If you’re moving from Hawaii to the Mainland U.S., you’ve got a big journey ahead of you. A 2,400-mile one, at the very least! That’s a big distance to cover, and it’s not just you and your family that’ll need to get there, but all of your belongings that you want to bring along, too.

That also more than likely includes your car, as many Hawaiian departees prefer to bring their vehicles with them to the Mainland rather than selling and buying new ones when they arrive. 

But, before you leave the Aloha State behind, it’s important to price everything up and understand how much you’ll have to spend on the move. This guide breaks down the cost of transporting your vehicle when moving from Hawaii to Mainland destinations.

How Much Does it Cost?

So, how much are you looking at when taking your car from Hawaii to the Mainland? Well, sadly, there’s no simple, fixed-rate answer to that question. The truth of the matter is that vehicle shopping costs can vary enormously based on a whole bunch of factors, like:

  • Your final destination
  • The size and weight of your car
  • The shipping company you work with
  • The shipping method you select
  • Any extra services you require

On average, you’re looking at a minimum of $1,000 to ship a car when moving from Hawaii to Mainland locations. But that could rise up to $1,500, $2,000, or even more, depending on the factors listed above.

Let’s take a closer look at how it all works.

How Destination Affects Shipping Rates

The first big thing that shipping companies will usually look at when calculating your costs is your end destination. Naturally, the further you need to go, the more you’ll usually have to spend, as the shippers have to spend more of their own fuel, time, and manpower getting your car there. 

Let’s say, for example, you’re going from Hawaii to a port in California or Washington (West Coast is closest to Hawaii), then you could get the whole service for around $1,000. However, if you’re heading all the way over to an East Coast destination, like Boston, that’s going to take a whole lot longer, leading to significantly higher costs.

How Size and Weight Affect the Rates

The size and weight of your vehicle can have an impact on the shipping costs, too, when moving from Hawaii to Mainland spots. 

However, the difference is only really noticeable when it comes to very large (oversized) vehicles. Most SUVs and regular cars are all the same rate, but if you need to transport an RV, for example, over to the Mainland, that may need a specialist shipping container, leading to higher costs.

How Shipping Companies Have Different Rates

Naturally, shippers don’t all charge the exact same rates as one another. Many will try to undercut their competition to secure more business, while some may charge extra with the promise of safer or “premium” shipping services and guarantees. 

This is why it’s worth shopping around and comparing quotes from a few providers when you’re moving from Hawaii to the Mainland. You may find that one provider is notably cheaper than another for the exact same shipping route. 

However, cheaper providers may also have some caveats—hey might be slower, for example, or not quite as well-rated, with a possibly higher risk of your vehicle getting damaged or dented en route.

How Shipping Methods Affect Rates

Arguably, the No. 1 factor affecting how much you spend to take your car to the Mainland is the shipping method you select. There are a few options here:

  • Port to Port: A direct route that ships your car from a Hawaiian port to one of the ports on the West Coast of America (California and Washington). You have to drop the car off at the port and pick it up at the other end.
  • Port to Door: With this method, you drop your vehicle off at the port in Hawaii, and the shipper will take it over the Pacific, to the West Coast, and then drive it onward to your final destination (your new home).
  • Door-to-Door: With a door-to-door service, the shipper does every single mile of the journey. They’ll collect your car from your home, take it to the port, ferry it over the ocean, and then transport it to your new property.

Naturally, port-to-door and door-to-door are more costly than a simpler port-to-port service.

Conclusion

So, to sum up, you can expect to spend around $1,000 to $2,000, on average, to get your vehicle over the Pacific and into the Mainland U.S. However, that price will vary depending on all the factors explored above, so make sure you weigh up each factor and compare quotes from at least a few shippers before you make up your mind.