Shipping a car from New York to Florida costs $1,000–$1,500 on an open carrier and $1,500–$1,950 enclosed, and takes 3–5 days in transit once the carrier has your car. The pickup window comes first, usually 1–5 days, and it stretches in the fall when snowbird bookings pile up. The trip runs about 950 to 1,450 miles, almost all of it on I-95.
Our New York quotes come from both ends of the state: Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, and White Plains downstate, Rochester and Buffalo upstate. A Brooklyn block with no room for a 75-foot car hauler and a Buffalo driveway in February are two different pickups, and both go fine when you plan for them.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car from New York to Florida?
Here’s the lane at a glance:
| Route snapshot | Details |
|---|---|
| Distance | ~950–1,450 miles (New York City–Jacksonville: ~950; New York City–Miami: ~1,300; Buffalo–Naples: ~1,400) |
| Open transport | $1,000–$1,500 |
| Enclosed transport | $1,500–$1,950 |
| Transit time | 3–5 days after pickup |
| Pickup window | Usually 1–5 days; longer in the fall and January |
| Main corridor | I-95 south, with I-81 as the inland alternate |
| Busiest months for quotes | January, October, November, September |
What pushes your number up or down:
- The month. Quote requests on this lane run heaviest in January, October, and November, with September close behind. Southbound trucks fill and prices ride toward the top of the range. Summer is the easiest time to book a car south.
- Downstate or upstate. The city metro has trucks passing through constantly. Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse sit far from I-95, and winter pickups there can price higher.
- Your Florida address. Jacksonville and St. Augustine are the short hop. Naples, Fort Myers, and Miami add roughly 300–400 miles.
- The vehicle. A midsize sedan sits lower in the range than a three-row SUV or a pickup. Motorcycles ship on this lane as well.
This lane is crowded with brokers in the fall. Some quote well under $1,000 in October to win the booking, then call back with a higher number after you’ve planned around it. We quote what it takes to get your car on a good truck in the month you’re shipping.
How Long Does New York to Florida Car Shipping Take?
Plan on 3–5 days after pickup. A carrier leaving the New York area can reach Jacksonville in about two days of legal driving. The rest goes to stops for other cars along I-95 and the run down the peninsula.
Before that comes the pickup window, usually 1–5 days. Two things stretch it here:
- The fall rush. From September through November, and again in January, carriers book snowbird cars well ahead. Book three to four weeks out in those months.
- Upstate winter. Lake-effect snow off Lake Erie and Lake Ontario can shut roads around Buffalo and Rochester from December through February. If a hauler can’t reach your street safely, pickup waits for the plows.
Need the car in Florida by a set date, like a condo closing? Say so when you book. More on how far in advance to book.
The Route: I-95 Down the East Coast
Most carriers take I-95 the whole way: the New Jersey Turnpike, the Delaware Memorial Bridge, Baltimore, the Washington Beltway, and Richmond, then through the Carolinas and Savannah into Jacksonville. From there I-95 follows the Atlantic side to West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Cars for Orlando exit at Daytona onto I-4; cars for Tampa, Sarasota, and Naples ride I-4 to Tampa and pick up I-75 south.
When I-95 jams between Baltimore and Washington, some drivers run inland instead: I-81 down the Shenandoah Valley, I-77 through Charlotte, and I-26 back to I-95 in South Carolina. Upstate loads often come that way from the start.
New York pickup areas:
- Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx: regular service. Commercial trucks are banned from city parkways and many blocks are too tight for a hauler, so expect to meet the driver on a wide street or in a nearby lot.
- Westchester, including White Plains, and Long Island: easier access, often right at your driveway.
- Albany and the Hudson Valley: steady service along I-87.
- Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse: fewer trucks nearby, so allow extra pickup time in winter.
Florida delivery areas: Jacksonville and St. Augustine; Orlando and The Villages; Tampa Bay and Sarasota; Fort Myers and Naples; West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Tell us the gate rules for your community so the driver isn’t stuck at the guardhouse. Our New York and Florida guides cover each end. Car in Chicago instead? See Illinois to Florida.
Seasonal note: This is the snowbird lane, and it runs one direction at a time. Fall and January are southbound months; in April and May the same cars head back north. Hurricane season, June through November, overlaps the fall rush, so a storm near South Florida can hold deliveries until the roads clear. Our snowbird car shipping guide covers the round trip.
Open vs. Enclosed on This Route
Open transport is the standard for a daily driver headed south. The car sees the same weather and road spray it would if you drove I-95 yourself, without 1,200 miles on the odometer.
Enclosed transport costs $1,500–$1,950 on this lane, about $350 more than open for the same car. That’s about half what enclosed adds on a California to Florida move, which makes it an easier call for a convertible that only comes out in Florida, a classic, or a luxury car with paint you want kept perfect. Enclosed trucks are scarcer, and in October and November they book first, so ask on your first call.
Why Ship This Route with Allied Auto Transport?
On a lane this busy, the carrier and the person managing your shipment matter more than the first number you’re quoted.
- Someone answers. A U.S.-based Transport Advisor picks up the phone and stays on your shipment from pickup to delivery. If you’re driving I-95 while your car rides separately, you have one person to call.
- Carriers who run I-95. Your car goes with a carrier from our network of vetted, licensed and insured carriers, and we favor ones that work this corridor regularly.
- A broker, not a trucking company. We don’t own trucks. We arrange the shipment, and a vetted, insured carrier drives it.
- Both directions. Wintering in Florida? Your Advisor can plan the trip north when you book the trip down.
What to Expect, Step by Step
- Step 1: Get a quote. Use the form or call with your ZIPs, vehicle, and target date. You’ll hear from a Transport Advisor within minutes.
- Step 2: Lock the plan. Pick open or enclosed, confirm the pickup window, and settle the meeting spot if you live in the city. No deposit until your carrier is booked.
- Step 3: Meet your carrier. We send the carrier’s name and contact details before pickup, and you can look up its FMCSA record in a minute.
- Step 4: Hand off the car. Walk around it with the driver, note existing damage on the Bill of Lading, and take photos. Pull your E-ZPass so it doesn’t ring up tolls from New Jersey to Florida. Our prep guide has the full list.
- Step 5: Transit, 3–5 days. Your Advisor can tell you where the car is.
- Step 6: Delivery. Inspect the car against the pickup Bill of Lading, write any new damage on the delivery copy, then sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should snowbirds book car shipping to Florida?
Three to four weeks before your date if you’re heading down between September and November or in January, the busiest months on this lane. Outside them, two weeks is usually enough.
Can a carrier pick up my car in Manhattan or Brooklyn?
Yes. Trucks can’t use city parkways and often can’t turn onto narrow blocks, so your Transport Advisor sets a meeting spot nearby, like a wide avenue or a store parking lot. You’ll know it before pickup day.
Will winter weather delay a pickup in Buffalo or Rochester?
It can. Lake-effect storms close roads between December and February. Your Advisor watches the forecast and resets the window with you instead of leaving you waiting in the driveway.
Can you ship my car to Florida and back in the spring?
Yes. Book both legs together, and your Advisor will plan the return for April or May, when northbound trucks fill with snowbird cars.
Is my car insured on the way down?
The carriers in our network carry cargo insurance, and you can ask for the certificate before your car loads. Your own auto policy may add coverage. Our car shipping insurance guide has the details.
Get Your Quote
Send us your pickup ZIP and your Florida address, and we’ll give you a price for the trip south that a good carrier will accept. There’s no obligation to book.
Or call a Transport Advisor at (800) 997-4181.
