Montana to Illinois Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,370 miles from Montana to Illinois ranges from $1,058 to $1,552 and takes three–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 Illinois to Montana car shipping guide.
The best Montana to Illinois car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Montana to Illinois:
- Best for accurate pricing: Sherpa Auto Transport
- Best cross-country shipper: Montway Auto Transport
- Best for quick pickup: Easy Auto Ship
- Best for discounts: AmeriFreight Car Transport
- Best for overall value: SGT Auto Transport
- 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
- No upfront deposit
- Expedited shipping
- No hidden fees
- Ships motorcycles & RVs
- Discount for cash payments
- 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
Alternative ways to ship your car from Montana to Illinois
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,370 miles on your car going from Montana to Illinois. 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 Illinois, 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 Illinois 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 IL 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 Illinois. The average travel distance is about 1,370 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from three to eight days .
Cost to ship a car from Billings, MT to Illinois
| From Montana to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT to Chicago, IL | $987 – $1,482 | 1,229 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Aurora, IL | $929 – $1,452 | 1,215 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Joliet, IL | $929 – $1,437 | 1,242 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Naperville, IL | $978 – $1,408 | 1,226 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Rockford, IL | $914 – $1,418 | 1,150 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Missoula, MT to Illinois
| From Montana to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT to Chicago, IL | $1,129 – $1,696 | 1,572 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Missoula, MT to Aurora, IL | $1,199 – $1,646 | 1,558 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Missoula, MT to Joliet, IL | $1,199 – $1,712 | 1,585 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Missoula, MT to Naperville, IL | $1,118 – $1,597 | 1,569 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Missoula, MT to Rockford, IL | $1,073 – $1,533 | 1,493 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Great Falls, MT to Illinois
| From Montana to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT to Chicago, IL | $1,007 – $1,567 | 1,381 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Aurora, IL | $1,007 – $1,567 | 1,367 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Joliet, IL | $976 – $1,583 | 1,394 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Naperville, IL | $1,007 – $1,598 | 1,378 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Rockford, IL | $1,027 – $1,552 | 1,302 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bozeman, MT to Illinois
| From Montana to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT to Chicago, IL | $1,027 – $1,567 | 1,371 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Aurora, IL | $997 – $1,490 | 1,356 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Joliet, IL | $1,038 – $1,552 | 1,384 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Naperville, IL | $1,017 – $1,583 | 1,368 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Rockford, IL | $920 – $1,452 | 1,292 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Butte, MT to Illinois
| From Montana to Illinois | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte, MT to Chicago, IL | $1,139 – $1,630 | 1,455 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Butte, MT to Aurora, IL | $1,139 – $1,646 | 1,441 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Butte, MT to Joliet, IL | $1,150 – $1,597 | 1,468 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Butte, MT to Naperville, IL | $1,095 – $1,533 | 1,452 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Butte, MT to Rockford, IL | $986 – $1,583 | 1,376 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Montana to Illinois
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 Illinois you should expect to pay between $1,323 and $1,940.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MT to IL
When transporting your vehicle from the Big Sky Country to the Land of Lincoln, 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 Illinois.
- Distance and route: The journey from Montana to Illinois spans approximately 1,370 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 Illinois 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 Illinois should take between three and eight days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Illinois vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The liability insurance minimums for Illinois are $25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, and $20,000 property damage liability per accident.
- Vehicle inspection: In Illinois, emissions inspections are mandatory on a yearly basis for eligible vehicles in the Chicago and East St. Louis metropolitan areas. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency conducts tests on automobiles before residents can renew their vehicle registration with the Secretary of State's office.
- Driver’s license: Even if your out-of-state driver's license is valid, you must still pass a vision test and written exam if you are moving to Illinois. Within 90 days of becoming a resident in the state, you must convert your license to an Illinois non-commercial license.
- Additional taxes: According to Illinois law, the recipient or buyer of any vehicle transferred within the state must complete a Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction form (form RUT-50) and pay the sales tax for the car within 30 days of the transfer of ownership.
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 Illinois
About 22 million people are living in the Land of Lincoln. Illinois' climate is clearly different in the northern and southern halves of the state. The northern half experiences cold winters and mild summers whereas the southern half experiences mild winters and hot and humid summers. Illinois is a part of "tornado alley"
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Montana and delivery in Illinois?
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 Illinois.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Montana to Illinois?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Montana to Illinois, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Illinois, 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.
The liability insurance minimums for Illinois are $25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, and $20,000 property damage liability per accident.
How long does it take to ship a car from Montana to Illinois?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Montana to Illinois is about 1,370 miles, and that’s as fast as about 3 days. However, most car transport companies will take three to eight days to travel from Montana to Illinois.
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 Illinois, emissions inspections are mandatory on a yearly basis for eligible vehicles in the Chicago and East St. Louis metropolitan areas. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency conducts tests on automobiles before residents can renew their vehicle registration with the Secretary of State's office.
If I have a driver’s license in Montana, will I need one in Illinois?
Even if your out-of-state driver's license is valid, you must still pass a vision test and written exam if you are moving to Illinois. Within 90 days of becoming a resident in the state, you must convert your license to an Illinois non-commercial license.
If I bought a car in Montana, will I be required to pay sales tax in Illinois after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Montana to Illinois after purchasing it.
According to Illinois law, the recipient or buyer of any vehicle transferred within the state must complete a Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction form (form RUT-50) and pay the sales tax for the car within 30 days of the transfer of ownership.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Montana and Illinois to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Illinois?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Illinois 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 Illinois?
Shipping a car from Montana to Illinois costs $1,058 to $1,552.
