Alabama to South Carolina Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 399 miles from Alabama to South Carolina ranges from $563 to $835 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.
|
|
|
|
rating
Shipping a car the reverse route? We’ve got you covered with our South Carolina to Alabama car shipping guide.
The best Alabama to South Carolina car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Alabama to South Carolina:
- Best for accurate pricing: Sherpa Auto Transport
- Best cross-country shipper: Montway Auto Transport
- Best for quick pickup: Easy Auto Ship
- Best for discounts: AmeriFreight Car Transport
- Best for overall value: SGT Auto Transport
- 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
- No upfront deposit
- Expedited shipping
- No hidden fees
- Ships motorcycles & RVs
- Discount for cash payments
- 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
Alternative ways to ship your car from Alabama to South Carolina
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 399 miles on your car going from Alabama to South Carolina. 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 South Carolina, 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 South Carolina 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 SC 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 South Carolina. The average travel distance is about 399 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to four days .
Cost to ship a car from Huntsville, AL to South Carolina
| From Alabama to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL to Charleston, SC | $656 – $856 | 478 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Columbia, SC | $604 – $771 | 394 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntsville, AL to North Charleston, SC | $612 – $848 | 470 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Mount Pleasant, SC | $669 – $865 | 480 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntsville, AL to Rock Hill, SC | $624 – $871 | 401 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Birmingham, AL to South Carolina
| From Alabama to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL to Charleston, SC | $604 – $811 | 444 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Columbia, SC | $559 – $788 | 360 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to North Charleston, SC | $598 – $811 | 436 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Mount Pleasant, SC | $604 – $854 | 446 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Birmingham, AL to Rock Hill, SC | $604 – $835 | 382 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Montgomery, AL to South Carolina
| From Alabama to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, AL to Charleston, SC | $669 – $883 | 453 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Columbia, SC | $548 – $803 | 369 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to North Charleston, SC | $648 – $862 | 446 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Mount Pleasant, SC | $618 – $909 | 455 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Montgomery, AL to Rock Hill, SC | $569 – $811 | 396 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Mobile, AL to South Carolina
| From Alabama to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, AL to Charleston, SC | $709 – $1,017 | 620 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Mobile, AL to Columbia, SC | $658 – $900 | 536 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Mobile, AL to North Charleston, SC | $760 – $976 | 612 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Mobile, AL to Mount Pleasant, SC | $753 – $1,058 | 622 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Mobile, AL to Rock Hill, SC | $725 – $930 | 562 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Tuscaloosa, AL to South Carolina
| From Alabama to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Charleston, SC | $682 – $936 | 499 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Columbia, SC | $606 – $863 | 415 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to North Charleston, SC | $649 – $918 | 492 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Mount Pleasant, SC | $678 – $878 | 502 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Tuscaloosa, AL to Rock Hill, SC | $610 – $854 | 437 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Alabama to South Carolina
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 South Carolina you should expect to pay between $704 and $1,044.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from AL to SC
When transporting your vehicle from the Heart of Dixie to the Palmetto 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 South Carolina.
- Distance and route: The journey from Alabama to South Carolina spans approximately 399 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina should take between one and four days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
South Carolina vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: In South Carolina, it's a legal requirement for every driver to have liability insurance. Adhering to the state's minimum liability limits, commonly referred to as 25/50/25, entails securing coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Stay compliant with these essential insurance standards to drive confidently on South Carolina roads.
- Vehicle inspection: Drivers in South Carolina are not required to get a safety, VIN, or emissions inspection for their vehicle.
- Driver’s license: If you are moving to South Carolina, you will be required to obtain a South Carolina driver's license within 90 days of establishing residency in the state.
- Additional taxes: In South Carolina, there is a sales tax imposed on the purchase of a vehicle. The sales tax rate is 6%, which is collected by the dealer at the time of purchase.
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 South Carolina
About 22 million people are living in the Palmetto State. South Carolina had hot and humid summers and cool to mild winters and coastal areas of the state have very mild winters. While precipitation is abundant the entire year in almost the entire state, the coast tends to have a slightly wetter summer, while inland, the spring and autumn transitions tend to be the wettest periods and winter the driest season, with November being the driest month.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Alabama and delivery in South Carolina?
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 South Carolina.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Alabama to South Carolina?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Alabama to South Carolina, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to South Carolina, 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.
In South Carolina, it's a legal requirement for every driver to have liability insurance. Adhering to the state's minimum liability limits, commonly referred to as 25/50/25, entails securing coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Stay compliant with these essential insurance standards to drive confidently on South Carolina roads.
How long does it take to ship a car from Alabama to South Carolina?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Alabama to South Carolina is about 399 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 South Carolina.
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.
Drivers in South Carolina are not required to get a safety, VIN, or emissions inspection for their vehicle.
If I have a driver’s license in Alabama, will I need one in South Carolina?
If you are moving to South Carolina, you will be required to obtain a South Carolina driver's license within 90 days of establishing residency in the state.
If I bought a car in Alabama, will I be required to pay sales tax in South Carolina after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Alabama to South Carolina after purchasing it.
In South Carolina, there is a sales tax imposed on the purchase of a vehicle. The sales tax rate is 6%, which is collected by the dealer at the time of purchase.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Alabama and South Carolina to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Alabama to South Carolina?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Alabama to South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
Shipping a car from Alabama to South Carolina costs $563 to $835.
