Montana to South Dakota Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 659 miles from Montana to South Dakota ranges from $713 to $1,079 and takes one–six 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 South Dakota to Montana car shipping guide.
The best Montana to South Dakota car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Montana to South Dakota:
- 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 South Dakota
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 659 miles on your car going from Montana to South Dakota. 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 South Dakota, 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 South Dakota 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 SD 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 South Dakota. The average travel distance is about 659 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to six days .
Cost to ship a car from Billings, MT to South Dakota
| From Montana to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT to Sioux Falls, SD | $743 – $1,047 | 659 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Billings, MT to Rapid City, SD | $518 – $665 | 316 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Billings, MT to Aberdeen, SD | $644 – $917 | 531 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Billings, MT to Brookings, SD | $759 – $1,149 | 703 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Billings, MT to Watertown, SD | $774 – $1,084 | 627 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Missoula, MT to South Dakota
| From Montana to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT to Sioux Falls, SD | $805 – $1,288 | 1,002 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Missoula, MT to Rapid City, SD | $721 – $1,089 | 659 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Missoula, MT to Aberdeen, SD | $808 – $1,206 | 874 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Missoula, MT to Brookings, SD | $813 – $1,236 | 1,047 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Missoula, MT to Watertown, SD | $795 – $1,334 | 971 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Great Falls, MT to South Dakota
| From Montana to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT to Sioux Falls, SD | $802 – $1,308 | 878 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Rapid City, SD | $670 – $936 | 535 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Aberdeen, SD | $753 – $1,150 | 744 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Brookings, SD | $827 – $1,221 | 894 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Great Falls, MT to Watertown, SD | $844 – $1,166 | 839 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Bozeman, MT to South Dakota
| From Montana to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT to Sioux Falls, SD | $839 – $1,149 | 800 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Rapid City, SD | $655 – $829 | 458 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Aberdeen, SD | $721 – $1,047 | 672 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Brookings, SD | $853 – $1,178 | 845 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Bozeman, MT to Watertown, SD | $801 – $1,113 | 769 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Cost to ship a car from Butte, MT to South Dakota
| From Montana to South Dakota | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte, MT to Sioux Falls, SD | $851 – $1,183 | 885 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Butte, MT to Rapid City, SD | $704 – $973 | 542 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Butte, MT to Aberdeen, SD | $761 – $1,171 | 757 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Butte, MT to Brookings, SD | $779 – $1,272 | 930 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Butte, MT to Watertown, SD | $848 – $1,243 | 854 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Montana to South Dakota
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 South Dakota you should expect to pay between $891 and $1,349.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from MT to SD
When transporting your vehicle from the Big Sky Country to the Mount Rushmore 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 South Dakota.
- Distance and route: The journey from Montana to South Dakota spans approximately 659 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota should take between one and six days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
South Dakota vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: In South Dakota, drivers must show proof of financial responsibility, typically met through car insurance. Key coverage includes: Bodily Injury Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/person, $50,000/accident for injuries. Property Damage Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/accident for property damage. Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM): Required for personal injuries caused by uninsured drivers or hit-and-runs. Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM): Covers personal injuries from motorists with insufficient insurance. Note: Coverages are not stackable; they operate independently.
- Vehicle inspection: South Dakota does not have a mandatory vehicle inspection program for passenger vehicles. However, commercial vehicles and buses are required to pass annual inspections. If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
- Driver’s license: If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
- Additional taxes: When moving to South Dakota, you will need to register your vehicle with the South Dakota Department of Revenue within 90 days. You will need to provide proof of insurance, the vehicle title, pay a fee based on the vehicle's value, 4% sales tax, and $5 per wheel wheel tax.
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 South Dakota
About 22 million people are living in the Mount Rushmore State. In South Dakota, drivers are required to have liability insurance coverage with at least the following minimum limits: $25,000 for bodily injury or death per person in an accident, $50,000 for total bodily injury or death per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in Montana and delivery in South Dakota?
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 South Dakota.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Montana to South Dakota?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Montana to South Dakota, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to South Dakota, 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.
In South Dakota, drivers must show proof of financial responsibility, typically met through car insurance. Key coverage includes: Bodily Injury Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/person, $50,000/accident for injuries. Property Damage Liability (25/50/25): $25,000/accident for property damage. Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM): Required for personal injuries caused by uninsured drivers or hit-and-runs. Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM): Covers personal injuries from motorists with insufficient insurance. Note: Coverages are not stackable; they operate independently.
How long does it take to ship a car from Montana to South Dakota?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Montana to South Dakota is about 659 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take one to six days to travel from Montana to South Dakota.
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.
South Dakota does not have a mandatory vehicle inspection program for passenger vehicles. However, commercial vehicles and buses are required to pass annual inspections. If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
If I have a driver’s license in Montana, will I need one in South Dakota?
If you are a new resident of South Dakota, you are required to obtain a South Dakota driver's license within 90 days of becoming a resident.
If I bought a car in Montana, will I be required to pay sales tax in South Dakota after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Montana to South Dakota after purchasing it.
When moving to South Dakota, you will need to register your vehicle with the South Dakota Department of Revenue within 90 days. You will need to provide proof of insurance, the vehicle title, pay a fee based on the vehicle's value, 4% sales tax, and $5 per wheel wheel tax.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Montana and South Dakota to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to South Dakota?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Montana to South Dakota 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 South Dakota?
Shipping a car from Montana to South Dakota costs $713 to $1,079.
