Iowa to Indiana Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 477 miles from Iowa to Indiana ranges from $667 to $925 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 Indiana to Iowa car shipping guide.
The best Iowa to Indiana car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Iowa to Indiana:
- 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 Iowa to Indiana
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 477 miles on your car going from Iowa to Indiana. 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 Iowa for a move to Indiana, 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 Iowa to Indiana 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!
IA to IN auto transport costs and transit times
The tables below detail the costs and estimated transit times for shipping a car between popular cities in Iowa and Indiana. The average travel distance is about 477 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to four days .
Cost to ship a car from Des Moines, IA to Indiana
| From Iowa to Indiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA to Indianapolis, IN | $654 – $863 | 477 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Des Moines, IA to Fort Wayne, IN | $635 – $863 | 480 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Des Moines, IA to Evansville, IN | $670 – $895 | 504 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Des Moines, IA to South Bend, IN | $569 – $787 | 406 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Des Moines, IA to Carmel, IN | $673 – $890 | 475 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Cedar Rapids, IA to Indiana
| From Iowa to Indiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA to Indianapolis, IN | $568 – $761 | 391 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Cedar Rapids, IA to Fort Wayne, IN | $556 – $777 | 393 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Cedar Rapids, IA to Evansville, IN | $615 – $827 | 448 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Cedar Rapids, IA to South Bend, IN | $528 – $721 | 321 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Cedar Rapids, IA to Carmel, IN | $568 – $777 | 389 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Davenport, IA to Indiana
| From Iowa to Indiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA to Indianapolis, IN | $513 – $665 | 310 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Davenport, IA to Fort Wayne, IN | $487 – $728 | 313 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Davenport, IA to Evansville, IN | $575 – $732 | 365 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Davenport, IA to South Bend, IN | $446 – $635 | 240 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Davenport, IA to Carmel, IN | $492 – $707 | 309 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Sioux City, IA to Indiana
| From Iowa to Indiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA to Indianapolis, IN | $751 – $1,047 | 654 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Sioux City, IA to Fort Wayne, IN | $713 – $1,036 | 656 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Sioux City, IA to Evansville, IN | $725 – $1,060 | 690 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Sioux City, IA to South Bend, IN | $678 – $1,036 | 583 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Sioux City, IA to Carmel, IN | $728 – $1,100 | 652 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Iowa City, IA to Indiana
| From Iowa to Indiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA to Indianapolis, IN | $558 – $755 | 366 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Iowa City, IA to Fort Wayne, IN | $536 – $778 | 368 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Iowa City, IA to Evansville, IN | $611 – $795 | 424 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Iowa City, IA to South Bend, IN | $483 – $666 | 295 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Iowa City, IA to Carmel, IN | $569 – $763 | 364 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Iowa to Indiana
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 Iowa to Indiana you should expect to pay between $834 and $1,156.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from IA to IN
When transporting your vehicle from the Hawkeye State to the Hoosier 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 Indiana.
- Distance and route: The journey from Iowa to Indiana spans approximately 477 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 Iowa, 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 Iowa and Indiana 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 Iowa to Indiana should take between one and four days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Indiana vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: Indiana's minimum auto insurance coverage is $25,000/$50,000/$10,000, providing $25,000 per person and a maximum of $50,000 per incident for bodily injury, along with $10,000 for property damage in the event of a covered accident. Liability coverage in Indiana includes property damage, protecting your assets in case you're legally responsible for damages to another party's property, and bodily injury, covering expenses related to harm sustained by others in a covered accident.
- Vehicle inspection: Indiana does not mandate safety inspections for vehicles. However, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles requires a VIN inspection for vehicles not previously registered in the state.
- Driver’s license: As a new resident of Indiana, you have 60 days to obtain an Indiana driver's license if you have a valid license from another state. You must also transfer the titles and registrations of your vehicles from your previous state to Indiana.
- Additional taxes: If you purchase a car in another state and pay sales tax there, you receive a credit for the amount paid. If the tax rate in that state is lower than Indiana's 7%, you'll need to pay the difference in order to obtain the Indiana title for the car.
Learn more with our car shipping checklist.
Transporting your vehicle from Iowa
More than 39 million people call Iowa home. Nicknamed the Hawkeye State, Iowa has a humid continental climate throughout the state. Snowfall is common in Iowa. Spring brings in severe weather season. Iowa has about 50 thunderstorm days per year and has a tornado season. Iowa is known for hot and humid summers. Be sure to check the weather before your move, especially during the springtime.
Transporting your vehicle to Indiana
About 22 million people are living in the Hoosier State. In the past, most of Indiana had cold winters and hot, wet summers. Only the very bottom of the state had a different climate with more rain. But in 2016, about half of Indiana now has that rainier climate. The temperatures are different in the northern and southern parts of the state.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Iowa and delivery in Indiana?
Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in Iowa and when dropping it off in Indiana.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Iowa to Indiana?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Iowa to Indiana, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Indiana, which you should verify before loading your car in Iowa.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. Iowa requires minimum liability insurance, covering $20,000 for individual injury or death, $40,000 for multiple individuals, and $15,000 for property damage in an accident.
Indiana's minimum auto insurance coverage is $25,000/$50,000/$10,000, providing $25,000 per person and a maximum of $50,000 per incident for bodily injury, along with $10,000 for property damage in the event of a covered accident. Liability coverage in Indiana includes property damage, protecting your assets in case you're legally responsible for damages to another party's property, and bodily injury, covering expenses related to harm sustained by others in a covered accident.
How long does it take to ship a car from Iowa to Indiana?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Iowa to Indiana is about 477 miles, and that’s as fast as about 1 day. However, most car transport companies will take one to four days to travel from Iowa to Indiana.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
In Iowa, car owners are not obligated to undergo emissions, VIN, or safety inspections.
Indiana does not mandate safety inspections for vehicles. However, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles requires a VIN inspection for vehicles not previously registered in the state.
If I have a driver’s license in Iowa, will I need one in Indiana?
As a new resident of Indiana, you have 60 days to obtain an Indiana driver's license if you have a valid license from another state. You must also transfer the titles and registrations of your vehicles from your previous state to Indiana.
If I bought a car in Iowa, will I be required to pay sales tax in Indiana after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Iowa to Indiana after purchasing it.
If you purchase a car in another state and pay sales tax there, you receive a credit for the amount paid. If the tax rate in that state is lower than Indiana's 7%, you'll need to pay the difference in order to obtain the Indiana title for the car.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Iowa and Indiana to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Iowa to Indiana?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Iowa to Indiana 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 Iowa to Indiana?
Shipping a car from Iowa to Indiana costs $667 to $925.
