Maine to South Carolina Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,171 miles from Maine to South Carolina ranges from $886 to $1,373 and takes two–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 South Carolina to Maine car shipping guide.
The best Maine to South Carolina car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Maine to South Carolina:
- 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 South Carolina
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,171 miles on your car going from Maine to South Carolina. 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 South Carolina, 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 South Carolina 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 SC 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 South Carolina. The average travel distance is about 1,171 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from two to eight days .
Cost to ship a car from Portland, ME to South Carolina
| From Maine to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME to Charleston, SC | $789 – $1,249 | 1,075 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Portland, ME to Columbia, SC | $854 – $1,236 | 1,022 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Portland, ME to North Charleston, SC | $781 – $1,327 | 1,068 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Portland, ME to Mount Pleasant, SC | $781 – $1,262 | 1,077 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Portland, ME to Rock Hill, SC | $811 – $1,347 | 969 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Lewiston, ME to South Carolina
| From Maine to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewiston, ME to Charleston, SC | $895 – $1,415 | 1,107 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Lewiston, ME to Columbia, SC | $822 – $1,236 | 1,054 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Lewiston, ME to North Charleston, SC | $886 – $1,387 | 1,100 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Lewiston, ME to Mount Pleasant, SC | $886 – $1,331 | 1,110 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Lewiston, ME to Rock Hill, SC | $797 – $1,262 | 1,002 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bangor, ME to South Carolina
| From Maine to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME to Charleston, SC | $957 – $1,406 | 1,204 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Bangor, ME to Columbia, SC | $868 – $1,456 | 1,151 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Bangor, ME to North Charleston, SC | $868 – $1,401 | 1,197 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Bangor, ME to Mount Pleasant, SC | $985 – $1,391 | 1,207 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Bangor, ME to Rock Hill, SC | $781 – $1,275 | 1,098 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from South Portland, ME to South Carolina
| From Maine to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Portland, ME to Charleston, SC | $822 – $1,340 | 1,076 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| South Portland, ME to Columbia, SC | $830 – $1,249 | 1,023 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| South Portland, ME to North Charleston, SC | $830 – $1,327 | 1,069 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| South Portland, ME to Mount Pleasant, SC | $805 – $1,288 | 1,079 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| South Portland, ME to Rock Hill, SC | $786 – $1,347 | 970 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Auburn, ME to South Carolina
| From Maine to South Carolina | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn, ME to Charleston, SC | $930 – $1,428 | 1,105 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Auburn, ME to Columbia, SC | $781 – $1,249 | 1,052 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Auburn, ME to North Charleston, SC | $854 – $1,367 | 1,097 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Auburn, ME to Mount Pleasant, SC | $850 – $1,373 | 1,107 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Auburn, ME to Rock Hill, SC | $784 – $1,267 | 999 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Maine to South Carolina
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 South Carolina you should expect to pay between $1,108 and $1,716.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from ME to SC
When transporting your vehicle from the Pine Tree State to the Palmetto 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 South Carolina.
- Distance and route: The journey from Maine to South Carolina spans approximately 1,171 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina should take between two and eight days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
South Carolina vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: In South Carolina, it's a legal requirement for every driver to have liability insurance. Adhering to the state's minimum liability limits, commonly referred to as 25/50/25, entails securing coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Stay compliant with these essential insurance standards to drive confidently on South Carolina roads.
- Vehicle inspection: Drivers in South Carolina are not required to get a safety, VIN, or emissions inspection for their vehicle.
- Driver’s license: If you are moving to South Carolina, you will be required to obtain a South Carolina driver's license within 90 days of establishing residency in the state.
- Additional taxes: In South Carolina, there is a sales tax imposed on the purchase of a vehicle. The sales tax rate is 6%, which is collected by the dealer at the time of purchase.
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 South Carolina
About 22 million people are living in the Palmetto State. South Carolina had hot and humid summers and cool to mild winters and coastal areas of the state have very mild winters. While precipitation is abundant the entire year in almost the entire state, the coast tends to have a slightly wetter summer, while inland, the spring and autumn transitions tend to be the wettest periods and winter the driest season, with November being the driest month.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Maine and delivery in South Carolina?
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 South Carolina.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Maine to South Carolina?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Maine to South Carolina, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to South Carolina, 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.
In South Carolina, it's a legal requirement for every driver to have liability insurance. Adhering to the state's minimum liability limits, commonly referred to as 25/50/25, entails securing coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Stay compliant with these essential insurance standards to drive confidently on South Carolina roads.
How long does it take to ship a car from Maine to South Carolina?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Maine to South Carolina is about 1,171 miles, and that’s as fast as about 3 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to eight days to travel from Maine to South Carolina.
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.
Drivers in South Carolina are not required to get a safety, VIN, or emissions inspection for their vehicle.
If I have a driver’s license in Maine, will I need one in South Carolina?
If you are moving to South Carolina, you will be required to obtain a South Carolina driver's license within 90 days of establishing residency in the state.
If I bought a car in Maine, will I be required to pay sales tax in South Carolina after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Maine to South Carolina after purchasing it.
In South Carolina, there is a sales tax imposed on the purchase of a vehicle. The sales tax rate is 6%, which is collected by the dealer at the time of purchase.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Maine and South Carolina to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Maine to South Carolina?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Maine to South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
Shipping a car from Maine to South Carolina costs $886 to $1,373.
