Michigan to Maine Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)

Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 999 miles from Michigan to Maine ranges from $794 to $1,308 and takes two–seven 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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  • Price lock promise
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  • Established in 2007
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  • No deposit
  • Quick pickup

Shipping a car the reverse route? We’ve got you covered with our Maine to Michigan car shipping guide.

The best Michigan to Maine car shipping companies

We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Michigan to Maine:

Best for accurate pricing
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moveBuddha logo iconrating starstarstarstarstar 4.5 / 5
Check prices (833) 775-1461
At A Glance
  • Price Lock Promise
  • Pay by credit card
  • Free car wash at delivery
  • No upfront deposit
  • Door-to-door service
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Check prices (833) 775-1461
Best cross-country shipper
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moveBuddha logo iconrating starstarstarstarstar 4.5 / 5
Check prices (224) 206-5633
At A Glance
  • No upfront payment
  • GPS tracking
  • Multiple insurance options
  • Competitive pricing
  • Door-to-door shipping
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Check prices (224) 206-5633
Best for quick pickup
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moveBuddha logo iconrating starstarstarstarstar 4.9 / 5
Check prices (888) 259-6046
At A Glance
  • No upfront deposit
  • Expedited shipping
  • No hidden fees
  • Ships motorcycles & RVs
  • Discount for cash payments
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Check prices (888) 259-6046
Best for discounts
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moveBuddha logo iconrating starstarstarstarstar 4.3 / 5
Check prices (770) 501-9057
At A Glance
  • Competitive pricing
  • Last-minute car shipments
  • Guaranteed & expedited shipments
  • Gap insurance coverage
  • Multiple discounts
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Check prices (770) 501-9057
Best for overall value
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moveBuddha logo iconrating starstarstarstarstar 4.9 / 5
Check prices (864) 492-1221
At A Glance
  • No hidden fees
  • Free online quotes
  • Door-to-door service in 48 states
  • Exact pickup dates
  • Ships to & from HI
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Check prices (864) 492-1221

Alternative ways to ship your car from Michigan to Maine

  • Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 999 miles on your car going from Michigan to Maine. 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 Maine, 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 Maine 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 ME 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 Maine. The average travel distance is about 999 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from two to seven days .

Cost to ship a car from Detroit, MI to Maine

From Michigan to Maine Cost Distance Estimated transit time
Detroit, MI to Portland, ME $784 – $1,163 805 miles 2 – 7 days
Detroit, MI to Lewiston, ME $781 – $1,205 835 miles 2 – 7 days
Detroit, MI to Bangor, ME $863 – $1,205 849 miles 2 – 7 days
Detroit, MI to South Portland, ME $792 – $1,175 806 miles 2 – 7 days
Detroit, MI to Auburn, ME $814 – $1,168 835 miles 2 – 7 days

Cost to ship a car from Grand Rapids, MI to Maine

From Michigan to Maine Cost Distance Estimated transit time
Grand Rapids, MI to Portland, ME $838 – $1,338 935 miles 2 – 7 days
Grand Rapids, MI to Lewiston, ME $829 – $1,350 965 miles 2 – 7 days
Grand Rapids, MI to Bangor, ME $827 – $1,361 979 miles 2 – 7 days
Grand Rapids, MI to South Portland, ME $822 – $1,287 936 miles 2 – 7 days
Grand Rapids, MI to Auburn, ME $870 – $1,259 964 miles 2 – 7 days

Cost to ship a car from Warren, MI to Maine

From Michigan to Maine Cost Distance Estimated transit time
Warren, MI to Portland, ME $857 – $1,260 808 miles 2 – 7 days
Warren, MI to Lewiston, ME $814 – $1,242 838 miles 2 – 7 days
Warren, MI to Bangor, ME $817 – $1,221 852 miles 2 – 7 days
Warren, MI to South Portland, ME $800 – $1,248 808 miles 2 – 7 days
Warren, MI to Auburn, ME $781 – $1,266 837 miles 2 – 7 days

Cost to ship a car from Sterling Heights, MI to Maine

From Michigan to Maine Cost Distance Estimated transit time
Sterling Heights, MI to Portland, ME $776 – $1,272 804 miles 2 – 7 days
Sterling Heights, MI to Lewiston, ME $789 – $1,205 834 miles 2 – 7 days
Sterling Heights, MI to Bangor, ME $797 – $1,254 848 miles 2 – 7 days
Sterling Heights, MI to South Portland, ME $841 – $1,236 805 miles 2 – 7 days
Sterling Heights, MI to Auburn, ME $789 – $1,278 833 miles 2 – 7 days

Cost to ship a car from Ann Arbor, MI to Maine

From Michigan to Maine Cost Distance Estimated transit time
Ann Arbor, MI to Portland, ME $863 – $1,274 905 miles 2 – 7 days
Ann Arbor, MI to Lewiston, ME $788 – $1,274 935 miles 2 – 7 days
Ann Arbor, MI to Bangor, ME $782 – $1,330 1,033 miles 2 – 8 days
Ann Arbor, MI to South Portland, ME $830 – $1,211 906 miles 2 – 7 days
Ann Arbor, MI to Auburn, ME $863 – $1,248 934 miles 2 – 7 days

Shipping an SUV or truck from Michigan to Maine

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 Maine you should expect to pay between $993 and $1,635.

Factors that affect car shipping costs from MI to ME

When transporting your vehicle from the Wolverine State to the Pine Tree 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 Maine.
  • Distance and route: The journey from Michigan to Maine spans approximately 999 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 Maine 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 Maine should take between two and seven days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.

Maine vehicle regulations you need to know

  • Car insurance 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.
  • Vehicle inspection: 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.
  • Driver’s license: New residents of Maine are required to obtain a new state license within 30 days of establishing residency. If you are moving to Maine and possess a valid or recently expired (within the past 5 years) out-of-state driver's license from another US state, you can obtain a Class C license, including a REAL ID license, by visiting a Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles office.
  • Additional taxes: Maine requires registered car owners to pay an annual excise tax for motor vehicles, trailers, mobile homes, and stock vehicles. This tax is calculated by multiplying the current Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle by the mileage rate.

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 Maine

About 22 million people are living in 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.

FAQ

Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Michigan and delivery in Maine?

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 Maine.

Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Michigan to Maine?

If you’re not driving the vehicle from Michigan to Maine, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Maine, 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.

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.

How long does it take to ship a car from Michigan to Maine?

Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Michigan to Maine is about 999 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to seven days to travel from Michigan to Maine.

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.

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.

If I have a driver’s license in Michigan, will I need one in Maine?

New residents of Maine are required to obtain a new state license within 30 days of establishing residency. If you are moving to Maine and possess a valid or recently expired (within the past 5 years) out-of-state driver's license from another US state, you can obtain a Class C license, including a REAL ID license, by visiting a Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles office.

If I bought a car in Michigan, will I be required to pay sales tax in Maine after shipping it there?

It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Michigan to Maine after purchasing it.

Maine requires registered car owners to pay an annual excise tax for motor vehicles, trailers, mobile homes, and stock vehicles. This tax is calculated by multiplying the current Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle by the mileage rate.

We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Michigan and Maine to avoid any hidden costs.

What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan to Maine?

The cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan to Maine 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 Maine?

Shipping a car from Michigan to Maine costs $794 to $1,308.

Helpful Michigan resources