The estimated price to ship a sedan from New York to Florida on an open carrier is about $890. Larger vehicles cost more, and an enclosed trailer adds $450 per vehicle.
Depending on the two addresses, the drive is roughly 1,100 to 1,400 miles. 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 the trip south costs
Some estimated prices for a sedan on an open carrier:
- Manhattan to Orlando — about 1,100 miles, estimated $790
- Manhattan to Miami — about 1,280 miles, estimated $915
- Huntington, Long Island to West Palm Beach — about 1,225 miles, estimated $880
- Buffalo to Tampa — about 1,230 miles, estimated $880
An SUV, pickup or van costs more than a sedan; a car that doesn’t run adds $150 per vehicle. For your own two ZIP codes, use the calculator.
In the fall, snowbird season, southbound prices are often higher — the price follows what carriers are paid on the lane when you book. Price Lock is the safeguard: after you sign, if the carrier’s rate rises before pickup, we cover up to $200 per vehicle.
Picking up in New York City
City streets are the hard part of this trip. New York City keeps tractor-trailers on designated truck routes, and without a special permit a rig on city streets is limited to 55 feet — shorter than a full-size car carrier. A block in Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens is often out of reach for the truck.
When the carrier can’t safely get to your door, they may meet you at a nearby safe location — usually a wider street or a large lot near a main road. If the car lives in a parking garage, tell us its address and hours.
Long Island and Westchester usually have more room. Tell us about gate codes or a guard booth when you book, and we pass them to the carrier.
Upstate New York is a different trip
From Syracuse, Rochester or Buffalo the car doesn’t start on I-95. I-81 runs south from Syracuse through Binghamton, Pennsylvania and Virginia, where I-77 branches off toward Charlotte. From Buffalo, I-90 leads to Erie, Pennsylvania, and I-79 heads south from there to meet I-77 in West Virginia.
The exact road is the carrier’s call: a carrier hauls several cars at once, and the route follows where the other cars are going.
Winter comes early near the lakes. The National Weather Service in Buffalo notes that lake-effect snow can start in mid-November and peaks in December. If you can, schedule pickup before the heavy snow; a storm can push it back a day or two.
Down I-95 to Florida
From New York City, Long Island and Westchester, the trip mostly follows I-95: the New Jersey Turnpike, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond and the Carolinas, into Florida at Jacksonville, then down the Atlantic coast to West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, where it ends. For Orlando and Tampa, I-4 crosses the state from Daytona Beach; Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples sit on I-75.
Weighing the drive, or Amtrak’s Auto Train from Lorton, Virginia? We compare the costs in ship your car, drive it, or take the Auto Train.
Snowbird season: October to December
Most New York snowbirds send the car south between October and December; the weeks around Thanksgiving and the holidays are the busiest.
- Get your price once your travel date is firm. A quote is held for 7 days; signing locks it under Price Lock.
- Need one specific pickup day? A Fixed pickup day is $200: the truck comes on the date you pick, anytime that day, or the $200 is refunded. The date must be at least 5 days away.
Hurricane season runs until November 30, and a coastal storm can hold up a delivery. More on seasonal moves on our snowbirds page.
Before the truck arrives
- E-ZPass: it’s accepted on Florida’s toll roads too, so a tag left on the windshield can be charged while your car rides south. Take it out before pickup.
- Personal items: up to 100 lbs, in the trunk or below the window line; more only if your dispatcher confirms it in writing with the carrier (it may cost extra). They travel at your own risk.
- Not there yourself? Any adult you name can hand over the keys.
- Inspection: walk around the car with the driver, note its condition on the Bill of Lading, and take your own photos.
Moving to Florida for good? Florida asks new residents to register within 10 days of establishing residency, with Florida insurance, and a used car titled in another state needs a VIN verification. Check the current rules with the Florida DHSMV.
Open or enclosed
Most cars on this lane ride on an open carrier. A classic or exotic fits an enclosed trailer, shielded from weather and road debris for +$450 per vehicle. Either way, the assigned carrier’s cargo insurance covers the car — at least $100,000; if it’s worth more, tell us before you book.
Who carries your car, and how you pay
ShiftHaul is a licensed broker: we arrange the carrier and check them on every load — an SMS to the phone on their FMCSA record, insurance confirmed with their agent, the driver’s location at pickup, and a VIN-plate check against the carrier’s insured vehicles. See how our verification works. You get the driver’s name and phone once your car is picked up.
Nothing is due for a quote or a booking. When a carrier is assigned, a $150 deposit goes on your card — part of your total. The balance is charged at pickup, or, with pay on delivery, paid to the driver in Florida (cash, Zelle, Venmo or cashier’s check).
Ready for your own number? Get your price.