Illinois to Kentucky Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 408 miles from Illinois to Kentucky ranges from $617 to $861 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 Kentucky to Illinois car shipping guide.
The best Illinois to Kentucky car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Illinois to Kentucky:
- 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 Illinois to Kentucky
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 408 miles on your car going from Illinois to Kentucky. 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 Illinois for a move to Kentucky, 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 Illinois to Kentucky 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!
IL to KY auto transport costs and transit times
The tables below detail the costs and estimated transit times for shipping a car between popular cities in Illinois and Kentucky. The average travel distance is about 408 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to four days .
Cost to ship a car from Chicago, IL to Kentucky
| From Illinois to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL to Louisville, KY | $488 – $679 | 298 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Chicago, IL to Lexington, KY | $530 – $771 | 372 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Chicago, IL to Bowling Green, KY | $617 – $820 | 418 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Chicago, IL to Owensboro, KY | $536 – $740 | 373 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Chicago, IL to Covington, KY | $455 – $660 | 297 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Aurora, IL to Kentucky
| From Illinois to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora, IL to Louisville, KY | $539 – $766 | 331 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Aurora, IL to Lexington, KY | $569 – $820 | 406 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Aurora, IL to Bowling Green, KY | $648 – $864 | 451 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Aurora, IL to Owensboro, KY | $599 – $820 | 406 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Aurora, IL to Covington, KY | $513 – $744 | 331 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Joliet, IL to Kentucky
| From Illinois to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet, IL to Louisville, KY | $492 – $707 | 305 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Joliet, IL to Lexington, KY | $568 – $817 | 380 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Joliet, IL to Bowling Green, KY | $628 – $852 | 425 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Joliet, IL to Owensboro, KY | $555 – $744 | 334 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Joliet, IL to Covington, KY | $497 – $721 | 304 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Naperville, IL to Kentucky
| From Illinois to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naperville, IL to Louisville, KY | $502 – $672 | 319 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Naperville, IL to Lexington, KY | $568 – $833 | 393 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Naperville, IL to Bowling Green, KY | $634 – $801 | 439 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Naperville, IL to Owensboro, KY | $597 – $833 | 395 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Naperville, IL to Covington, KY | $518 – $672 | 318 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Rockford, IL to Kentucky
| From Illinois to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL to Louisville, KY | $609 – $753 | 386 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Rockford, IL to Lexington, KY | $604 – $872 | 460 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Rockford, IL to Bowling Green, KY | $670 – $913 | 506 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Rockford, IL to Owensboro, KY | $575 – $861 | 404 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Rockford, IL to Covington, KY | $585 – $825 | 385 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Illinois to Kentucky
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 Illinois to Kentucky you should expect to pay between $771 and $1,076.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from IL to KY
When transporting your vehicle from the Land of Lincoln to the Bluegrass 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 Kentucky.
- Distance and route: The journey from Illinois to Kentucky spans approximately 408 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 Illinois, 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 Illinois and Kentucky 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 Illinois to Kentucky should take between one and four days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Kentucky vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The insurance coverage includes Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability with limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident and $25,000 respectively; Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage (not required); Personal Injury Protection with a limit of $10,000; and optional Collision and Comprehensive coverage for vehicle repair or replacement expenses, with no requirement.
- Vehicle inspection: When moving to Kentucky from another state, a one-time Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection is required. To complete the VIN inspection, bring the vehicle and its title to the Sheriff's office in the county where the car will be registered.
- Driver’s license: New residents in Kentucky have a 30-day time frame to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.
- Additional taxes: In Kentucky, a 6% motor vehicle usage tax is imposed on the retail price of vehicles registered for the first time in the state.
Learn more with our car shipping checklist.
Transporting your vehicle from Illinois
More than 39 million people call Illinois home. Nicknamed 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"
Transporting your vehicle to Kentucky
About 22 million people are living in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky has relatively hot, humid, rainy summers, and moderately cold and rainy winters. Kansas rarely experiences the extremes cold of the northern states nor the heat of the state in the Deep South.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Illinois and delivery in Kentucky?
Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in Illinois and when dropping it off in Kentucky.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Illinois to Kentucky?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Illinois to Kentucky, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Kentucky, which you should verify before loading your car in Illinois.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the 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.
The insurance coverage includes Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability with limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident and $25,000 respectively; Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage (not required); Personal Injury Protection with a limit of $10,000; and optional Collision and Comprehensive coverage for vehicle repair or replacement expenses, with no requirement.
How long does it take to ship a car from Illinois to Kentucky?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Illinois to Kentucky is about 408 miles, and that’s as fast as about 1 day. However, most car transport companies will take one to four days to travel from Illinois to Kentucky.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
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.
When moving to Kentucky from another state, a one-time Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection is required. To complete the VIN inspection, bring the vehicle and its title to the Sheriff's office in the county where the car will be registered.
If I have a driver’s license in Illinois, will I need one in Kentucky?
New residents in Kentucky have a 30-day time frame to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.
If I bought a car in Illinois, will I be required to pay sales tax in Kentucky after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Illinois to Kentucky after purchasing it.
In Kentucky, a 6% motor vehicle usage tax is imposed on the retail price of vehicles registered for the first time in the state.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Illinois and Kentucky to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Illinois to Kentucky?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Illinois to Kentucky 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 Illinois to Kentucky?
Shipping a car from Illinois to Kentucky costs $617 to $861.
