South Carolina to Maine Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 1,168 miles from South Carolina to Maine ranges from $877 to $1,331 and takes two–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 Maine to South Carolina car shipping guide.
The best South Carolina to Maine car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from South Carolina to Maine:
- 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 South Carolina to Maine
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 1,168 miles on your car going from South Carolina to Maine. 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 South Carolina for a move to Maine, 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 South Carolina to Maine 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!
SC to ME auto transport costs and transit times
The tables below detail the costs and estimated transit times for shipping a car between popular cities in South Carolina and Maine. The average travel distance is about 1,168 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from two to eight days .
Cost to ship a car from Charleston, SC to Maine
| From South Carolina to Maine | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC to Portland, ME | $805 – $1,236 | 1,072 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Charleston, SC to Lewiston, ME | $921 – $1,428 | 1,102 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Charleston, SC to Bangor, ME | $921 – $1,428 | 1,199 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Charleston, SC to South Portland, ME | $822 – $1,301 | 1,072 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Charleston, SC to Auburn, ME | $904 – $1,442 | 1,101 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Columbia, SC to Maine
| From South Carolina to Maine | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC to Portland, ME | $797 – $1,301 | 1,020 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Columbia, SC to Lewiston, ME | $773 – $1,314 | 1,049 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Columbia, SC to Bangor, ME | $904 – $1,442 | 1,147 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Columbia, SC to South Portland, ME | $846 – $1,340 | 1,020 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Columbia, SC to Auburn, ME | $789 – $1,367 | 1,048 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from North Charleston, SC to Maine
| From South Carolina to Maine | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston, SC to Portland, ME | $854 – $1,262 | 1,064 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| North Charleston, SC to Lewiston, ME | $822 – $1,262 | 1,094 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| North Charleston, SC to Bangor, ME | $904 – $1,456 | 1,191 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| North Charleston, SC to South Portland, ME | $830 – $1,301 | 1,064 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| North Charleston, SC to Auburn, ME | $838 – $1,340 | 1,093 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Mount Pleasant, SC to Maine
| From South Carolina to Maine | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Pleasant, SC to Portland, ME | $854 – $1,314 | 1,074 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Mount Pleasant, SC to Lewiston, ME | $886 – $1,456 | 1,104 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Mount Pleasant, SC to Bangor, ME | $918 – $1,391 | 1,202 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Mount Pleasant, SC to South Portland, ME | $781 – $1,314 | 1,075 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Mount Pleasant, SC to Auburn, ME | $842 – $1,387 | 1,104 miles | 2 – 8 days |
Cost to ship a car from Rock Hill, SC to Maine
| From South Carolina to Maine | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Hill, SC to Portland, ME | $811 – $1,231 | 965 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Rock Hill, SC to Lewiston, ME | $784 – $1,306 | 995 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Rock Hill, SC to Bangor, ME | $781 – $1,327 | 1,093 miles | 2 – 8 days |
| Rock Hill, SC to South Portland, ME | $811 – $1,321 | 966 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Rock Hill, SC to Auburn, ME | $776 – $1,228 | 994 miles | 2 – 7 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from South Carolina to Maine
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 South Carolina to Maine you should expect to pay between $1,096 and $1,664.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from SC to ME
When transporting your vehicle from the Palmetto State to the Pine Tree 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 Maine.
- Distance and route: The journey from South Carolina to Maine spans approximately 1,168 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 South Carolina, 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 South Carolina and Maine 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 South Carolina to Maine should take between two and eight days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Maine vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: In Maine, drivers must carry a minimum liability coverage of 50/100/25, requiring $50,000 for bodily injury per person, $100,000 for all injuries per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, as per car insurance laws.
- Vehicle inspection: The State of Maine requires annual safety inspections for all vehicles used on public roads to ensure they are in proper working condition and safe to operate. Safety inspections in Maine can be carried out at any official service station of the Maine Department of Transportation.
- Driver’s license: New residents of Maine are required to obtain a new state license within 30 days of establishing residency. If you are moving to Maine and possess a valid or recently expired (within the past 5 years) out-of-state driver's license from another US state, you can obtain a Class C license, including a REAL ID license, by visiting a Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles office.
- Additional taxes: Maine requires registered car owners to pay an annual excise tax for motor vehicles, trailers, mobile homes, and stock vehicles. This tax is calculated by multiplying the current Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle by the mileage rate.
Learn more with our car shipping checklist.
Transporting your vehicle from South Carolina
More than 39 million people call South Carolina home. Nicknamed the Palmetto State, South Carolina had hot and humid summers and cool to mild winters and coastal areas of the state have very mild winters. While precipitation is abundant the entire year in almost the entire state, the coast tends to have a slightly wetter summer, while inland, the spring and autumn transitions tend to be the wettest periods and winter the driest season, with November being the driest month.
Transporting your vehicle to Maine
About 22 million people are living in the Pine Tree State. Maine has a humid continental climate. with warm and sometimes humid summers, and long, cold and very snowy winters. Winters are especially severe in the Northern and Western parts of Maine, while coastal areas are moderated slightly by the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in marginally milder winters and cooler summers than inland regions.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in South Carolina and delivery in Maine?
Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in South Carolina and when dropping it off in Maine.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from South Carolina to Maine?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from South Carolina to Maine, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Maine, which you should verify before loading your car in South Carolina.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. In South Carolina, it's a legal requirement for every driver to have liability insurance. Adhering to the state's minimum liability limits, commonly referred to as 25/50/25, entails securing coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Stay compliant with these essential insurance standards to drive confidently on South Carolina roads.
In Maine, drivers must carry a minimum liability coverage of 50/100/25, requiring $50,000 for bodily injury per person, $100,000 for all injuries per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, as per car insurance laws.
How long does it take to ship a car from South Carolina to Maine?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from South Carolina to Maine is about 1,168 miles, and that’s as fast as about 3 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to eight days to travel from South Carolina to Maine.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
Drivers in South Carolina are not required to get a safety, VIN, or emissions inspection for their vehicle.
The State of Maine requires annual safety inspections for all vehicles used on public roads to ensure they are in proper working condition and safe to operate. Safety inspections in Maine can be carried out at any official service station of the Maine Department of Transportation.
If I have a driver’s license in South Carolina, will I need one in Maine?
New residents of Maine are required to obtain a new state license within 30 days of establishing residency. If you are moving to Maine and possess a valid or recently expired (within the past 5 years) out-of-state driver's license from another US state, you can obtain a Class C license, including a REAL ID license, by visiting a Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles office.
If I bought a car in South Carolina, will I be required to pay sales tax in Maine after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from South Carolina to Maine after purchasing it.
Maine requires registered car owners to pay an annual excise tax for motor vehicles, trailers, mobile homes, and stock vehicles. This tax is calculated by multiplying the current Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle by the mileage rate.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both South Carolina and Maine to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from South Carolina to Maine?
The cheapest way to ship a car from South Carolina to Maine 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 South Carolina to Maine?
Shipping a car from South Carolina to Maine costs $877 to $1,331.
