Car Shipping in Tennessee

How Tennessee Car Transport Works

Step 1: Get a Quote

Call (800) 677-1196 or complete the online form. We need your pickup and delivery addresses, vehicle make and model, preferred dates, and transport type. Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga are all well-served markets and we can typically give you a firm quote quickly.

Step 2: Book and Schedule

Once confirmed, we assign a carrier from our dispatch network. For Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, and Chattanooga, lead time is typically 2-4 business days for open transport. Smaller markets — Johnson City, Kingsport, Jackson, Cookeville, may take 3-5 business days depending on carrier routing along secondary corridors.

Step 3: Pickup and Inspection

The driver arrives, documents your vehicle’s condition on the Bill of Lading, and you both sign off. Keys over and we handle everything from there. You will receive confirmation when your vehicle is loaded and in transit.

Step 4: Delivery

Door-to-door delivery wherever road access allows. On arrival the driver completes a final inspection against the Bill of Lading. Any condition changes are documented before the driver leaves.

Open vs. Enclosed Car Transport in Tennessee

Open transport is the standard for most Tennessee shipments. Your vehicle loads onto a multi-car carrier, exposed to weather and road elements but fully insured. It is the most widely available and cost-effective option for standard vehicles on any route.

Enclosed transport ships your vehicle inside a sealed trailer, protected from weather, road debris, and dust. Tennessee’s position as a through-state on I-40 means open carriers are common and well-maintained, but for classic cars, exotics, or any vehicle you would rather not expose to multiple days on the road, enclosed is the right call. Enclosed runs 30-50% above open rates.

Tennessee also has a notable classic car community concentrated in Nashville and the surrounding counties. If you are shipping a collectible or a vehicle with sentimental value, enclosed is worth the premium regardless of season.

Tennessee Car Shipping Costs

Pricing depends on distance, vehicle size, transport type, time of year, and route demand. Tennessee’s central Southeast position and strong highway infrastructure keep carrier competition active on major corridors. The estimates below are for a standard sedan on an open carrier.

Estimates based on current open carrier market rates for a standard 4-door sedan. Enclosed transport adds 30-50%. Smaller Tennessee markets off the major interstates may carry a small access surcharge. Call (800) 677-1196 for an exact quote on your route and vehicle.

Tennessee sees its highest demand in late spring and summer (May-August), driven by the university calendar and corporate relocation cycles aligned with Nashville’s growth. The Nashville-to-Florida corridor also sees a modest fall uptick as retirees head south. September through November and January through March are typically the most cost-competitive scheduling windows.

Most Common Tennessee Car Transport Routes

Tennessee to Florida

The highest-volume outbound corridor from Tennessee. Nashville to Miami and Memphis to Tampa are active year-round, with a seasonal spike in fall as retirees and snowbirds head south. Transit is 2-4 days from Nashville. Tennessee’s central Southeast position keeps this route well-served with competitive carrier availability.

Tennessee to California

Nashville to Los Angeles at 2,100 miles is a major long-haul. Carriers run I-40 west consistently — it is one of the primary east-west corridors in the country and originates near Nashville. Transit is 5-7 days. Volume driven by entertainment industry relocations between Nashville and Los Angeles, corporate moves to the West Coast, and the steady flow of people leaving California for Tennessee.

Tennessee to New York and the Northeast

Nashville to New York at 900 miles is a well-traveled corridor active year-round. Transit is 2-4 days. Consistent volume from financial services and healthcare sector transfers, and from Tennessee graduates and residents relocating to the Northeast metro areas.

Tennessee to Chicago and the Midwest

Nashville to Chicago at 480 miles is one of the shorter major corridors out of Tennessee. Transit is 1-2 days and carrier availability is generally strong on I-65 north. Volume driven by corporate transfers, university moves, and the reverse migration of Midwest residents to Tennessee.

Within Tennessee

Nashville to Memphis (210 miles), Nashville to Knoxville (180 miles), Nashville to Chattanooga (135 miles), and Knoxville to Chattanooga (115 miles) are the most common intrastate routes. These are typically 1-day runs schedulable within 24-48 hours. The Nashville-to-Chattanooga corridor benefits from carrier density tied to the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga.

Inbound to Tennessee

Tennessee has no state income tax, which is a significant registration consideration for new arrivals from California, New York, and Illinois. Vehicle registration requires a title transfer within 30 days of establishing residency. Tennessee requires an emissions inspection only in certain counties like Davidson (Nashville), Shelby (Memphis), Hamilton (Chattanooga), and Rutherford are the primary emissions counties. Most of the state is exempt. Check the Tennessee Department of Revenue for current county requirements before shipping.

Why Ship With We Will Transport It

Tennessee’s position on I-40 means it is on the route of carriers moving vehicles coast-to-coast every day. That carrier density on the major corridors gives us good access on Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis pickups with competitive lead times. For smaller Tennessee markets on secondary highways like Kingsport, Johnson City, Jackson, Cookeville, we build in the right lead time rather than quoting a standard window that does not account for the additional routing.

Fort Campbell is one of the most active military PCS markets in the Southeast. We have handled moves in and out of the 101st Airborne’s rotation cycle enough times to know the timeline pressures that come with a PCS order and how to match carrier availability to a reporting date.

Every carrier in our network is vetted, licensed, and insured under FMCSA requirements. You get a firm price before you commit, a real person when you call, and status updates while your vehicle is in transit. Licensed, bonded, and operating for over 25 years.

Car Types We Transport

Our car transportation services cover nearly every vehicle on the road: sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, motorcycles, ATVs, classic cars, and exotic vehicles. We even arrange classic car transport with enclosed trailers for collectors and car hauling for oversized or heavy duty vehicles. If you need to ship cars in bulk, our network of car transport carriers and auto transport companies can handle the job.

Car Transport Service Areas in Tennessee

We Will Transport It serves every city and community in Tennessee. Commonly requested pickup and delivery points include:

• Nashville / Davidson County — largest auto transport market in Tennessee; I-40 and I-65 junction; rapid relocation inflow from high-tax states
• Memphis / Shelby County — I-40 and I-55 junction; significant FedEx logistics hub; active corridor to Arkansas and Mississippi
• Knoxville — University of Tennessee; I-75 and I-40 junction; East Tennessee gateway to the Southeast
• Chattanooga / Hamilton County — Volkswagen US plant; I-75 and I-24 corridor; growing corporate relocation market
• Clarksville / Fort Campbell — 101st Airborne Division; one of the largest Army installations in the US; consistent military PCS transport demand
• Murfreesboro — Middle Tennessee State University; fastest-growing city in Tennessee; Nashville suburb with strong relocation transport
• Franklin / Brentwood / Spring Hill — Williamson County affluent suburbs; GM Spring Hill plant; high enclosed transport demand
• Smyrna / La Vergne — Nissan North American manufacturing headquarters; supplier network transport demand
• Johnson City / Kingsport / Bristol — Tri-Cities metro; East Tennessee Appalachian corridor; East Tennessee State University
• Jackson — West Tennessee hub; I-40 corridor between Nashville and Memphis
• Cookeville — I-40 corridor; Tennessee Tech University; growing Middle Tennessee market
• Tullahoma / Manchester — Arnold AFB adjacent; Middle Tennessee secondary market
• Oak Ridge / Maryville — East Tennessee; Department of Energy facility adjacent; University of Tennessee proximity

Not on this list? We pick up and deliver anywhere in Tennessee. Call (800) 677-1196 or get a free quote online.

Important Links for Tennessee

Tennessee Official State
Tennessee Department of Labor
Tennessee Division of Motor Vehicles