Montana to Michigan Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,606 miles from Montana to Michigan ranges from $1,139 to $1,760 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 Michigan to Montana car shipping guide.
The best Montana to Michigan car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Montana to Michigan:
- 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 Michigan
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,606 miles on your car going from Montana to Michigan. 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 Michigan, 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 Michigan 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 MI 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 Michigan. The average travel distance is about 1,606 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from three to nine days .
Cost to ship a car from Billings, MT to Michigan
| From Montana to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT to Detroit, MI | $1,176 – $1,729 | 1,509 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Billings, MT to Grand Rapids, MI | $1,150 – $1,565 | 1,406 miles | 3 – 8 days |
| Billings, MT to Warren, MI | $1,152 – $1,646 | 1,519 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Billings, MT to Sterling Heights, MI | $1,152 – $1,712 | 1,522 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Billings, MT to Ann Arbor, MI | $1,150 – $1,549 | 1,468 miles | 3 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Missoula, MT to Michigan
| From Montana to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT to Detroit, MI | $1,228 – $1,935 | 1,852 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Grand Rapids, MI | $1,241 – $1,837 | 1,749 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Missoula, MT to Warren, MI | $1,266 – $1,840 | 1,862 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Sterling Heights, MI | $1,292 – $1,935 | 1,866 miles | 3 – 11 days |
| Missoula, MT to Ann Arbor, MI | $1,343 – $1,973 | 1,811 miles | 3 – 11 days |
Cost to ship a car from Great Falls, MT to Michigan
| From Montana to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT to Detroit, MI | $1,187 – $1,656 | 1,662 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Grand Rapids, MI | $1,141 – $1,663 | 1,558 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Warren, MI | $1,139 – $1,691 | 1,670 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Sterling Heights, MI | $1,175 – $1,656 | 1,675 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Ann Arbor, MI | $1,175 – $1,794 | 1,620 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bozeman, MT to Michigan
| From Montana to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT to Detroit, MI | $1,211 – $1,691 | 1,651 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Grand Rapids, MI | $1,152 – $1,663 | 1,548 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Warren, MI | $1,151 – $1,743 | 1,660 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Sterling Heights, MI | $1,187 – $1,812 | 1,664 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Ann Arbor, MI | $1,151 – $1,743 | 1,610 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Cost to ship a car from Butte, MT to Michigan
| From Montana to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte, MT to Detroit, MI | $1,228 – $1,765 | 1,735 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Butte, MT to Grand Rapids, MI | $1,151 – $1,760 | 1,632 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Butte, MT to Warren, MI | $1,290 – $1,729 | 1,745 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Butte, MT to Sterling Heights, MI | $1,179 – $1,729 | 1,749 miles | 3 – 9 days |
| Butte, MT to Ann Arbor, MI | $1,259 – $1,725 | 1,694 miles | 3 – 9 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Montana to Michigan
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 Michigan you should expect to pay between $1,424 and $2,200.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MT to MI
When transporting your vehicle from the Big Sky Country to the Wolverine 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 Michigan.
- Distance and route: The journey from Montana to Michigan spans approximately 1,606 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 Michigan 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 Michigan should take between three and nine days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Michigan vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance 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.
- Vehicle inspection: Michigan does not require vehicle inspections for registration purposes. There is no state mandate for car safety inspections or emissions testing.
- Driver’s license: Michigan law requires new residents to promptly title and register their vehicles, with no grace period provided. A person is considered a resident if they live in the state and prove their legal presence in the US. To comply with these requirements, new residents should visit a Secretary of State office to obtain a Michigan driver's license, title, and registration as soon as they establish residency.
- Additional taxes: In Michigan, a 6% sales tax is imposed on all vehicle purchases.
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 Michigan
About 22 million people are living in 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.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Montana and delivery in Michigan?
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 Michigan.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Montana to Michigan?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Montana to Michigan, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Michigan, 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.
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.
How long does it take to ship a car from Montana to Michigan?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Montana to Michigan is about 1,606 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 Michigan.
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.
Michigan does not require vehicle inspections for registration purposes. There is no state mandate for car safety inspections or emissions testing.
If I have a driver’s license in Montana, will I need one in Michigan?
Michigan law requires new residents to promptly title and register their vehicles, with no grace period provided. A person is considered a resident if they live in the state and prove their legal presence in the US. To comply with these requirements, new residents should visit a Secretary of State office to obtain a Michigan driver's license, title, and registration as soon as they establish residency.
If I bought a car in Montana, will I be required to pay sales tax in Michigan after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Montana to Michigan after purchasing it.
In Michigan, a 6% sales tax is imposed on all vehicle purchases.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Montana and Michigan to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Michigan?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to Michigan 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 Michigan?
Shipping a car from Montana to Michigan costs $1,139 to $1,760.
