Shipping your car to Florida for the winter

If you are shipping a car to Florida for the winter, book it about two weeks before your pickup date, and book earlier if you want it to leave between October and December. The car is picked up within 1 to 3 days of the first date you make it available, and from the Northeast it spends 2 to 4 days on the road. Coming home in spring is a second booking with its own price.

We are based in Boca Raton and run the snowbird lanes in both directions every year. Below is what to plan for on each leg.

When should I book car shipping to Florida for the winter?

Two weeks ahead is comfortable. One week is workable. We move same week loads regularly, but short notice usually costs more, because there is less time to find a truck that fits your route and dates.

The southbound season runs roughly October through December. That is when the most people want cars moved toward Florida, and those are the dates that book up first. If you have a fixed flight or a lease that starts on a set day, work backwards. Pickup can come up to 3 days after your first available date, so set that date at least 3 days before the car has to be gone, and have the car ready from that morning.

Before you approve anything, we confirm a carrier is available on your dates and send one price with a pickup window. The price you approve is the price you pay, with no fuel surcharge added at delivery.

Why does Florida car shipping get busier in the fall?

Car haulers go where the loads are. In the fall, demand runs south, so a southbound truck fills quickly and every open slot on it is in demand. A trip booked early gets a wider choice of trucks. A trip booked late takes whichever slot is left, and that slot can cost more.

In spring the pattern turns around. Roughly March through May, the same owners want their cars back north, and the northbound lanes fill instead. That is why the two legs of a snowbird season are priced separately and can differ. Why shipping a car can cost more in one direction explains the reasoning in more detail.

How long does it take to ship a car from the Northeast to Florida?

Add two parts together. First, the pickup window: 1 to 3 days after your first available date. Second, the road time: about 500 miles a day once the car is loaded. From the Northeast to South Florida that usually works out to 2 to 4 days on the road. From the Midwest, use the same 500 miles a day against your distance.

You get a specific pickup window before you approve the price. At dispatch you get the driver's name and phone number.

Should I ship my car to Florida on an open or enclosed trailer?

Open transport is the standard and the right choice for most snowbird cars. The car rides on a multi car hauler, the same kind that delivers new inventory to dealerships. It has the most trucks on the road, so it has the shortest wait and the lowest price.

Enclosed transport puts the car in a covered trailer with a lift gate, away from weather and road debris. It suits collector cars, exotics, low clearance cars, motorcycles and fresh paint. There are fewer enclosed trucks, so in the fall rush book an enclosed shipment earlier than you would an open one.

How do I get my car ready for the trip south?

• Wash it a day or two before pickup. Dirt hides scratches, and the pickup inspection only records what can be seen.
• Take dated photos of every side, the roof, the wheels and the odometer.
• Take out the toll transponder, garage remotes and parking passes.
• Fix or note any leak, and tell us if the car has a low front lip, a lift kit or roof racks, since each changes how it loads.
• Leave a quarter tank of fuel or less. That is enough to drive the car on and off the truck, and it keeps the weight down.
• Hand over one set of keys, including any key for a locking gas cap or wheel locks.

If the car does not run, say so when you request the quote. A car that rolls, steers and brakes goes on a truck with a winch. A car that does not roll needs a flatbed or a tow.

Can I pack things in my car when I ship it to Florida?

Some, with limits. Carriers are licensed to move vehicles, not household goods, and their cargo insurance does not cover your belongings. Most drivers allow up to about 100 pounds in the trunk, at your own risk. Keep everything below the window line. Take anything valuable, fragile or needed in your first few days with you on the plane.

Who has to be there when the car is picked up and delivered?

Any adult you name. It does not have to be you, which matters when you fly south before the car arrives or leave Florida before it is picked up for the trip home. A neighbor can release the car up north and a friend or building manager can receive it in Florida.

Whoever stands in for you signs the Bill of Lading at their end. That signature is the condition report for the trip. At pickup, the driver and your stand-in walk the car together and mark any existing damage. At delivery, the receiver walks it again and notes anything new on the Bill of Lading before signing, with photos. Give both people your own photos from before pickup so they know what the car looked like.

What if a car carrier cannot get to my Florida address?

A loaded car hauler runs about 75 feet long and cannot legally turn into many residential streets, older neighborhoods and gated communities. If your address is tight, the driver calls ahead and meets you a few minutes away at a wide lot, such as a shopping center parking lot. Tell us about gate codes, guard house rules or truck restrictions at your building when you book.

How do I ship my car back north in the spring?

Book it as its own trip. The northbound leg is a separate job, quoted on its own and priced for the spring market, which runs roughly March through May. It can cost more or less than the trip down, depending on how many cars are heading north on your dates. The same two weeks of notice applies, and the same rules on personal items and on who signs at each end.

When you know your dates, send the route and the car. A quote costs nothing, and nothing moves until you approve the price.