Montana to Kentucky Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,714 miles from Montana to Kentucky ranges from $1,290 to $1,765 and takes three–nine 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 Kentucky to Montana car shipping guide.
The best Montana to Kentucky car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Montana to Kentucky:
- 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 Kentucky
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,714 miles on your car going from Montana to Kentucky. 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 Kentucky, 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 Kentucky 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 KY 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 Kentucky. The average travel distance is about 1,714 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from three to nine days .
Cost to ship a car from Billings, MT to Kentucky
| From Montana to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT to Louisville, KY | $1,210 – $1,597 | 1,512 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Billings, MT to Lexington, KY | $1,199 – $1,630 | 1,587 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Billings, MT to Bowling Green, KY | $1,141 – $1,712 | 1,542 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Billings, MT to Owensboro, KY | $1,062 – $1,646 | 1,470 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Covington, KY | $1,118 – $1,564 | 1,512 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Cost to ship a car from Missoula, MT to Kentucky
| From Montana to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT to Louisville, KY | $1,330 – $1,840 | 1,855 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Lexington, KY | $1,272 – $1,912 | 1,930 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Bowling Green, KY | $1,343 – $1,935 | 1,885 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Owensboro, KY | $1,318 – $1,897 | 1,813 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Covington, KY | $1,305 – $1,954 | 1,855 miles | 3 – 11 days |
Cost to ship a car from Great Falls, MT to Kentucky
| From Montana to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT to Louisville, KY | $1,151 – $1,656 | 1,674 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Lexington, KY | $1,241 – $1,801 | 1,749 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Bowling Green, KY | $1,228 – $1,747 | 1,760 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Owensboro, KY | $1,235 – $1,812 | 1,688 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Covington, KY | $1,163 – $1,674 | 1,673 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bozeman, MT to Kentucky
| From Montana to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT to Louisville, KY | $1,187 – $1,812 | 1,654 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Lexington, KY | $1,228 – $1,783 | 1,729 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Bowling Green, KY | $1,259 – $1,743 | 1,683 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Owensboro, KY | $1,151 – $1,656 | 1,611 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Covington, KY | $1,151 – $1,656 | 1,653 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Cost to ship a car from Butte, MT to Kentucky
| From Montana to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte, MT to Louisville, KY | $1,216 – $1,801 | 1,739 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Butte, MT to Lexington, KY | $1,279 – $1,821 | 1,813 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Butte, MT to Bowling Green, KY | $1,241 – $1,783 | 1,768 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Butte, MT to Owensboro, KY | $1,199 – $1,743 | 1,696 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Butte, MT to Covington, KY | $1,278 – $1,711 | 1,738 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Montana to Kentucky
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 Kentucky you should expect to pay between $1,613 and $2,206.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MT to KY
When transporting your vehicle from the Big Sky Country to the Bluegrass 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 Kentucky.
- Distance and route: The journey from Montana to Kentucky spans approximately 1,714 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky should take between three and nine days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Kentucky vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The insurance coverage includes Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability with limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident and $25,000 respectively; Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage (not required); Personal Injury Protection with a limit of $10,000; and optional Collision and Comprehensive coverage for vehicle repair or replacement expenses, with no requirement.
- Vehicle inspection: When moving to Kentucky from another state, a one-time Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection is required. To complete the VIN inspection, bring the vehicle and its title to the Sheriff's office in the county where the car will be registered.
- Driver’s license: New residents in Kentucky have a 30-day time frame to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.
- Additional taxes: In Kentucky, a 6% motor vehicle usage tax is imposed on the retail price of vehicles registered for the first time in the state.
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 Kentucky
About 22 million people are living in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky has relatively hot, humid, rainy summers, and moderately cold and rainy winters. Kansas rarely experiences the extremes cold of the northern states nor the heat of the state in the Deep South.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Montana and delivery in Kentucky?
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 Kentucky.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Montana to Kentucky?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Montana to Kentucky, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Kentucky, 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 insurance coverage includes Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability with limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident and $25,000 respectively; Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage (not required); Personal Injury Protection with a limit of $10,000; and optional Collision and Comprehensive coverage for vehicle repair or replacement expenses, with no requirement.
How long does it take to ship a car from Montana to Kentucky?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Montana to Kentucky is about 1,714 miles, and that’s as fast as about 4 days. However, most car transport companies will take three to nine days to travel from Montana to Kentucky.
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.
When moving to Kentucky from another state, a one-time Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection is required. To complete the VIN inspection, bring the vehicle and its title to the Sheriff's office in the county where the car will be registered.
If I have a driver’s license in Montana, will I need one in Kentucky?
New residents in Kentucky have a 30-day time frame to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.
If I bought a car in Montana, will I be required to pay sales tax in Kentucky after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Montana to Kentucky after purchasing it.
In Kentucky, a 6% motor vehicle usage tax is imposed on the retail price of vehicles registered for the first time in the state.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Montana and Kentucky to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Kentucky?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Kentucky 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 Kentucky?
Shipping a car from Montana to Kentucky costs $1,290 to $1,765.
