Michigan to Pennsylvania Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 631 miles from Michigan to Pennsylvania ranges from $759 to $1,042 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 Pennsylvania to Michigan car shipping guide.
The best Michigan to Pennsylvania car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Michigan to Pennsylvania:
- 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 Pennsylvania
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 631 miles on your car going from Michigan to Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania 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 PA 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 Pennsylvania. The average travel distance is about 631 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to six days .
Cost to ship a car from Detroit, MI to Pennsylvania
| From Michigan to Pennsylvania | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI to Philadelphia, PA | $671 – $947 | 583 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Detroit, MI to Pittsburgh , PA | $460 – $666 | 286 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Detroit, MI to Erie, PA | $425 – $592 | 271 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Detroit, MI to Allentown, PA | $675 – $977 | 555 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Detroit, MI to Reading, PA | $704 – $945 | 541 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Grand Rapids, MI to Pennsylvania
| From Michigan to Pennsylvania | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids, MI to Philadelphia, PA | $790 – $1,138 | 715 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Pittsburgh , PA | $599 – $787 | 417 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Erie, PA | $623 – $787 | 402 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Allentown, PA | $786 – $1,038 | 686 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Reading, PA | $736 – $1,015 | 672 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Warren, MI to Pennsylvania
| From Michigan to Pennsylvania | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren, MI to Philadelphia, PA | $758 – $1,066 | 601 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Warren, MI to Pittsburgh , PA | $492 – $679 | 303 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Warren, MI to Erie, PA | $483 – $621 | 288 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Warren, MI to Allentown, PA | $682 – $996 | 572 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Warren, MI to Reading, PA | $661 – $929 | 558 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Sterling Heights, MI to Pennsylvania
| From Michigan to Pennsylvania | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Heights, MI to Philadelphia, PA | $737 – $1,066 | 604 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Pittsburgh , PA | $518 – $658 | 306 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Erie, PA | $483 – $653 | 291 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Allentown, PA | $734 – $938 | 575 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Reading, PA | $710 – $929 | 561 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Ann Arbor, MI to Pennsylvania
| From Michigan to Pennsylvania | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI to Philadelphia, PA | $692 – $977 | 582 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Pittsburgh , PA | $479 – $673 | 284 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Erie, PA | $434 – $616 | 270 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Allentown, PA | $668 – $996 | 553 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Reading, PA | $697 – $973 | 539 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Michigan to Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania you should expect to pay between $949 and $1,303.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MI to PA
When transporting your vehicle from the Wolverine State to the Keystone 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 Pennsylvania.
- Distance and route: The journey from Michigan to Pennsylvania spans approximately 631 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania should take between one and six days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Pennsylvania vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: When relocating to Pennsylvania, ensure compliance with state regulations by obtaining car insurance with minimum liability coverage: $15,000 for bodily injury per person, $30,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $5,000 for property damage per accident. Consider enhancing your coverage with options like collision and comprehensive coverage. It's crucial to carry proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times.
- Vehicle inspection: If you are moving to Pennsylvania and bringing a vehicle with you, you will need to have it inspected within 10 days of establishing residency. This includes safety and emission test. You can find a list of inspection stations on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website or by searching for "vehicle inspection near me". It's a good idea to schedule an appointment in advance and bring your vehicle registration and proof of insurance.
- Driver’s license: When moving to Pennsylvania, you will need to obtain a Pennsylvania driver's license within 60 days of establishing residency. You will need to provide proof of identity, residency, and pass a written test, a vision test and a road test. You may also be required to surrender your out-of-state license.
- Additional taxes: New residents must apply for PA title and registration of their vehicle within 20 days of moving to PA, and must surrender the out-of-state title to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles when doing so.
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 Pennsylvania
About 22 million people are living in the Keystone State. Pennsylvania experiences cold winters and humid summers. Summers are generally hot and humid. Moving toward the mountainous interior of the state, the winter climate becomes colder, the number of cloudy days increases, and snowfall amounts are greater. Tornadoes occur annually in the state, sometimes in large numbers, such as 30 recorded tornadoes in 2011; generally speaking, these tornadoes do not cause significant damage.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Michigan and delivery in Pennsylvania?
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 Pennsylvania.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Michigan to Pennsylvania?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Michigan to Pennsylvania, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Pennsylvania, 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.
When relocating to Pennsylvania, ensure compliance with state regulations by obtaining car insurance with minimum liability coverage: $15,000 for bodily injury per person, $30,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $5,000 for property damage per accident. Consider enhancing your coverage with options like collision and comprehensive coverage. It's crucial to carry proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times.
How long does it take to ship a car from Michigan to Pennsylvania?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Michigan to Pennsylvania is about 631 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 Pennsylvania.
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.
If you are moving to Pennsylvania and bringing a vehicle with you, you will need to have it inspected within 10 days of establishing residency. This includes safety and emission test. You can find a list of inspection stations on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website or by searching for "vehicle inspection near me". It's a good idea to schedule an appointment in advance and bring your vehicle registration and proof of insurance.
If I have a driver’s license in Michigan, will I need one in Pennsylvania?
When moving to Pennsylvania, you will need to obtain a Pennsylvania driver's license within 60 days of establishing residency. You will need to provide proof of identity, residency, and pass a written test, a vision test and a road test. You may also be required to surrender your out-of-state license.
If I bought a car in Michigan, will I be required to pay sales tax in Pennsylvania after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Michigan to Pennsylvania after purchasing it.
New residents must apply for PA title and registration of their vehicle within 20 days of moving to PA, and must surrender the out-of-state title to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles when doing so.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Michigan and Pennsylvania to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan to Pennsylvania?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan to Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Shipping a car from Michigan to Pennsylvania costs $759 to $1,042.
