at the border. Before that comes the pickup window: carriers combine several cars into one load, so pickup is usually within a few days of your first available date, sooner if your dates are flexible. Every quote states the company's own pickup window and transit time, so you can compare them side by side.
Montréal, QC: Many Québec snowbirds spend the winter in South Florida, especially around Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Pompano Beach, and Autoroute 15 to I-87 at Lacolle–Champlain is the main road south.
Fort Lauderdale, FL: Florida is the top snowbird destination for Ontario, Québec and the US Northeast, so southbound demand peaks from October to December and northbound demand from March to May.
Main highways in Florida: I-95, I-75, I-4 and I-10. 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 Montréal, QC to Fort Lauderdale, FL
Snowbird season
Southbound demand builds from late September and peaks from October to December, as snowbirds send their cars ahead of them. Trucks on this run fill up, so posting a few weeks ahead and giving a flexible pickup window usually gets you more quotes to compare.
Winter weather
Winters in Québec bring snow and road salt, roughly December to March. Carriers keep running, but a storm can push pickup or delivery by a day or two. A car on an open carrier will arrive salty, so plan a wash.
Hurricane season
Hurricane season on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts runs from June 1 to November 30. A storm can delay pickup or delivery near the coast, and carriers won't load or unload during an evacuation.
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 1,600 miles (2,600 km), an open car picks up road grime and, in winter, salt spray. An enclosed trailer keeps it clean and covered the whole way.
Snowbirds often ship a convertible or a second car they want to keep nice; enclosed transport is worth comparing for anything you'd rather not expose to winter road spray.
Strong sun at the southern end of the trip is another reason owners of classic and dark-painted cars choose enclosed.
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.
Paperwork for Canada to the US
Only companies that handle cross-border work will quote this trip, and each quote should say who prepares and files the paperwork.
- Canadian car going south for the winter: a Canadian resident's car visiting the US is not an import. Carriers that cross the border usually ask for the ownership (registration), a copy of your passport or ID, proof of insurance that covers the US, and a signed letter allowing them to take the car across.
- Car moving to the US for good: it must meet US import rules for safety (NHTSA) and emissions (EPA) and is entered through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). After that, register it with the Florida HSMV (county tax collector offices). Vehicles coming from out of state need a VIN verification (form HSMV 82042) before a Florida title is issued.
Rules change; confirm with the company you book and with CBSA or CBP before the car moves. This is general information, not legal advice.
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 Montréal to Fort Lauderdale?
How long does shipping a car from Montréal, QC to Fort Lauderdale, FL take?
How much does it cost to ship a car from Montréal, QC to Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Will companies call me after I post?
Can any carrier take a car across the border?
Do I need to be there at pickup and delivery?
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Ship your car from Montréal, QC to Fort Lauderdale, FL
Post once in about two minutes. Verified companies answer in writing; your phone stays private.