Michigan to Kentucky Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 553 miles from Michigan to Kentucky ranges from $675 to $948 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 Michigan car shipping guide.
The best Michigan to Kentucky car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Michigan 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 Michigan to Kentucky
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 553 miles on your car going from Michigan 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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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!
MI 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 Michigan and Kentucky. The average travel distance is about 553 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to six days .
Cost to ship a car from Detroit, MI to Kentucky
| From Michigan to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI to Louisville, KY | $530 – $732 | 362 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Detroit, MI to Lexington, KY | $518 – $766 | 344 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Detroit, MI to Bowling Green, KY | $622 – $916 | 482 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Detroit, MI to Owensboro, KY | $604 – $898 | 467 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Detroit, MI to Covington, KY | $447 – $610 | 265 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Grand Rapids, MI to Kentucky
| From Michigan to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids, MI to Louisville, KY | $547 – $793 | 372 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Lexington, KY | $621 – $827 | 441 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Bowling Green, KY | $609 – $916 | 492 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Owensboro, KY | $611 – $881 | 455 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Covington, KY | $541 – $763 | 357 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Warren, MI to Kentucky
| From Michigan to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren, MI to Louisville, KY | $556 – $761 | 379 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Warren, MI to Lexington, KY | $580 – $771 | 362 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Warren, MI to Bowling Green, KY | $661 – $907 | 499 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Warren, MI to Owensboro, KY | $622 – $925 | 485 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Warren, MI to Covington, KY | $460 – $621 | 282 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Sterling Heights, MI to Kentucky
| From Michigan to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Heights, MI to Louisville, KY | $568 – $833 | 382 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Lexington, KY | $541 – $732 | 365 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Bowling Green, KY | $657 – $877 | 503 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Owensboro, KY | $667 – $925 | 488 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Covington, KY | $498 – $621 | 286 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Ann Arbor, MI to Kentucky
| From Michigan to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI to Louisville, KY | $545 – $752 | 348 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Lexington, KY | $518 – $700 | 331 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Bowling Green, KY | $598 – $829 | 468 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Owensboro, KY | $604 – $821 | 454 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Covington, KY | $438 – $622 | 251 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Michigan 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 Michigan to Kentucky you should expect to pay between $844 and $1,185.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MI to KY
When transporting your vehicle from the Wolverine 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 Michigan to Kentucky spans approximately 553 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 Michigan, 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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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 Michigan
More than 39 million people call Michigan home. Nicknamed the Wolverine State, Michigan has a continental climate, although there are two distinct regions. The southern and central parts of the Lower Peninsula (south of Saginaw Bay and from the Grand Rapids area southward) have a warmer climate with hot summers and cold winters. The northern part of the Lower Peninsula and the entire Upper Peninsula has a more severe climate (Köppen Dfb), with warm, but shorter summers and longer, cold to very cold winters. Some parts of the state average high temperatures below freezing from December through February, and into early March in the far northern parts. During the winter through the middle of February, the state is frequently subjected to heavy lake-effect snow. The state averages 30 days of thunderstorm activity per year. These can be severe, especially in the southern part of the state. The state averages 17 tornadoes per year, which are more common in the state's extreme southern section.
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 Michigan 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 Michigan and when dropping it off in Kentucky.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Michigan to Kentucky?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Michigan 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 Michigan.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. Michigan requires a minimum auto insurance coverage of $50,000/$100,000 for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage in case of an 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 Michigan to Kentucky?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Michigan to Kentucky is about 553 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take one to six days to travel from Michigan to Kentucky.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
Michigan does not require vehicle inspections for registration purposes. There is no state mandate for car safety inspections or emissions testing.
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 Michigan, 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 Michigan, 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 Michigan 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 Michigan and Kentucky to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan to Kentucky?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan 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 Michigan to Kentucky?
Shipping a car from Michigan to Kentucky costs $675 to $948.
