Virginia to Michigan Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 801 miles from Virginia to Michigan ranges from $783 to $1,149 and takes two–seven 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 Virginia car shipping guide.
The best Virginia to Michigan car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from Virginia to Michigan:
- 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 Virginia to Michigan
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 801 miles on your car going from Virginia 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 Virginia 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 Virginia 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!
VA 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 Virginia and Michigan. The average travel distance is about 801 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from two to seven days .
Cost to ship a car from Virginia Beach, VA to Michigan
| From Virginia to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA to Detroit, MI | $736 – $1,149 | 723 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Virginia Beach, VA to Grand Rapids, MI | $808 – $1,206 | 853 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Virginia Beach, VA to Warren, MI | $784 – $1,138 | 739 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Virginia Beach, VA to Sterling Heights, MI | $816 – $1,115 | 744 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Virginia Beach, VA to Ann Arbor, MI | $753 – $1,150 | 725 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Chesapeake, VA to Michigan
| From Virginia to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake, VA to Detroit, MI | $774 – $1,116 | 721 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Chesapeake, VA to Grand Rapids, MI | $857 – $1,206 | 851 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Chesapeake, VA to Warren, MI | $745 – $1,093 | 738 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Chesapeake, VA to Sterling Heights, MI | $776 – $1,138 | 742 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Chesapeake, VA to Ann Arbor, MI | $751 – $1,172 | 723 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Arlington, VA to Michigan
| From Virginia to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, VA to Detroit, MI | $625 – $895 | 524 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Arlington, VA to Grand Rapids, MI | $788 – $1,121 | 655 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Arlington, VA to Warren, MI | $684 – $945 | 541 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Arlington, VA to Sterling Heights, MI | $677 – $908 | 545 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Arlington, VA to Ann Arbor, MI | $657 – $908 | 526 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Norfolk, VA to Michigan
| From Virginia to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk, VA to Detroit, MI | $736 – $1,094 | 715 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Norfolk, VA to Grand Rapids, MI | $780 – $1,154 | 846 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Norfolk, VA to Warren, MI | $745 – $1,104 | 732 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Norfolk, VA to Sterling Heights, MI | $761 – $1,172 | 736 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Norfolk, VA to Ann Arbor, MI | $767 – $1,149 | 716 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Cost to ship a car from Richmond, VA to Michigan
| From Virginia to Michigan | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA to Detroit, MI | $715 – $995 | 623 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Richmond, VA to Grand Rapids, MI | $769 – $1,136 | 754 miles | 2 – 7 days |
| Richmond, VA to Warren, MI | $737 – $1,084 | 639 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Richmond, VA to Sterling Heights, MI | $715 – $1,084 | 644 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Richmond, VA to Ann Arbor, MI | $693 – $1,035 | 624 miles | 1 – 6 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from Virginia 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 Virginia to Michigan you should expect to pay between $979 and $1,436.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from VA to MI
When transporting your vehicle from the Old Dominion State 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 Virginia to Michigan spans approximately 801 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 Virginia, 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 Virginia 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 Virginia to Michigan should take between two and seven 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 Virginia
More than 39 million people call Virginia home. Nicknamed the Old Dominion State, Virginia has humid hot and humid summers and cool to mild winters. The Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream have a strong effect on eastern and southeastern coastal areas of the Commonwealth, making the climate there warmer and more constant.
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 Virginia 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 Virginia and when dropping it off in Michigan.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from Virginia to Michigan?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from Virginia 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 Virginia.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. It's crucial for drivers to have liability insurance, meeting the state's minimum coverage requirements: $25,000 for individual injury or death, $50,000 for injury or death involving multiple individuals, and $20,000 for property damage. Elevate your road safety with mandatory uninsured motorist coverage, ensuring protection with matching limits. Stay road-ready by fulfilling these insurance obligations in Virginia.
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 Virginia to Michigan?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Virginia to Michigan is about 801 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to seven days to travel from Virginia to Michigan.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
All vehicles must pass annual safety and emissions inspections at DMV-approved stations. Vehicles that fail can be re-inspected for free within 60 days. Upon passing, a sticker is issued to indicate the vehicle's compliance.
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 Virginia, 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 Virginia, 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 Virginia 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 Virginia and Michigan to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Virginia to Michigan?
The cheapest way to ship a car from Virginia 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 Virginia to Michigan?
Shipping a car from Virginia to Michigan costs $783 to $1,149.
