How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Car To Hawaii in 2025?

Don’t assume used car prices are the same in Hawaii as in your current state. Prices on the islands tend to be higher than on the U.S. mainland because of the added shipping cost.

So, before you start, get an estimate for the current value of your car to see how that compares to the cost of shipping. Also, look at what it would cost to buy a similar car in Hawaii. Use these figures to do some preliminary sums.

Check out Hawaii’s public transport links in the specific area you’re moving to. They might, or might not be sufficient, depending on your lifestyle and employment to be without a car.

Some smaller towns in Hawaii can be more pedestrianized and cyclist-friendly than comparable towns on the mainland. So, in this case, it could be more practical to go carless than you think.

Car hire is also an option to research if you don’t intend to drive often.

Returning to the Mainland

If it’s likely you’ll be traveling back to the U.S. mainland from Hawaii once you’ve made your move, it might make more sense to leave your car there.

If you’ve considered these options and still believe that shipping your car to Hawaii is the right move, then it’s time to consider the costs.

Shipping a car to Hawaii costs around $1,000 more than the average cost of standard car shipping in the U.S. This is because the vehicle must be shipped across land and sea. Several factors will determine the exact shipping cost as we explore below.

COST OF SHIPPING A CAR TO HAWAII
Average Cost	$2,500
Highest Cost	$3,500
Lowest Cost	$1,500

See More See Less

1. Vehicle Class

If you need to ship your car to Hawaii, the class of your vehicle is one factor you don’t have any control over. Bigger and heavier vehicles cost more to ship because they occupy more space on car haulers and in containers.

2. Shipping Method

Two main ways to ship a car to Hawaii are open carrier and enclosed shipping. The first involves putting your car on a truck—the two-deck kind that you see delivering new cars to dealerships—and the second involves putting your vehicle in its container.

An open carrier is cheaper because it’s more efficient for haulers but, of course, it exposes your car to the elements. Enclosed shipping is more expensive because it costs haulers more, but protects your vehicle from the elements. This added protection can cost you between 30% and 40% more than open carrier shipping.

3. Shipping Distance

Longer journeys cost haulers more fuel and wear and tear on their haulage fleets. As a result, it’s cheaper to ship a car from Washington State to Hawaii than shipping one from somewhere on the East Coast.

4. Pick-Up and Drop-Off

While it’s possible to have your vehicle collected from your door, and delivered to a specified address in Hawaii, this option is more expensive than dropping off your car at a shipping terminal, and picking it up from one in Hawaii. It’s a balance between convenience and cost.

5. Container vs. Roll-On, Roll-Off

A leg of the journey to Hawaii is at sea, which means you have an option for shipping your car. You can choose to have your car on the ship’s deck (roll-on, roll-off) or in an enclosed container on the ship.

Enclosing your car in a container will protect it from the elements and reduce the risk of damage.

6. Seasonality

Summer and winter tend to be busier times of year for car shipping providers, which means prices tend to be higher to reflect demand. If you can avoid June through August and December through February, you may be able to get a more competitive price.

So, what is the actual process for shipping a car to Hawaii? The first step is to find a provider with a good reputation who meets your needs and is competitive on price.

We’ve researched car shipping companies and compiled a list of those we consider to be best which may be helpful, but your particular circumstances will determine which is best for you.

It’s a good idea to get quotes from at least three car shipping providers to understand the value they each offer. It’s also worth checking out the costs of different shipping methods, pick-up and drop-off options, available—and of course, the most recent reviews from previous customers.

Before shipping, clear out your personal possessions and clean your car. While you’re doing that, take photographs and/or videos of your car’s current condition, recording all of its bumps, dents, scratches and scuffs. This is important so that you can identify and dispute any damage that might occur in transit.

When you send your car off, whether that means dropping it off at a terminal or having it collected from your door, the provider will inspect the vehicle and note any pre-existing damage for its records. You’ll be asked to sign off on the inspection and given a tracking number to follow your car’s journey.

When you collect your car in Hawaii, you’ll be asked to go through another inspection to check for any damage that might have happened on the journey. When satisfied, you can sign off on the delivery and drive your car away.

If you’re thinking about shipping your car to Hawaii, there’s a lot to consider. Ultimately, it comes down to you and your personal circumstances, plus, of course, how attached you are to your car.

On one hand, life in Hawaii can be very different to life in Continental U.S., but your car could provide some nice continuity after the move. On the other hand, you might find you don’t need your car in the same way on the islands or that it’s simpler to sell it and get something new in Hawaii.