Montana to Louisiana Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,894 miles from Montana to Louisiana ranges from $1,315 to $1,949 and takes three–eleven 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 Louisiana to Montana car shipping guide.
The best Montana to Louisiana car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Montana to Louisiana:
- 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 Louisiana
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,894 miles on your car going from Montana to Louisiana. 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 Louisiana, 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 Louisiana 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 LA 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 Louisiana. The average travel distance is about 1,894 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from three to eleven days .
Cost to ship a car from Billings, MT to Louisiana
| From Montana to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT to New Orleans, LA | $1,201 – $1,968 | 1,832 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Billings, MT to Baton Rouge, LA | $1,202 – $1,868 | 1,754 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Billings, MT to Shreveport, LA | $1,139 – $1,627 | 1,514 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Billings, MT to Metairie, LA | $1,315 – $1,799 | 1,826 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Billings, MT to Lafayette, LA | $1,177 – $1,761 | 1,717 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Cost to ship a car from Missoula, MT to Louisiana
| From Montana to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT to New Orleans, LA | $1,276 – $1,964 | 2,175 miles | 4 – 12 days |
| Missoula, MT to Baton Rouge, LA | $1,314 – $1,932 | 2,097 miles | 4 – 12 days |
| Missoula, MT to Shreveport, LA | $1,264 – $1,949 | 1,858 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Metairie, LA | $1,355 – $2,046 | 2,169 miles | 4 – 12 days |
| Missoula, MT to Lafayette, LA | $1,301 – $2,034 | 2,060 miles | 4 – 12 days |
Cost to ship a car from Great Falls, MT to Louisiana
| From Montana to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT to New Orleans, LA | $1,236 – $2,034 | 2,051 miles | 4 – 12 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Baton Rouge, LA | $1,296 – $1,850 | 1,972 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Shreveport, LA | $1,238 – $1,833 | 1,733 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Metairie, LA | $1,301 – $1,952 | 2,045 miles | 4 – 12 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Lafayette, LA | $1,347 – $1,869 | 1,936 miles | 3 – 11 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bozeman, MT to Louisiana
| From Montana to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT to New Orleans, LA | $1,296 – $1,908 | 1,973 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Baton Rouge, LA | $1,226 – $1,968 | 1,895 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Shreveport, LA | $1,172 – $1,671 | 1,656 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Metairie, LA | $1,231 – $2,025 | 1,968 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Lafayette, LA | $1,277 – $1,818 | 1,859 miles | 3 – 11 days |
Cost to ship a car from Butte, MT to Louisiana
| From Montana to Louisiana | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte, MT to New Orleans, LA | $1,314 – $2,135 | 2,058 miles | 4 – 12 days |
| Butte, MT to Baton Rouge, LA | $1,308 – $1,947 | 1,980 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Butte, MT to Shreveport, LA | $1,226 – $1,850 | 1,741 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Butte, MT to Metairie, LA | $1,327 – $1,932 | 2,052 miles | 4 – 12 days |
| Butte, MT to Lafayette, LA | $1,283 – $1,986 | 1,944 miles | 3 – 11 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Montana to Louisiana
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 Louisiana you should expect to pay between $1,644 and $2,436.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MT to LA
When transporting your vehicle from the Big Sky Country to the Pelican 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 Louisiana.
- Distance and route: The journey from Montana to Louisiana spans approximately 1,894 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana should take between three and eleven days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Louisiana vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The insurance limit represents the maximum payout for a claim, and in Louisiana, the minimum liability limits are $15,000 for bodily injury per person, $30,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage; these limits can be raised beyond the state-mandated minimums.
- Vehicle inspection: In Louisiana, the annual safety and emissions inspection includes checks on the vehicle's safety equipment, anti-tampering of emissions systems, and a test on the integrity of the gas cap.
- Driver’s license: New residents in Louisiana must transfer their out-of-state driver's license within 30 days of establishing residency in the state.
- Additional taxes: In Louisiana, a 4% tax is levied on all car sales by the state, with additional taxes charged by individual counties and cities.
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 Louisiana
About 22 million people are living in the Pelican State. Louisiana has long hot humid summers and short mild winters. Rain is frequent throughout the year, although from April to September is slightly wetter than the rest of the year. Louisiana is often affected by tropical cyclones and is very vulnerable to major hurricanes, particularly around the New Orleans area. Lousiana averages about 27 tornadoes annually; they are most common from January through March in the south and from February through March in the North.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Montana and delivery in Louisiana?
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 Louisiana.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Montana to Louisiana?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Montana to Louisiana, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Louisiana, 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 limit represents the maximum payout for a claim, and in Louisiana, the minimum liability limits are $15,000 for bodily injury per person, $30,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage; these limits can be raised beyond the state-mandated minimums.
How long does it take to ship a car from Montana to Louisiana?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Montana to Louisiana is about 1,894 miles, and that’s as fast as about 4 days. However, most car transport companies will take three to eleven days to travel from Montana to Louisiana.
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 Louisiana, the annual safety and emissions inspection includes checks on the vehicle's safety equipment, anti-tampering of emissions systems, and a test on the integrity of the gas cap.
If I have a driver’s license in Montana, will I need one in Louisiana?
New residents in Louisiana must transfer their out-of-state driver's license within 30 days of establishing residency in the state.
If I bought a car in Montana, will I be required to pay sales tax in Louisiana after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Montana to Louisiana after purchasing it.
In Louisiana, a 4% tax is levied on all car sales by the state, with additional taxes charged by individual counties and cities.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Montana and Louisiana to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Louisiana?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
Shipping a car from Montana to Louisiana costs $1,315 to $1,949.
