Montana to Iowa Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,118 miles from Montana to Iowa ranges from $912 to $1,456 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 Iowa to Montana car shipping guide.
The best Montana to Iowa car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Montana to Iowa:
- 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 Montana to Iowa
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,118 miles on your car going from Montana to Iowa. 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 Montana for a move to Iowa, 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 Montana to Iowa 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!
MT to IA auto transport costs and transit times
The tables below detail the costs and estimated transit times for shipping a car between popular cities in Montana and Iowa. The average travel distance is about 1,118 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from two to eight days .
Cost to ship a car from Billings, MT to Iowa
| From Montana to Iowa | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT to Des Moines, IA | $796 – $1,221 | 938 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Billings, MT to Cedar Rapids, IA | $838 – $1,314 | 1,012 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Davenport, IA | $813 – $1,236 | 1,093 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Sioux City, IA | $745 – $1,184 | 741 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Billings, MT to Iowa City, IA | $854 – $1,275 | 1,039 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Missoula, MT to Iowa
| From Montana to Iowa | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT to Des Moines, IA | $947 – $1,493 | 1,281 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Missoula, MT to Cedar Rapids, IA | $975 – $1,503 | 1,355 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Missoula, MT to Davenport, IA | $1,114 – $1,578 | 1,436 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Missoula, MT to Sioux City, IA | $813 – $1,249 | 1,084 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Missoula, MT to Iowa City, IA | $1,025 – $1,579 | 1,382 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Great Falls, MT to Iowa
| From Montana to Iowa | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT to Des Moines, IA | $850 – $1,456 | 1,156 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Cedar Rapids, IA | $957 – $1,464 | 1,244 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Davenport, IA | $1,066 – $1,518 | 1,325 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Sioux City, IA | $819 – $1,334 | 959 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Iowa City, IA | $909 – $1,523 | 1,271 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bozeman, MT to Iowa
| From Montana to Iowa | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT to Des Moines, IA | $805 – $1,275 | 1,079 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Cedar Rapids, IA | $904 – $1,401 | 1,153 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Davenport, IA | $937 – $1,537 | 1,235 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Sioux City, IA | $794 – $1,283 | 882 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Iowa City, IA | $904 – $1,401 | 1,180 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Butte, MT to Iowa
| From Montana to Iowa | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte, MT to Des Moines, IA | $842 – $1,442 | 1,164 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Butte, MT to Cedar Rapids, IA | $937 – $1,537 | 1,238 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Butte, MT to Davenport, IA | $1,066 – $1,610 | 1,319 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Butte, MT to Sioux City, IA | $852 – $1,334 | 967 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Butte, MT to Iowa City, IA | $918 – $1,523 | 1,265 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Montana to Iowa
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 Montana to Iowa you should expect to pay between $1,140 and $1,820.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MT to IA
When transporting your vehicle from the Big Sky Country to the Hawkeye 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 Iowa.
- Distance and route: The journey from Montana to Iowa spans approximately 1,118 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 Montana, 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 Montana and Iowa 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 Montana to Iowa should take between two and eight days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Iowa vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: Iowa requires minimum liability insurance, covering $20,000 for individual injury or death, $40,000 for multiple individuals, and $15,000 for property damage in an accident.
- Vehicle inspection: In Iowa, car owners are not obligated to undergo emissions, VIN, or safety inspections.
- Driver’s license: New residents with an out-of-state license must obtain an Iowa license within 30 days of establishing permanent residency. To do so, visit the DMV with your former state license, as it will need to be surrendered for the new license.
- Additional taxes: In Iowa, sales of vehicles requiring registration are exempt from sales tax but subject to a 5% fee for new registration.
Learn more with our car shipping checklist.
Transporting your vehicle from Montana
More than 39 million people call Montana home. Nicknamed the Big Sky Country, Montana has a lot of variation in geography, topography, and elevation, and the climate is equally varied. The western half is mountainous, interrupted by numerous large valleys. Eastern Montana comprises plains and badlands, broken by hills and isolated mountain ranges, The Continental Divide has a considerable effect on the climate, as it restricts the flow of warmer air from the Pacific from moving east, and drier continental air from moving west. The area west of the divide has a modified northern Pacific Coast climate, with milder winters, cooler summers, less wind, and a longer growing season. Low clouds and fog often form in the valleys west of the divide in winter, but this is rarely seen in the east.
Transporting your vehicle to Iowa
About 22 million people are living in the Hawkeye State. Iowa has a humid continental climate throughout the state. Snowfall is common in Iowa. Spring brings in severe weather season. Iowa has about 50 thunderstorm days per year and has a tornado season. Iowa is known for hot and humid summers. Be sure to check the weather before your move, especially during the springtime.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Montana and delivery in Iowa?
Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in Montana and when dropping it off in Iowa.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Montana to Iowa?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Montana to Iowa, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Iowa, which you should verify before loading your car in Montana.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. In Montana, drivers must meet legal requirements for minimum car insurance liability coverage to ensure financial responsibility in accidents. Mandated by state regulations, this includes $25,000 per person for bodily injury and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, covering collective medical expenses in case of multiple injuries, capped at $50,000 for the entire incident. Additionally, there's a required minimum of $20,000 per accident for property damage, crucial for addressing costs related to damage to another party's vehicle or property. Adhering to these insurance requirements is imperative for all motorists, ensuring compliance with state laws and contributing to a secure and responsible driving environment on Montana roadways.
Iowa requires minimum liability insurance, covering $20,000 for individual injury or death, $40,000 for multiple individuals, and $15,000 for property damage in an accident.
How long does it take to ship a car from Montana to Iowa?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Montana to Iowa is about 1,118 miles, and that’s as fast as about 3 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to eight days to travel from Montana to Iowa.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
If you are moving to Montana, you are not required to have your vehicle inspected.
In Iowa, car owners are not obligated to undergo emissions, VIN, or safety inspections.
If I have a driver’s license in Montana, will I need one in Iowa?
New residents with an out-of-state license must obtain an Iowa license within 30 days of establishing permanent residency. To do so, visit the DMV with your former state license, as it will need to be surrendered for the new license.
If I bought a car in Montana, will I be required to pay sales tax in Iowa after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Montana to Iowa after purchasing it.
In Iowa, sales of vehicles requiring registration are exempt from sales tax but subject to a 5% fee for new registration.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Montana and Iowa to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Iowa?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Iowa 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 Montana to Iowa?
Shipping a car from Montana to Iowa costs $912 to $1,456.
