Alabama to Illinois Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 731 miles from Alabama to Illinois ranges from $776 to $1,104 and takes one–six days depending on factors like the transport type and season. For a more detailed quote, use our car shipping cost calculator.
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Shipping a car the reverse route? We’ve got you covered with our Illinois to Alabama car shipping guide.
The best Alabama to Illinois car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Alabama to Illinois:
- Best for accurate pricing: Sherpa Auto Transport
- Best cross-country shipper: Montway Auto Transport
- Best for discounts: AmeriFreight Car Transport
- Best for overall value: SGT Auto Transport
- Best for quick pickup: Easy Auto Ship
- Price Lock Promise
- Pay by credit card
- Free car wash at delivery
- No upfront deposit
- Door-to-door service
- No upfront payment
- GPS tracking
- Multiple insurance options
- Competitive pricing
- Door-to-door shipping
- Competitive pricing
- Last-minute car shipments
- Guaranteed & expedited shipments
- Gap insurance coverage
- Multiple discounts
- No hidden fees
- Free online quotes
- Door-to-door service in 48 states
- Exact pickup dates
- Ships to & from HI
- No upfront deposit
- Expedited shipping
- No hidden fees
- Ships motorcycles & RVs
- Discount for cash payments
Alternative ways to ship your car from Alabama to Illinois
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 731 miles on your car going from Alabama to Illinois. If you’re not sure, here are the pros and cons of driving your car vs shipping it.
- Ship it with your movers. If you need to ship your car from Alabama for a move to Illinois, you may want to hire a moving company that can handle car shipping, as well. Many long-distance moving companies work with reputable car shippers to coordinate auto transport.
- Hire a driver. Hire someone to drive the car from Alabama to Illinois for you. It’s an option, but will probably be a very costly one and involve trusting a driver to safely get your car to its destination.
- Ship by train. If this is an option for you, it’s an affordable and secure way of shipping your vehicle. Shipping a car by train is actually the cheapest way to ship your car!
AL to IL auto transport costs and transit times
The tables below detail the costs and estimated transit times for shipping a car between popular cities in Alabama and Illinois. The average travel distance is about 731 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to six days .
Cost to ship a car from Huntsville, AL to Illinois
| From Alabama to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL to Chicago, IL | $742 – $1,016 | 580 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Aurora, IL | $708 – $1,005 | 615 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Joliet, IL | $685 – $997 | 588 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Naperville, IL | $701 – $1,046 | 601 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Rockford, IL | $721 – $1,036 | 669 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Birmingham, AL to Illinois
| From Alabama to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL | $773 – $1,015 | 661 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Aurora, IL | $748 – $1,082 | 695 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Joliet, IL | $751 – $1,111 | 669 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Naperville, IL | $801 – $1,147 | 682 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Rockford, IL | $792 – $1,161 | 749 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Montgomery, AL to Illinois
| From Alabama to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, AL to Chicago, IL | $809 – $1,182 | 750 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Aurora, IL | $785 – $1,155 | 784 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Joliet, IL | $761 – $1,194 | 758 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Naperville, IL | $833 – $1,171 | 770 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Rockford, IL | $812 – $1,275 | 838 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Mobile, AL to Illinois
| From Alabama to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, AL to Chicago, IL | $812 – $1,247 | 917 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Mobile, AL to Aurora, IL | $844 – $1,219 | 951 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Mobile, AL to Joliet, IL | $796 – $1,322 | 925 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Mobile, AL to Naperville, IL | $853 – $1,208 | 936 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Mobile, AL to Rockford, IL | $820 – $1,297 | 938 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Tuscaloosa, AL to Illinois
| From Alabama to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Chicago, IL | $759 – $1,060 | 716 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Aurora, IL | $753 – $1,148 | 751 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Joliet, IL | $776 – $1,081 | 725 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Naperville, IL | $776 – $1,104 | 737 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Rockford, IL | $815 – $1,257 | 805 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Alabama to Illinois
Since vehicles like SUVs, trucks, and vans are larger and heavier, it’s a bit more expensive to ship them than a sedan. How much more?
If you’re shipping a larger vehicle from Alabama to Illinois you should expect to pay between $970 and $1,380.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from AL to IL
When transporting your vehicle from the Heart of Dixie to the Land of Lincoln, these factors will influence your final price:
- Type of transport: Options like open, enclosed, or top-loaded transport cater to different needs. Open carriers are cost-effective, while enclosed transport provides added protection for luxury or classic cars. If you’re not sure, check out our guide comparing open vs. enclosed car shipping.
- Vehicle size and type: The dimensions and weight of your vehicle directly affect shipping costs. The larger and heavier your vehicle, the more it will cost to ship your car to Illinois.
- Distance and route: The journey from Alabama to Illinois spans approximately 731 miles, influencing fuel and labor costs. The longer the distance, the bigger the price tag.
- Time of the year: Seasonal demand impacts the price of getting your car out of Alabama, with summer and winter holidays often seeing a spike due to increased moving and travel activity.
- Fuel prices: Fluctuating fuel prices can significantly affect transport costs. This is an important consideration given the distance between Alabama and Illinois and the varying gas prices across the country.
- Delivery expectations: Because it’ll make their job easier, your auto shipper may give you a pricing discount if you’re flexible on delivery dates. That being said, getting your car from Alabama to Illinois should take between one and six days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Illinois vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The liability insurance minimums for Illinois are $25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, and $20,000 property damage liability per accident.
- Vehicle inspection: In Illinois, emissions inspections are mandatory on a yearly basis for eligible vehicles in the Chicago and East St. Louis metropolitan areas. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency conducts tests on automobiles before residents can renew their vehicle registration with the Secretary of State's office.
- Driver’s license: Even if your out-of-state driver's license is valid, you must still pass a vision test and written exam if you are moving to Illinois. Within 90 days of becoming a resident in the state, you must convert your license to an Illinois non-commercial license.
- Additional taxes: According to Illinois law, the recipient or buyer of any vehicle transferred within the state must complete a Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction form (form RUT-50) and pay the sales tax for the car within 30 days of the transfer of ownership.
Learn more with our car shipping checklist.
Transporting your vehicle from Alabama
More than 39 million people call Alabama home. Nicknamed the Heart of Dixie, Alabama has one of the hottest summers in the US and mild winters with copious amounts of precipitation throughout the year. Areas around the Gulf in Alabama are prone to tropical storms and hurricanes. Alabama also has tornado activity, which typically occurs in the spring It would be a good idea to check for tornado activity in the area you are looking to move to.
Transporting your vehicle to Illinois
About 22 million people are living in the Land of Lincoln. Illinois' climate is clearly different in the northern and southern halves of the state. The northern half experiences cold winters and mild summers whereas the southern half experiences mild winters and hot and humid summers. Illinois is a part of "tornado alley"
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Alabama and delivery in Illinois?
Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in Alabama and when dropping it off in Illinois.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Alabama to Illinois?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Alabama to Illinois, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Illinois, which you should verify before loading your car in Alabama.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. Alabama state government requires motorists possess liability insurance, which must provide a minimum coverage of 25/50/25. This specification includes coverage for bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident, and property damage per accident.
The liability insurance minimums for Illinois are $25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, and $20,000 property damage liability per accident.
How long does it take to ship a car from Alabama to Illinois?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Alabama to Illinois is about 731 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take one to six days to travel from Alabama to Illinois.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
In Alabama, a safety inspection must be completed prior to selling a vehicle and a VIN inspection is mandatory when registering an out-of-state vehicle. Emissions inspections are not required by the state, though cities and municipalities may have their own laws mandating them.
In Illinois, emissions inspections are mandatory on a yearly basis for eligible vehicles in the Chicago and East St. Louis metropolitan areas. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency conducts tests on automobiles before residents can renew their vehicle registration with the Secretary of State's office.
If I have a driver’s license in Alabama, will I need one in Illinois?
Even if your out-of-state driver's license is valid, you must still pass a vision test and written exam if you are moving to Illinois. Within 90 days of becoming a resident in the state, you must convert your license to an Illinois non-commercial license.
If I bought a car in Alabama, will I be required to pay sales tax in Illinois after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Alabama to Illinois after purchasing it.
According to Illinois law, the recipient or buyer of any vehicle transferred within the state must complete a Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction form (form RUT-50) and pay the sales tax for the car within 30 days of the transfer of ownership.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Alabama and Illinois to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Alabama to Illinois?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Alabama to Illinois is to ship it on a train or choose an open trailer transport method, avoid expedited shipping, and be flexible with your pickup dates.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Alabama to Illinois?
Shipping a car from Alabama to Illinois costs $776 to $1,104.
