Local, Statewide and Cross Country Car Shipping
How Michigan 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. Detroit and the Southeast Michigan suburbs are well-served with strong carrier density. Northern Michigan and UP destinations require more lead time (flag those when you book).
Step 2: Book and Schedule
Once confirmed, we assign a carrier from our dispatch network. For Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Ann Arbor, lead time from booking to pickup is typically 2-4 business days for open transport. Northern Lower Michigan destinations, such as Traverse City, Petoskey, Charlevoix, take 3-5 business days. Upper Peninsula pickups and deliveries require 5-7 business days and specific carrier planning given the Mackinac Bridge crossing.
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. Keys handed over, done.
Michigan Car Shipping Costs
Pricing depends on distance, vehicle size, transport type, time of year, and route demand. Detroit and Southeast Michigan have strong carrier density on major corridors, which keeps pricing competitive on the routes that matter most. The estimates below are for a standard sedan on an open carrier.
| From |
To |
Distance |
Est. Transit |
Est. Cost (Open) |
| Detroit, MI |
Miami, FL |
1,380 mi |
3-5 days |
$800-$1,050 |
| Detroit, MI |
Los Angeles, CA |
2,280 mi |
5-7 days |
$950-$1,200 |
| Detroit, MI |
Scottsdale, AZ |
1,970 mi |
5-6 days |
$900-$1,150 |
| Detroit, MI |
New York, NY |
600 mi |
1-3 days |
$550-$750 |
| Detroit, MI |
Dallas, TX |
1,190 mi |
3-4 days |
$700-$900 |
| Detroit, MI |
Atlanta, GA |
740 mi |
2-3 days |
$600-$800 |
| Detroit, MI |
Seattle, WA |
2,350 mi |
6-8 days |
$1,000-$1,250 |
| Grand Rapids, MI |
Fort Lauderdale, FL |
1,450 mi |
3-5 days |
$825-$1,075 |
Estimates based on current open carrier market rates for a standard 4-door sedan. Enclosed transport adds 30-50%. Northern Michigan and Upper Peninsula destinations carry a surcharge reflecting thin carrier coverage and Mackinac Bridge crossing logistics. Typically $100-$200 above standard Lower Michigan rates. Fall snowbird window (October-December) on Michigan-to-Florida and Michigan-to-Arizona routes runs above these estimates. Call (800) 677-1196 for an exact quote.
Michigan has two peak demand windows. The fall snowbird departure from October through December drives volume on southbound routes to Florida and Arizona. The August university move-in season creates a secondary peak statewide. January through March and September are the most cost-competitive scheduling windows for most routes.
Upper Peninsula Car Transport: What to Know
The Upper Peninsula is one of the most logistically distinct auto transport markets in the contiguous US. A few realities worth knowing before you book:
- Mackinac Bridge access. The Mackinac Bridge is the only road connection between the Lower and Upper Peninsula. Carriers crossing the bridge are subject to wind restrictions. Vehicles over 5 feet wide can be restricted or required to pay for a bridge escort in high wind conditions. This can add time to UP deliveries depending on weather.
- Thin carrier coverage. Carrier density in the UP is thin. Most carriers running national routes do not routinely include UP stops, which means UP pickups and deliveries require a driver willing to extend their route. Lead times of 5-7 business days are realistic. During winter (November through March), lead times can extend further.
- Spring weight restrictions. UP roads are subject to seasonal closures and weight restrictions in spring thaw, typically April through mid-May. If you are shipping a vehicle to or from the UP during this period, confirm road conditions for your specific destination before booking.
- Key UP markets. Major UP transport markets include Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Houghton, Escanaba, and Iron Mountain. Michigan Tech in Houghton drives some academic-calendar vehicle transport into the Keweenaw Peninsula, the most logistically remote market in Michigan.
Open vs. Enclosed Car Transport in Michigan
Open transport is the standard for most Michigan 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 deserves serious consideration for Michigan winter shipments. Michigan road salt application runs from November through April, among the longest salt seasons in the country. Detroit and Southeast Michigan highways are heavily salted, and a multi-day open carrier haul in January through a Michigan winter exposes a vehicle to sustained salt spray on every surface. For classic cars, collector vehicles, fresh paint, or bare metal, enclosed is the right call from November through April without exception. Enclosed runs 30-50% above open rates.
Michigan also has a significant classic and collector car market concentrated in the Oakland County suburbs and in the northern cottage communities. Enclosed transport demand in Michigan is higher per capita than most Midwest states because of this. For any vehicle you would not drive through a salted highway in February, enclosed is the right call.
Most Common Michigan Car Transport Routes
Michigan to Florida
The highest-volume outbound corridor from Michigan. Detroit to Miami and Grand Rapids to Fort Lauderdale run consistently from October through May driven by the snowbird cycle and retirement relocations to South Florida. Transit is 3-5 days. The fall window books up in October and November — plan 3-4 weeks out if you are departing in November or December.
Michigan to Arizona
Detroit and Grand Rapids to Scottsdale and Sun City run heavily in fall. Arizona is Michigan’s second-largest snowbird destination after Florida. Traverse City and northern Michigan retirees who winter in Arizona ship vehicles via the same fall corridor. Transit from Detroit to Scottsdale is 5-6 days.
Michigan to California
Detroit to Los Angeles at 2,280 miles is a well-traveled long haul. Carriers run I-94 west to I-80 regularly. Transit averages 5-7 days. Volume driven by automotive industry relocations to California tech and design centers, and by Michigan residents moving permanently to the West Coast.
Michigan to New York and the Northeast
Detroit to New York at 600 miles is a short to mid-haul with good carrier availability on the I-90 corridor. Transit is 1-3 days. Active year-round with automotive and manufacturing sector transfers and with University of Michigan and Michigan State alumni relocating to the New York metro.
Within Michigan (Lower Peninsula)
Detroit to Grand Rapids (150 miles), Detroit to Traverse City (260 miles), Detroit to Kalamazoo (145 miles), and Ann Arbor to Lansing (65 miles) are the most common intrastate Lower Peninsula moves. These are typically 1-2 day runs schedulable within 24-48 hours outside of summer cottage season.
Within Michigan (Upper Peninsula)
Mackinaw City to Marquette (100 miles), Sault Ste. Marie to Escanaba (150 miles), and mainland Michigan to Houghton (300+ miles from Detroit via the bridge) are the most common UP transport moves. Budget 5-7 business days and communicate the specific destination address when booking. See the Upper Peninsula section above for access details.
Inbound to Michigan
Michigan requires title transfer and registration within 30 days of establishing residency. Michigan does not require an emissions test for most vehicles. Only certain areas near Detroit historically had testing requirements, and the statewide program ended in 2019. Check the Michigan Secretary of State for current registration requirements before shipping.
Car Transport Service Areas in Michigan
We Will Transport It serves every city and community in Michigan. Commonly requested pickup and delivery points include:
- Detroit — largest auto transport market in Michigan; Ford, GM, Stellantis proximity; I-75 and I-94 corridors
- Dearborn / Dearborn Heights — Ford Motor Company headquarters; consistent employee relocation transport
- Warren / Sterling Heights — GM Technical Center; largest suburban auto transport market in Southeast Michigan
- Auburn Hills — Stellantis North American headquarters; strong corporate relocation demand
- Ann Arbor — University of Michigan; heavy August and January student and faculty transport; Toyota and Google presence
- Lansing / East Lansing — Michigan State University; state government; GM Lansing plants
- Grand Rapids — Michigan’s second city; strong snowbird outflow to Florida; growing corporate relocation market
- Kalamazoo — Western Michigan University; pharmaceutical sector (Pfizer has historical roots); I-94 corridor
- Flint — I-75 corridor; automotive supplier network; recovering manufacturing market
- Troy / Bloomfield Hills / Birmingham — Oakland County affluent suburbs; above-average enclosed transport demand; high snowbird outflow to Arizona and Florida
- Traverse City — Northern Lower Michigan hub; seasonal cottage country; heavy summer transport demand
- Petoskey / Charlevoix — Harbor Springs corridor; high-value seasonal second-home transport market
- Mackinaw City — northern gateway; staging point for Upper Peninsula access
- Marquette — largest Upper Peninsula city; Northern Michigan University; Mackinac Bridge corridor
- Houghton / Hancock — Keweenaw Peninsula; Michigan Tech; most remote auto transport market in the state
- Selfridge ANG Base / Harrison Township — Macomb County; military PCS transport demand
Not on this list? We pick up and deliver anywhere in Michigan including the Upper Peninsula. Call (00) 677-1196 for access details on remote destinations before booking.
