Michigan to South Dakota Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,024 miles from Michigan to South Dakota ranges from $773 to $1,301 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 Dakota to Michigan car shipping guide.
The best Michigan to South Dakota car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Michigan to South Dakota:
- 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 South Dakota
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,024 miles on your car going from Michigan to South Dakota. 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 South Dakota, 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 South Dakota 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 SD 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 South Dakota. The average travel distance is about 1,024 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from two to eight days .
Cost to ship a car from Detroit, MI to South Dakota
| From Michigan to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI to Sioux Falls, SD | $848 – $1,218 | 861 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Detroit, MI to Rapid City, SD | $842 – $1,442 | 1,199 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Detroit, MI to Aberdeen, SD | $776 – $1,344 | 985 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Detroit, MI to Brookings, SD | $820 – $1,297 | 909 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Detroit, MI to Watertown, SD | $802 – $1,221 | 895 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Grand Rapids, MI to South Dakota
| From Michigan to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids, MI to Sioux Falls, SD | $817 – $1,148 | 757 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Rapid City, SD | $797 – $1,249 | 1,095 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Aberdeen, SD | $810 – $1,183 | 881 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Brookings, SD | $783 – $1,197 | 805 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Grand Rapids, MI to Watertown, SD | $801 – $1,226 | 790 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Warren, MI to South Dakota
| From Michigan to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren, MI to Sioux Falls, SD | $791 – $1,255 | 869 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Warren, MI to Rapid City, SD | $995 – $1,420 | 1,207 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Warren, MI to Aberdeen, SD | $825 – $1,228 | 994 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Warren, MI to Brookings, SD | $828 – $1,310 | 918 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Warren, MI to Watertown, SD | $861 – $1,297 | 903 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Sterling Heights, MI to South Dakota
| From Michigan to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Heights, MI to Sioux Falls, SD | $808 – $1,206 | 873 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Rapid City, SD | $966 – $1,435 | 1,211 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Aberdeen, SD | $817 – $1,254 | 997 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Brookings, SD | $804 – $1,221 | 921 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Sterling Heights, MI to Watertown, SD | $853 – $1,259 | 907 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Ann Arbor, MI to South Dakota
| From Michigan to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI to Sioux Falls, SD | $823 – $1,137 | 819 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Rapid City, SD | $921 – $1,373 | 1,158 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Aberdeen, SD | $812 – $1,297 | 944 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Brookings, SD | $832 – $1,206 | 867 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Ann Arbor, MI to Watertown, SD | $824 – $1,292 | 853 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Michigan to South Dakota
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 South Dakota you should expect to pay between $966 and $1,626.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MI to SD
When transporting your vehicle from the Wolverine State to the Mount Rushmore 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 Dakota.
- Distance and route: The journey from Michigan to South Dakota spans approximately 1,024 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota should take between two and eight days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
South Dakota vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: In South Dakota, drivers must show proof of financial responsibility, typically met through car insurance. Key coverage includes: Bodily Injury Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/person, $50,000/accident for injuries. Property Damage Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/accident for property damage. Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM): Required for personal injuries caused by uninsured drivers or hit-and-runs. Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM): Covers personal injuries from motorists with insufficient insurance. Note: Coverages are not stackable; they operate independently.
- Vehicle inspection: South Dakota does not have a mandatory vehicle inspection program for passenger vehicles. However, commercial vehicles and buses are required to pass annual inspections. If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
- Driver’s license: If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
- Additional taxes: When moving to South Dakota, you will need to register your vehicle with the South Dakota Department of Revenue within 90 days. You will need to provide proof of insurance, the vehicle title, pay a fee based on the vehicle's value, 4% sales tax, and $5 per wheel wheel tax.
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 South Dakota
About 22 million people are living in the Mount Rushmore State. In South Dakota, drivers are required to have liability insurance coverage with at least the following minimum limits: $25,000 for bodily injury or death per person in an accident, $50,000 for total bodily injury or death per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Michigan and delivery in South Dakota?
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 South Dakota.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Michigan to South Dakota?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Michigan to South Dakota, 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 Dakota, 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 South Dakota, drivers must show proof of financial responsibility, typically met through car insurance. Key coverage includes: Bodily Injury Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/person, $50,000/accident for injuries. Property Damage Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/accident for property damage. Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM): Required for personal injuries caused by uninsured drivers or hit-and-runs. Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM): Covers personal injuries from motorists with insufficient insurance. Note: Coverages are not stackable; they operate independently.
How long does it take to ship a car from Michigan to South Dakota?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Michigan to South Dakota is about 1,024 miles, and that’s as fast as about 3 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to eight days to travel from Michigan to South Dakota.
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.
South Dakota does not have a mandatory vehicle inspection program for passenger vehicles. However, commercial vehicles and buses are required to pass annual inspections. If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
If I have a driver’s license in Michigan, will I need one in South Dakota?
If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
If I bought a car in Michigan, will I be required to pay sales tax in South Dakota after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Michigan to South Dakota after purchasing it.
When moving to South Dakota, you will need to register your vehicle with the South Dakota Department of Revenue within 90 days. You will need to provide proof of insurance, the vehicle title, pay a fee based on the vehicle's value, 4% sales tax, and $5 per wheel wheel tax.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Michigan and South Dakota to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan to South Dakota?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Michigan to South Dakota 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 South Dakota?
Shipping a car from Michigan to South Dakota costs $773 to $1,301.
