Maine to California Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 3,339 miles from Maine to California ranges from $1,592 to $2,465 and takes seven–fifteen 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 California to Maine car shipping guide.
The best Maine to California car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Maine to California:
- 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 Maine to California
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 3,339 miles on your car going from Maine to California. 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 Maine for a move to California, 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 Maine to California 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!
ME to CA auto transport costs and transit times
The tables below detail the costs and estimated transit times for shipping a car between popular cities in Maine and California. The average travel distance is about 3,339 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from seven to fifteen days .
Cost to ship a car from Portland, ME to California
| From Maine to California | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME to Los Angeles, CA | $1,623 – $2,562 | 3,081 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Portland, ME to San Diego, CA | $1,623 – $2,343 | 3,099 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Portland, ME to San Jose, CA | $1,530 – $2,343 | 3,229 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Portland, ME to San Francisco, CA | $1,468 – $2,489 | 3,197 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Portland, ME to Fresno, CA | $1,484 – $2,343 | 3,206 miles | 7 – 15 days |
Cost to ship a car from Lewiston, ME to California
| From Maine to California | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewiston, ME to Los Angeles, CA | $1,484 – $2,318 | 3,113 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Lewiston, ME to San Diego, CA | $1,499 – $2,416 | 3,131 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Lewiston, ME to San Jose, CA | $1,607 – $2,465 | 3,262 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Lewiston, ME to San Francisco, CA | $1,561 – $2,538 | 3,229 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Lewiston, ME to Fresno, CA | $1,623 – $2,440 | 3,238 miles | 7 – 15 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bangor, ME to California
| From Maine to California | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME to Los Angeles, CA | $1,607 – $2,538 | 3,210 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Bangor, ME to San Diego, CA | $1,623 – $2,343 | 3,227 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Bangor, ME to San Jose, CA | $1,484 – $2,465 | 3,358 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Bangor, ME to San Francisco, CA | $1,607 – $2,343 | 3,326 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Bangor, ME to Fresno, CA | $1,484 – $2,489 | 3,335 miles | 7 – 15 days |
Cost to ship a car from South Portland, ME to California
| From Maine to California | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Portland, ME to Los Angeles, CA | $1,607 – $2,367 | 3,082 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| South Portland, ME to San Diego, CA | $1,607 – $2,513 | 3,100 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| South Portland, ME to San Jose, CA | $1,484 – $2,513 | 3,230 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| South Portland, ME to San Francisco, CA | $1,576 – $2,513 | 3,198 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| South Portland, ME to Fresno, CA | $1,545 – $2,513 | 3,207 miles | 7 – 15 days |
Cost to ship a car from Auburn, ME to California
| From Maine to California | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn, ME to Los Angeles, CA | $1,607 – $2,538 | 3,111 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Auburn, ME to San Diego, CA | $1,576 – $2,465 | 3,129 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Auburn, ME to San Jose, CA | $1,561 – $2,416 | 3,258 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Auburn, ME to San Francisco, CA | $1,576 – $2,391 | 3,227 miles | 7 – 15 days |
| Auburn, ME to Fresno, CA | $1,561 – $2,562 | 3,235 miles | 7 – 15 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Maine to California
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 Maine to California you should expect to pay between $1,990 and $3,081.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from ME to CA
When transporting your vehicle from the Pine Tree State to the Golden 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 California.
- Distance and route: The journey from Maine to California spans approximately 3,339 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 Maine, 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 Maine and California 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 Maine to California should take between seven and fifteen days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
California vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The minimum car insurance requirement in California is $15,000 for individual injury, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 for property damage in the case of an accident involving another driver.
- Vehicle inspection: California requires an annual safety inspection to ensure that all vehicles used on public roads are in good condition and safe to operate. The inspection can be carried out at any California Department of Transportation approved service station.
- Driver’s license: If you move to California and become a resident, you are required to obtain a California driver's license within 10 days.
- Additional taxes: You are required to pay taxes on a car purchased in another state if you used it for less than 12 months outside of California before bringing it into the state.
Learn more with our car shipping checklist.
Transporting your vehicle from Maine
More than 39 million people call Maine home. Nicknamed the Pine Tree State, Maine has a humid continental climate. with warm and sometimes humid summers, and long, cold and very snowy winters. Winters are especially severe in the Northern and Western parts of Maine, while coastal areas are moderated slightly by the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in marginally milder winters and cooler summers than inland regions.
Transporting your vehicle to California
About 22 million people are living in the Golden State. California has a great Mediterranean climate throughout most of the state. In the Southeast, you may experience colder winters and hotter summers. The northern part of California experiences more rain than the rest of the state. Before your move be sure to check for rain or very hot days.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Maine and delivery in California?
Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in Maine and when dropping it off in California.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Maine to California?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Maine to California, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to California, which you should verify before loading your car in Maine.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. In Maine, drivers must carry a minimum liability coverage of 50/100/25, requiring $50,000 for bodily injury per person, $100,000 for all injuries per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, as per car insurance laws.
The minimum car insurance requirement in California is $15,000 for individual injury, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 for property damage in the case of an accident involving another driver.
How long does it take to ship a car from Maine to California?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Maine to California is about 3,339 miles, and that’s as fast as about 7 days. However, most car transport companies will take seven to fifteen days to travel from Maine to California.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
The State of Maine requires annual safety inspections for all vehicles used on public roads to ensure they are in proper working condition and safe to operate. Safety inspections in Maine can be carried out at any official service station of the Maine Department of Transportation.
California requires an annual safety inspection to ensure that all vehicles used on public roads are in good condition and safe to operate. The inspection can be carried out at any California Department of Transportation approved service station.
If I have a driver’s license in Maine, will I need one in California?
If you move to California and become a resident, you are required to obtain a California driver's license within 10 days.
If I bought a car in Maine, will I be required to pay sales tax in California after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Maine to California after purchasing it.
You are required to pay taxes on a car purchased in another state if you used it for less than 12 months outside of California before bringing it into the state.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Maine and California to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Maine to California?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Maine to California 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 Maine to California?
Shipping a car from Maine to California costs $1,592 to $2,465.
