Alabama to Louisiana Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 388 miles from Alabama to Louisiana ranges from $568 to $809 and takes one–four 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 Louisiana to Alabama car shipping guide.
The best Alabama to Louisiana car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Alabama to Louisiana:
- 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 Louisiana
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 388 miles on your car going from Alabama to Louisiana. 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 Louisiana, 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 Louisiana 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 LA 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 Louisiana. The average travel distance is about 388 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to four days .
Cost to ship a car from Huntsville, AL to Louisiana
| From Alabama to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL to New Orleans, LA | $603 – $801 | 441 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Baton Rouge, LA | $616 – $890 | 498 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Shreveport, LA | $661 – $996 | 550 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Metairie, LA | $597 – $835 | 446 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Lafayette, LA | $703 – $910 | 552 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Birmingham, AL to Louisiana
| From Alabama to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL to New Orleans, LA | $518 – $752 | 342 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Baton Rouge, LA | $605 – $779 | 400 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Shreveport, LA | $661 – $881 | 451 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Metairie, LA | $545 – $737 | 347 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Lafayette, LA | $623 – $890 | 454 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Montgomery, AL to Louisiana
| From Alabama to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, AL to New Orleans, LA | $487 – $714 | 309 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Baton Rouge, LA | $564 – $778 | 367 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Shreveport, LA | $630 – $864 | 462 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Metairie, LA | $523 – $707 | 313 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Lafayette, LA | $629 – $779 | 421 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Mobile, AL to Louisiana
| From Alabama to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, AL to New Orleans, LA | $350 – $499 | 144 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Mobile, AL to Baton Rouge, LA | $425 – $592 | 201 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Mobile, AL to Shreveport, LA | $629 – $795 | 403 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Mobile, AL to Metairie, LA | $383 – $509 | 148 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Mobile, AL to Lafayette, LA | $470 – $641 | 255 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Tuscaloosa, AL to Louisiana
| From Alabama to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa, AL to New Orleans, LA | $479 – $640 | 291 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Baton Rouge, LA | $534 – $708 | 348 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Shreveport, LA | $599 – $787 | 400 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Metairie, LA | $493 – $666 | 295 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Lafayette, LA | $623 – $836 | 402 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Alabama to Louisiana
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 Louisiana you should expect to pay between $710 and $1,011.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from AL to LA
When transporting your vehicle from the Heart of Dixie to the Pelican State, 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 Louisiana.
- Distance and route: The journey from Alabama to Louisiana spans approximately 388 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana should take between one and four days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Louisiana vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The insurance limit represents the maximum payout for a claim, and in Louisiana, the minimum liability limits are $15,000 for bodily injury per person, $30,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage; these limits can be raised beyond the state-mandated minimums.
- Vehicle inspection: In Louisiana, the annual safety and emissions inspection includes checks on the vehicle's safety equipment, anti-tampering of emissions systems, and a test on the integrity of the gas cap.
- Driver’s license: New residents in Louisiana must transfer their out-of-state driver's license within 30 days of establishing residency in the state.
- Additional taxes: In Louisiana, a 4% tax is levied on all car sales by the state, with additional taxes charged by individual counties and cities.
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 Louisiana
About 22 million people are living in the Pelican State. Louisiana has long hot humid summers and short mild winters. Rain is frequent throughout the year, although from April to September is slightly wetter than the rest of the year. Louisiana is often affected by tropical cyclones and is very vulnerable to major hurricanes, particularly around the New Orleans area. Lousiana averages about 27 tornadoes annually; they are most common from January through March in the south and from February through March in the North.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Alabama and delivery in Louisiana?
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 Louisiana.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Alabama to Louisiana?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Alabama to Louisiana, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Louisiana, 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 insurance limit represents the maximum payout for a claim, and in Louisiana, the minimum liability limits are $15,000 for bodily injury per person, $30,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage; these limits can be raised beyond the state-mandated minimums.
How long does it take to ship a car from Alabama to Louisiana?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Alabama to Louisiana is about 388 miles, and that’s as fast as about 1 day. However, most car transport companies will take one to four days to travel from Alabama to Louisiana.
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 Louisiana, the annual safety and emissions inspection includes checks on the vehicle's safety equipment, anti-tampering of emissions systems, and a test on the integrity of the gas cap.
If I have a driver’s license in Alabama, will I need one in Louisiana?
New residents in Louisiana must transfer their out-of-state driver's license within 30 days of establishing residency in the state.
If I bought a car in Alabama, will I be required to pay sales tax in Louisiana after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Alabama to Louisiana after purchasing it.
In Louisiana, a 4% tax is levied on all car sales by the state, with additional taxes charged by individual counties and cities.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Alabama and Louisiana to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Alabama to Louisiana?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Alabama to Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
Shipping a car from Alabama to Louisiana costs $568 to $809.
