West Virginia to Kentucky Car Shipping (2024 Cost Guide)
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to ship a car 260 miles from West Virginia to Kentucky ranges from $456 to $634 and takes one–four 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 Kentucky to West Virginia car shipping guide.
The best West Virginia to Kentucky car shipping companies
We’ve done the research and these are the best car shipping companies to help transport your vehicle from West Virginia to Kentucky:
- 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 West Virginia to Kentucky
- Drive it yourself. This is straightforward but not always an option, and it will put about 260 miles on your car going from West Virginia to Kentucky. 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 West Virginia for a move to Kentucky, 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 West Virginia to Kentucky 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!
WV to KY auto transport costs and transit times
The tables below detail the costs and estimated transit times for shipping a car between popular cities in West Virginia and Kentucky. The average travel distance is about 260 miles, with shipping times typically ranging from one to four days .
Cost to ship a car from Charleston, WV to Kentucky
| From West Virginia to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, WV to Louisville, KY | $469 – $617 | 248 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Charleston, WV to Lexington, KY | $421 – $526 | 176 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Charleston, WV to Bowling Green, KY | $539 – $722 | 336 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Charleston, WV to Owensboro, KY | $569 – $725 | 351 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Charleston, WV to Covington, KY | $424 – $540 | 197 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Huntington, WV to Kentucky
| From West Virginia to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington, WV to Louisville, KY | $437 – $557 | 198 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntington, WV to Lexington, KY | $348 – $531 | 126 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntington, WV to Bowling Green, KY | $455 – $640 | 286 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntington, WV to Owensboro, KY | $487 – $721 | 301 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Huntington, WV to Covington, KY | $350 – $504 | 147 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Morgantown, WV to Kentucky
| From West Virginia to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WV to Louisville, KY | $569 – $836 | 401 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Morgantown, WV to Lexington, KY | $523 – $752 | 329 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Morgantown, WV to Bowling Green, KY | $661 – $925 | 489 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Morgantown, WV to Owensboro, KY | $644 – $904 | 505 miles | 1 – 6 days |
| Morgantown, WV to Covington, KY | $497 – $658 | 311 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Parkersburg, WV to Kentucky
| From West Virginia to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg, WV to Louisville, KY | $479 – $686 | 287 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Parkersburg, WV to Lexington, KY | $475 – $591 | 224 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Parkersburg, WV to Bowling Green, KY | $551 – $801 | 383 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Parkersburg, WV to Owensboro, KY | $603 – $785 | 393 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Parkersburg, WV to Covington, KY | $460 – $592 | 214 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Cost to ship a car from Wheeling, WV to Kentucky
| From West Virginia to Kentucky | Cost | Distance | Estimated transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV to Louisville, KY | $507 – $722 | 331 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Wheeling, WV to Lexington, KY | $528 – $665 | 314 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Wheeling, WV to Bowling Green, KY | $617 – $898 | 451 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Wheeling, WV to Owensboro, KY | $646 – $860 | 437 miles | 1 – 4 days |
| Wheeling, WV to Covington, KY | $435 – $593 | 234 miles | 1 – 4 days |
Shipping an SUV or truck from West Virginia to Kentucky
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 West Virginia to Kentucky you should expect to pay between $570 and $793.
Factors that affect car shipping costs from WV to KY
When transporting your vehicle from the Mountain State to the Bluegrass 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 Kentucky.
- Distance and route: The journey from West Virginia to Kentucky spans approximately 260 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 West 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 West Virginia and Kentucky 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 West Virginia to Kentucky should take between one and four days. Expedited services are available but come at a higher cost.
Kentucky vehicle regulations you need to know
- Car insurance requirements: The insurance coverage includes Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability with limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident and $25,000 respectively; Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage (not required); Personal Injury Protection with a limit of $10,000; and optional Collision and Comprehensive coverage for vehicle repair or replacement expenses, with no requirement.
- Vehicle inspection: When moving to Kentucky from another state, a one-time Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection is required. To complete the VIN inspection, bring the vehicle and its title to the Sheriff's office in the county where the car will be registered.
- Driver’s license: New residents in Kentucky have a 30-day time frame to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.
- Additional taxes: In Kentucky, a 6% motor vehicle usage tax is imposed on the retail price of vehicles registered for the first time in the state.
Learn more with our car shipping checklist.
Transporting your vehicle from West Virginia
More than 39 million people call West Virginia home. Nicknamed the Mountain State, West Virginia has warm to hot, humid summers and chilly winters. Be sure to check the weather during your move to avoid inclement weather.
Transporting your vehicle to Kentucky
About 22 million people are living in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky has relatively hot, humid, rainy summers, and moderately cold and rainy winters. Kansas rarely experiences the extremes cold of the northern states nor the heat of the state in the Deep South.
FAQ
Does someone have to be present when you ship a car for pickup in West Virginia and delivery in Kentucky?
Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in West Virginia and when dropping it off in Kentucky.
Do you need car insurance when shipping your car from West Virginia to Kentucky?
If you’re not driving the vehicle from West Virginia to Kentucky, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Kentucky, which you should verify before loading your car in West Virginia.
If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. West Virginia's required minimum insurance standards, encompassing liability coverage at $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage.
The insurance coverage includes Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability with limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident and $25,000 respectively; Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage (not required); Personal Injury Protection with a limit of $10,000; and optional Collision and Comprehensive coverage for vehicle repair or replacement expenses, with no requirement.
How long does it take to ship a car from West Virginia to Kentucky?
Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from West Virginia to Kentucky is about 260 miles, and that’s as fast as about 1 day. However, most car transport companies will take one to four days to travel from West Virginia to Kentucky.
Will I be required to have a vehicle inspection in either state?
New residents are given 10 days from the date they title a vehicle to have a West Virginia safety inspection at any official inspection station licensed by the West Virginia State Police.
When moving to Kentucky from another state, a one-time Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection is required. To complete the VIN inspection, bring the vehicle and its title to the Sheriff's office in the county where the car will be registered.
If I have a driver’s license in West Virginia, will I need one in Kentucky?
New residents in Kentucky have a 30-day time frame to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.
If I bought a car in West Virginia, will I be required to pay sales tax in Kentucky after shipping it there?
It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from West Virginia to Kentucky after purchasing it.
In Kentucky, a 6% motor vehicle usage tax is imposed on the retail price of vehicles registered for the first time in the state.
We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both West Virginia and Kentucky to avoid any hidden costs.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car from West Virginia to Kentucky?
The cheapest way to ship a car from West Virginia to Kentucky 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 West Virginia to Kentucky?
Shipping a car from West Virginia to Kentucky costs $456 to $634.
