Minneapolis, MN
Car shipping Minneapolis
The longest snowbird runs in the country start here; book two to three weeks ahead in October.
City guide
Midwest · MN
Minnesota Auto Transport & Car Shipping
Into Minnesota from $950 · Out of Minnesota from $950 · Door-to-door in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Rochester, Duluth and statewide
- Pickup in 1–5 days
- I-35 · I-94 · I-90 · I-494/I-694
- Busiest: September–November
888-706-8784Specialists answer 7 days a week
Quote to or from Minnesota
Compare quotes from licensed, bonded carriers.
- 1. Route
- 2. Vehicle
- 3. Contact
No obligation · Takes 60 seconds · We never sell your data
- Insured carriers
- 1–5 day pickup
- No deposit to us
- Insured up to $100k+ per vehicle*
- Door-to-door pickup & delivery
- No upfront payment to us
- Real-time tracking updates
- Major metros served
- Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Rochester, Duluth
- and 1 more
- Ports
- Port of Duluth-Superior
- Interstates
- I-35, I-94, I-90, I-494/I-694
- Shipping into the state
- $950 – $1,900
- typical sedan, open
- Shipping out
- $950 – $1,850
- typical sedan, open
- Busiest months
- September–November (outbound), April–May
Shipping a car to or from Minnesota: the earliest snowbirds in the country
Minnesota's shipping calendar runs a month ahead of everyone else's. Winter arrives early, so the state's snowbirds ship south in September, October and November rather than waiting for December, and return in April and May once the roads are clear. Their destinations are split more evenly than in the eastern Midwest: Florida's Gulf Coast, Naples and Fort Myers in particular, and Arizona's Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale draw roughly comparable numbers, with Texas a growing third.
Distance is the defining feature. Minneapolis–Saint Paul is 1,650 miles from both Naples and Phoenix, so southbound shipments are four- to seven-day trips priced in the $1,100–$1,550 range, and the pool of trucks running each lane is smaller than from Chicago. That makes booking two to three weeks ahead in October more valuable here than in any other snowbird state, and it is why we recommend reserving the spring return at the same time.
Three interstates carry the traffic: I-35 south to Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Texas, and the route to Arizona via I-40; I-94 east to Chicago and the Florida corridor; and I-90 across the south of the state. The I-494/I-694 loop is where carriers gather Twin Cities loads. This page covers costs on the main lanes, the early calendar, the Minneapolis city guide, and the practical details of shipping in a state where the weather sets the schedule.
Outbound
Shipping a car from Minnesota
Leaving Minnesota? These are the destinations with the most carrier capacity.
| Delivery | Distance | Transit | Open carrier | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To Florida | 1,650 mi | 4–7 days | $1,100 – $1,550 | $1,600 – $2,300 |
| To Arizona | 1,650 mi | 4–7 days | $1,100 – $1,550 | $1,600 – $2,300 |
- Distance1,650 miTransit4–7 daysOpen carrier$1,100 – $1,550Enclosed$1,600 – $2,300
- Distance1,650 miTransit4–7 daysOpen carrier$1,100 – $1,550Enclosed$1,600 – $2,300
Sedan, running, standard pickup window. Select a route for the full price table by vehicle type.
Cities
Minnesota cities we serve door-to-door
Each city guide covers pickup logistics, the nearest carrier terminal and price examples to the most common destinations.
Cost
What it costs to ship a car to or from Minnesota
Typical ranges by distance band. Inbound Minnesota shipments run $950–$1,900 on the busiest lanes.
| Distance | Open carrier | Enclosed carrier | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short (under 500 miles) | $525 – $700 | $750 – $1,000 | 1–3 days |
| Medium (500–1,500 miles) | $975 – $1,300 | $1,425 – $1,900 | 3–5 days |
| Cross-country (1,500+ miles) | $1,600 – $2,125 | $2,300 – $3,075 | 6–9 days |
- Short (under 500 miles)Open carrier$525 – $700Enclosed carrier$750 – $1,000Transit1–3 days
- Medium (500–1,500 miles)Open carrier$975 – $1,300Enclosed carrier$1,425 – $1,900Transit3–5 days
- Cross-country (1,500+ miles)Open carrier$1,600 – $2,125Enclosed carrier$2,300 – $3,075Transit6–9 days
Running sedan, flexible pickup window. SUVs add about 12%, pickups 20%, inoperable vehicles about $150.
After delivery
Registering a car after it arrives in Minnesota
The paperwork Minnesota asks of a new resident, so you can book the DMV visit for the week the car lands rather than discover it at the counter.
Registration deadline
Transfer the title and plates within 60 days of moving to Minnesota (immediately if the out-of-state registration has expired).
VIN verification
No VIN verification for a vehicle with a clean out-of-state title.
Inspections
No safety or emissions inspection.
Also worth knowing
Register at any deputy registrar office; the current out-of-state title must be surrendered for a Minnesota title to issue.
Source: Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) . Checked September 15, 2026. Deadlines and inspection rules change; confirm on the official page before you go.
Delivering in Minnesota: the Twin Cities, outstate and the cold
Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a straightforward metro for car haulers. The suburbs from Eden Prairie to Maple Grove to Woodbury have wide streets and long driveways, and pickups happen at the address. The exceptions are downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the dense neighbourhoods around the University of Minnesota, and the narrow streets of some older lake districts, where the driver proposes a lot near I-35W, I-94 or the loop. Drivers call the day before with a window and the meeting point if one is needed.
Outstate is served but on a longer schedule. Rochester on I-90 and St. Cloud on I-94 see regular through-carriers and add $50–$100; Duluth at the end of I-35 adds a little more and often a day. The northern lake country and the Iron Range are quoted individually and are usually served by meeting a truck in Duluth or the Twin Cities. In winter, that meeting-point approach is also the most reliable way to keep a pickup date.
Cold is the practical constraint. From December through February, storms close I-94 and I-35 for hours at a time and carriers hold until roads reopen, at no charge. The more common problem is a car that will not start at the truck: batteries that were fine in October fail in January, and a car that cannot start is a winch load with a surcharge. Start the car the morning of pickup, clear the snow off it so the inspection can be done, and leave the tank at a quarter.
Paperwork is keys and a photo ID at pickup and the receiver's name and phone number for delivery. Minnesota requires no state form to ship a vehicle in or out. The Port of Duluth-Superior handles freight on the Great Lakes but little private vehicle traffic; most Minnesota shipments are pure road moves.
Services
Services Minnesota customers book most
Chosen from what ships on these lanes, not a generic list.
- from $850
Snowbird Car Shipping
Seasonal shipping to Florida and Arizona each fall, and home again in spring. Book early for the best window.
Learn more - from $800
Enclosed Transport
Hard-sided trailers for classic, exotic, luxury and low-clearance cars. Weather and road-debris protection.
Learn more - from $550
Door-to-Door Shipping
The carrier picks up and delivers as close to your address as the truck can safely get. No terminals, no extra trips.
Learn more
Questions
Minnesota car shipping questions
Not covered here? A specialist can answer route-specific questions in a couple of minutes.
888-706-8784$1,100–$1,550 for a running sedan on an open carrier to Florida or Arizona, $900–$1,300 to Texas, $500–$800 to Chicago and $1,350–$1,900 to California. Inbound is similar. Enclosed adds 40–60%.
Four to seven days on the truck to Florida or Arizona, three to five to Texas, one to two to Chicago, six to nine to the West Coast. Add one to five days for carrier assignment and pickup, and a day more in deep winter.
Because winter arrives earlier. Most Minnesota snowbirds ship in September, October and November, before the first heavy snow, and return in April and May. Booking two to three weeks ahead in October matters more here than almost anywhere.
To Florida, I-94 to Chicago then I-65 and I-75, or I-35 to Kansas City and across; to Arizona, I-35 south to Oklahoma City then I-40 west and I-17 into Phoenix; to Texas, I-35 the whole way to Dallas and Austin.
Yes. The metro sits on I-35, I-94 and the I-494/I-694 loop, and the suburbs have wide streets and driveways. Downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul and the dense neighbourhoods near the university use a meeting point near the freeway.
Rochester on I-90 and St. Cloud on I-94 add $50–$100; Duluth at the top of I-35 adds a little more and often a day, especially in winter. Many customers meet a Twin Cities truck to keep the price and date predictable.
Yes, though January and February storms can hold a truck for a day or two and I-94 and I-35 close occasionally. Make sure the car starts on the morning of pickup; a weak battery in the cold is the most common cause of a missed load.
Ready to ship a car to or from Minnesota?
Carriers run I-35 and I-94 daily. Tell us the route and vehicle and a specialist will confirm the price and the earliest pickup.
Average response time under 5 minutes during business hours (Mon–Sun 7am–9pm ET).
Last updated September 12, 2026 · Written by the AutoShippingUS Editorial Team · Reviewed by Christofer Whiteman, Editor · Industry review by Sarah Williams, Independent auto transport consultant, 20 years in the industry