Illinois to Montana Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,379 miles from Illinois to Montana ranges from $985 to $1,472 and takes three–eight 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 Montana to Illinois car shipping guide.
The best Illinois to Montana car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Illinois to Montana:
- 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 Montana
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,379 miles on your car going from Illinois to Montana. 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 Montana, 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 Montana 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 MT 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 Montana. The average travel distance is about 1,379 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from three to eight days .
Cost to ship a car from Chicago, IL to Montana
| From Illinois to Montana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL to Billings, MT | $966 – $1,479 | 1,247 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Chicago, IL to Missoula, MT | $1,162 – $1,627 | 1,589 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Chicago, IL to Great Falls, MT | $1,046 – $1,533 | 1,376 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Chicago, IL to Bozeman, MT | $1,015 – $1,579 | 1,388 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Chicago, IL to Butte, MT | $1,049 – $1,674 | 1,471 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Aurora, IL to Montana
| From Illinois to Montana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora, IL to Billings, MT | $976 – $1,449 | 1,237 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Aurora, IL to Missoula, MT | $1,184 – $1,692 | 1,579 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Aurora, IL to Great Falls, MT | $995 – $1,518 | 1,366 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Aurora, IL to Bozeman, MT | $1,005 – $1,533 | 1,378 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Aurora, IL to Butte, MT | $1,060 – $1,546 | 1,461 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Joliet, IL to Montana
| From Illinois to Montana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet, IL to Billings, MT | $947 – $1,406 | 1,269 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Joliet, IL to Missoula, MT | $1,172 – $1,756 | 1,611 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Joliet, IL to Great Falls, MT | $1,066 – $1,487 | 1,399 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Joliet, IL to Bozeman, MT | $1,028 – $1,562 | 1,410 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Joliet, IL to Butte, MT | $1,049 – $1,578 | 1,494 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Naperville, IL to Montana
| From Illinois to Montana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naperville, IL to Billings, MT | $918 – $1,508 | 1,246 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Naperville, IL to Missoula, MT | $1,173 – $1,643 | 1,588 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Naperville, IL to Great Falls, MT | $1,046 – $1,457 | 1,376 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Naperville, IL to Bozeman, MT | $1,056 – $1,503 | 1,387 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Naperville, IL to Butte, MT | $1,136 – $1,642 | 1,471 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Rockford, IL to Montana
| From Illinois to Montana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL to Billings, MT | $877 – $1,456 | 1,173 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Rockford, IL to Missoula, MT | $1,173 – $1,643 | 1,514 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Rockford, IL to Great Falls, MT | $995 – $1,595 | 1,302 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Rockford, IL to Bozeman, MT | $1,005 – $1,610 | 1,313 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Rockford, IL to Butte, MT | $964 – $1,457 | 1,397 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Illinois to Montana
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 Montana you should expect to pay between $1,231 and $1,840.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from IL to MT
When transporting your vehicle from the Land of Lincoln to the Big Sky Country, 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 Montana.
- Distance and route: The journey from Illinois to Montana spans approximately 1,379 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 Montana 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 Montana should take between three and eight days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Montana vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: In Montana, drivers must meet legal requirements for minimum car insurance liability coverage to ensure financial responsibility in accidents. Mandated by state regulations, this includes $25,000 per person for bodily injury and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, covering collective medical expenses in case of multiple injuries, capped at $50,000 for the entire incident. Additionally, there's a required minimum of $20,000 per accident for property damage, crucial for addressing costs related to damage to another party's vehicle or property. Adhering to these insurance requirements is imperative for all motorists, ensuring compliance with state laws and contributing to a secure and responsible driving environment on Montana roadways.
- Vehicle inspection: If you are moving to Montana, you are not required to have your vehicle inspected.
- Driver’s license: New residents in Montana must start their driver’s license application process within 60 days of moving to the state.
- Additional taxes: In Montana, there is no state-level sales tax on vehicles, however, local governments in Montana may impose their own taxes and fees on vehicles.
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 Montana
About 22 million people are living in the Big Sky Country. Montana has a lot of variation in geography, topography, and elevation, and the climate is equally varied. The western half is mountainous, interrupted by numerous large valleys. Eastern Montana comprises plains and badlands, broken by hills and isolated mountain ranges, The Continental Divide has a considerable effect on the climate, as it restricts the flow of warmer air from the Pacific from moving east, and drier continental air from moving west. The area west of the divide has a modified northern Pacific Coast climate, with milder winters, cooler summers, less wind, and a longer growing season. Low clouds and fog often form in the valleys west of the divide in winter, but this is rarely seen in the east.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Illinois and delivery in Montana?
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 Montana.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Illinois to Montana?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Illinois to Montana, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Montana, 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.
In Montana, drivers must meet legal requirements for minimum car insurance liability coverage to ensure financial responsibility in accidents. Mandated by state regulations, this includes $25,000 per person for bodily injury and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, covering collective medical expenses in case of multiple injuries, capped at $50,000 for the entire incident. Additionally, there's a required minimum of $20,000 per accident for property damage, crucial for addressing costs related to damage to another party's vehicle or property. Adhering to these insurance requirements is imperative for all motorists, ensuring compliance with state laws and contributing to a secure and responsible driving environment on Montana roadways.
How long does it take to ship a car from Illinois to Montana?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Illinois to Montana is about 1,379 miles, and that’s as fast as about 3 days. However, most car transport companies will take three to eight days to travel from Illinois to Montana.
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.
If you are moving to Montana, you are not required to have your vehicle inspected.
If I have a driver’s license in Illinois, will I need one in Montana?
New residents in Montana must start their driver’s license application process within 60 days of moving to the state.
If I bought a car in Illinois, will I be required to pay sales tax in Montana after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Illinois to Montana after purchasing it.
In Montana, there is no state-level sales tax on vehicles, however, local governments in Montana may impose their own taxes and fees on vehicles.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Illinois and Montana to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Illinois to Montana?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Illinois to Montana 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 Montana?
Shipping a car from Illinois to Montana costs $985 to $1,472.
