The estimated price to ship a sedan from Michigan to Florida on an open carrier is about $920. Larger vehicles cost more, and enclosed transport adds $450 per vehicle.
The trip is 1,100 to 1,350 miles by road, depending on where you start and finish. Most trips of this length take about 2–4 days on the road once the car is picked up; your dispatcher gives you an honest pickup window.
What it costs to ship a car from Michigan to Florida
It depends on the vehicle, the distance between the two addresses, and open or enclosed. A few estimated prices for a sedan on an open carrier:
- Detroit to Orlando — about 1,120 miles, estimated $800
- Detroit to Tampa — about 1,160 miles, estimated $830
- Grand Rapids to Fort Myers — about 1,345 miles, estimated $965
SUVs, pickups and vans cost more than a sedan. Enclosed adds $450 per vehicle. If the car doesn’t run, that’s +$150 per vehicle. For a number for your own two ZIP codes, use the calculator.
Southbound prices are often higher in the fall, during snowbird season, because the price follows what carriers are paid on this lane when you book. That’s where Price Lock helps: once you sign, your price is locked, and if the carrier’s rate goes up before pickup, we cover up to $200 per vehicle.
The route: I-75 nearly the whole way
I-75 starts at the Canadian border in Sault Ste. Marie, runs through Flint and Detroit, and continues south through Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Atlanta. In Florida it follows the Gulf side past Ocala, Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, then crosses Alligator Alley toward Miami.
For Orlando, Florida’s east coast and South Florida, the usual connection is Florida’s Turnpike, which leaves I-75 at Wildwood and runs through Orlando, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale to Miami.
Where you start in Michigan changes the distance. Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor and Flint sit right on or next to I-75. West Michigan — Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo — adds miles before the truck reaches it, which is why the Grand Rapids to Fort Myers estimate is higher than Detroit to Orlando. We arrange pickup door to door anywhere in the state, including northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.
Thinking of driving it yourself instead? We compare the costs in ship your car, drive it, or take the Auto Train.
Snowbird season: book the trip south early
Most Michigan snowbirds head south between October and December. That’s the busiest time on this lane, so it pays to plan ahead:
- Get your price once your departure date is set. A quote is held for 7 days; sign it to lock it with Price Lock.
- Need the car picked up on one exact day? Add a Fixed pickup day for $200 — pickup on the date you choose, anytime that day, or your $200 comes back. Choose a date at least 5 days out.
- In a hurry? Priority dispatch (+$350) puts your order at the top of our dispatch queue with a higher carrier offer. It doesn’t guarantee a pickup date.
Flying down instead of driving two days? See how we handle seasonal moves on the snowbirds page. The trip back in spring is a separate booking with its own price — see Florida to Michigan.
Michigan winter and your car
Lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan can arrive in west Michigan by late fall, and a winter storm can slow a pickup anywhere in the state. If you can, ship before the heavy snow.
On an open carrier your car rides outside, so in winter it can pick up road salt and grime on the way south. Plan a wash after it arrives. For a classic, a fresh paint job or a car you’d rather keep clean, enclosed transport keeps it shielded from weather and road debris.
Open or enclosed for this trip
Most cars on this lane go open. Choose enclosed for a classic, exotic or high-value car. Either way, your car is covered by the assigned carrier’s cargo insurance, at least $100,000. If your car is worth more, tell us before booking so we can look for a carrier with higher limits.
Who’s moving your car
ShiftHaul is a licensed broker: we arrange the carrier, then verify them on every load — an SMS to their FMCSA phone, insurance from the agent, the driver’s location at pickup, and a VIN-plate check against the carrier’s insured vehicles. See how our verification works. Once your car is picked up, we share the driver’s name and phone number.
Paying for it
Nothing upfront — you don’t pay to get a quote or to book. Once a carrier is assigned, we charge a $150 deposit to your card; it’s part of your total, not an extra fee. The rest is paid at pickup on the same card, or to the driver at delivery (cash, Zelle, Venmo or cashier’s check) if you choose pay on delivery.
Before pickup in Michigan
- Personal items: up to 100 lbs, in the trunk or below the window line. More weight only if your dispatcher confirms it in writing with the carrier (it may cost extra). Personal items are always at your own risk.
- Can’t be there? Name an adult to hand the car over.
- If the truck can’t safely reach your address, the carrier may meet you at a nearby safe location.
- Walk around the car with the driver and record its condition on the Bill of Lading. Take photos.
Ready for a number? Get your price.