Maryland to Kentucky Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 545 miles from Maryland to Kentucky ranges from $665 to $891 and takes one–six 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 Maryland car shipping guide.
The best Maryland to Kentucky car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Maryland to Kentucky:
- 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 Maryland to Kentucky
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 545 miles on your car going from Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland 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!
MD 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 Maryland and Kentucky. The average travel distance is about 545 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to six days .
Cost to ship a car from Washington DC, MD to Kentucky
| From Maryland to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington DC, MD to Louisville, KY | $724 – $1,058 | 607 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Washington DC, MD to Lexington, KY | $672 – $938 | 536 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Washington DC, MD to Bowling Green, KY | $803 – $1,073 | 695 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Washington DC, MD to Owensboro, KY | $792 – $1,118 | 711 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Washington DC, MD to Covington, KY | $645 – $896 | 508 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Baltimore, MD to Kentucky
| From Maryland to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD to Louisville, KY | $731 – $997 | 610 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Baltimore, MD to Lexington, KY | $645 – $891 | 538 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Baltimore, MD to Bowling Green, KY | $741 – $1,050 | 698 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Baltimore, MD to Owensboro, KY | $823 – $1,186 | 713 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Baltimore, MD to Covington, KY | $645 – $878 | 511 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Columbia, MD to Kentucky
| From Maryland to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MD to Louisville, KY | $702 – $1,058 | 603 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Columbia, MD to Lexington, KY | $651 – $900 | 531 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Columbia, MD to Bowling Green, KY | $811 – $1,128 | 690 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Columbia, MD to Owensboro, KY | $760 – $1,084 | 706 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Columbia, MD to Covington, KY | $652 – $869 | 504 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Germantown, MD to Kentucky
| From Maryland to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germantown, MD to Louisville, KY | $693 – $1,009 | 580 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Germantown, MD to Lexington, KY | $659 – $869 | 509 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Germantown, MD to Bowling Green, KY | $798 – $1,124 | 668 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Germantown, MD to Owensboro, KY | $803 – $1,161 | 684 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Germantown, MD to Covington, KY | $623 – $883 | 482 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Silver Spring, MD to Kentucky
| From Maryland to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Spring, MD to Louisville, KY | $693 – $979 | 598 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Silver Spring, MD to Lexington, KY | $679 – $975 | 527 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Silver Spring, MD to Bowling Green, KY | $749 – $1,128 | 687 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Silver Spring, MD to Owensboro, KY | $823 – $1,107 | 702 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Silver Spring, MD to Covington, KY | $659 – $896 | 500 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Maryland 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 Maryland to Kentucky you should expect to pay between $831 and $1,114.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MD to KY
When transporting your vehicle from the Old Line State 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 Maryland to Kentucky spans approximately 545 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 Maryland, 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 Maryland 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 Maryland to Kentucky should take between one and six 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 Maryland
More than 39 million people call Maryland home. Nicknamed the Old Line State, Maryland has a wide array of climates, due to local variances in elevation, proximity to water, and protection from colder weather due to downslope winds. The eastern half of Maryland — which includes the cities of Ocean City, Salisbury, Annapolis, and the southern and eastern suburbs of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore — lies on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, with flat topography and sandy or muddy soil. This region has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and a short, mild-to-cool winter
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 Maryland 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 Maryland and when dropping it off in Kentucky.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Maryland to Kentucky?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Maryland 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 Maryland.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. All vehicles in Maryland must maintain insurance coverage from a Maryland-licensed insurance company at all times, with mandatory minimum coverage of $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for multiple people, and $15,000 for property damage.
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 Maryland to Kentucky?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Maryland to Kentucky is about 545 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take one to six days to travel from Maryland to Kentucky.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
If you recently relocated to Maryland or bought a vehicle, you must get it inspected at an authorized inspection station before registering the vehicle. New residents are mandated to undergo a vehicle safety inspection before obtaining car registration.
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 Maryland, 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 Maryland, 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 Maryland 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 Maryland and Kentucky to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Maryland to Kentucky?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Maryland 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 Maryland to Kentucky?
Shipping a car from Maryland to Kentucky costs $665 to $891.
