Seasonal lane
From $925 · 3–5 days · Door-to-door on I-75
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Price by vehicle
Ranges come from carrier quotes received on the Detroit to Tampa lane, last checked September 12, 2026. Your firm price depends on the exact addresses and dates.
No deposit until a carrier is assigned.
| Vehicle | Open carrier | Enclosed carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan / coupe | $925 – $1,300 | $1,325 – $1,900 |
| SUV / crossover | $1,025 – $1,450 | $1,475 – $2,125 |
| Pickup truck | $1,100 – $1,550 | $1,600 – $2,275 |
| Van / minivan | $1,150 – $1,625 | $1,650 – $2,375 |
| Motorcycle | $750 – $1,050 | $1,050 – $1,525 |
What moves the price: the season (peak months run 5–10% higher), whether the vehicle runs (winch loading adds about $150), how flexible your pickup window is (a 3–5 day window beats a fixed date), and modifications such as lift kits or oversized tires.
Tampa Bay is where I-75 arrives in Florida, and for a car hauler that left the Detroit suburbs three days earlier it is the first big delivery of the trip. That makes Detroit to Tampa the quickest and the cheapest of the Michigan-to-Florida city pairs: $925 to $1,300 for a running sedan on an open carrier, and usually the short end of a three-to-five-day window. It is also the most direct lane in the country, one interstate from Auburn Hills to the Howard Frankland Bridge.
The customers are Michigan's Gulf Coast contingent, retirees and seasonal residents in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sun City Center, Wesley Chapel and Lakewood Ranch, along with families relocating for the bay area's employers, students at USF, and Michigan cars bought at auction for Florida dealers. The quote form above is set to the lane; add your vehicle and a specialist calls with a firm carrier price within business hours.
Seasonality
Peak demand runs October–January. Booking ahead of the peak keeps your price at the lower end of the range.
Outlined bar is the current month. Amber months are when carrier space sells out first.
The season starts in early October, earlier than the Northeast because Michigan's weather turns sooner, and peaks from November through Christmas. A car booked at short notice then pays the top of the range; two to three weeks of lead time with a three-day pickup window brings it down. The return north runs mid-March through early May.
Late February through April is the cheapest time to ship south, when the trucks are running down to collect the spring loads. Summer is steady with relocations and university moves. Weather works on both ends: lake-effect snow or a hard freeze in Michigan holds a pickup by a day or two, and a hurricane in the Gulf from August through October can hold a delivery while the bay's causeways reopen. Nothing is charged for a weather hold.
On the ground
Carriers pick up and deliver anywhere in these regions; addresses outside them are quoted on request.
A truck loads across Oakland and Macomb counties in a morning, Wayne and Ann Arbor in the afternoon, and runs I-75 through Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Atlanta. It crosses into Florida at the Georgia line, passes Gainesville and Ocala, and comes into Tampa from the north. Drivers cover 450 to 550 miles a day and reach the bay on the third day.
Most of metro Detroit is direct to the door: Troy, Rochester Hills, Bloomfield, Novi, Livonia, Canton, Sterling Heights, Shelby Township, Ann Arbor and Downriver. Inside Detroit and in the tighter parts of Royal Oak, Ferndale, Dearborn and Grosse Pointe the driver names a lot on a main road. DTW's hotel lots along Merriman Road are the usual handover for anyone flying the same day.
The bay area is wide and flat and used to car haulers. Brandon, Riverview, Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, Carrollwood, Westchase, the Pinellas suburbs and Lakewood Ranch are direct to the door or to a community gate. South Tampa's narrower streets, Hyde Park, Seminole Heights and downtown mean a lot on a main road. The barrier islands meet the driver on the mainland side of the causeway.
Timeline
Most shipments on this lane are complete 4–8 days after booking. Expedited pickup shortens the front end.
Day 0
Confirm your route, vehicle and first available pickup date.
1–3 days
A licensed carrier accepts the load; you get the name, DOT number and insurance certificate.
Agreed window
Driver inspects the car with you and both of you sign the bill of lading.
3–5 days
About 1,180 miles at 400–500 miles per driving day, with stops for other customers.
Driver calls ahead
Inspect against the pickup report, sign, and pay the carrier the balance.
Open vs enclosed
Michigan salts hard from December through March and I-75 through Ohio and Kentucky is the same, so a car with paint you care about making a January run is the case for an enclosed trailer at 40 to 60 percent more. A daily driver bound for a Florida car wash ships open, which is what most customers on this lane do.
Most popularSedan on this route · Baseline price
PremiumSedan on this route · 40–60% more than open
City pairs
The same lane priced to and from the individual metros. Each row links to the city guide with pickup notes for that area.
| City pair | Road miles | Open carrier | Enclosed | On the truck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit to Miami | 1,410 mi | $1,100 – $1,550 | $1,600 – $2,275 | 4–6 days |
| Detroit to Orlando | 1,168 mi | $900 – $1,300 | $1,325 – $1,875 | 3–5 days |
| Detroit to Fort Lauderdale | 1,381 mi | $1,075 – $1,525 | $1,575 – $2,225 | 3–5 days |
| Detroit to Jacksonville | 1,016 mi | $825 – $1,175 | $1,175 – $1,700 | 3–5 days |
| Detroit to Naples | 1,368 mi | $1,075 – $1,525 | $1,550 – $2,200 | 3–5 days |
| Detroit to Fort Myers | 1,325 mi | $1,050 – $1,475 | $1,500 – $2,150 | 3–5 days |
| Grand Rapids to Tampa | 1,284 mi | $1,000 – $1,425 | $1,450 – $2,075 | 3–5 days |
Running sedan on a flexible pickup window. City rows are priced from road miles on the same curve as the lane range above; SUVs add about 12%, pickups 20%.
Because Tampa is delivered first on a Gulf Coast load, the transit window is usually met at its short end, and a receiver who is free from the third day is rarely kept waiting. Many customers ship to a gated community, Wesley Chapel's developments, Sun City Center, Lakewood Ranch or the retirement communities along US-19 in Pinellas and Pasco, and the driver meets you outside the gate or at a plaza nearby. If you are flying ahead of the car, name the receiver at booking and give them the pickup photographs and the driver's number.
Michigan winter is the other thing. Start the car the morning of pickup so it loads under its own power; a car that will not start is a winch job. Clear the driveway. Keep belongings under about 100 pounds, below the window line, uninsured. Photograph every panel and the odometer before the driver arrives.
The driver takes a key and looks at a photo ID; the Michigan title stays with you and a financed or leased car needs no lender approval to cross state lines. If the car came from an auction lot near Detroit or Flint, book the day the sale closes and give your specialist the lot's release process, since storage fees begin after a few days.
After delivery
Shipping to Tampa: the paperwork Florida 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.
Register within 30 days of establishing residency, taking a job or enrolling children in school.
VIN and odometer verification is required for a vehicle titled out of state (form HSMV 82042), completed by a law-enforcement officer, a licensed Florida dealer or a notary; it can be done before the car ships or after it arrives.
No periodic safety or emissions inspection.
Proof of Florida insurance is required before the county tax collector will register the car. Bring the out-of-state title.
Source: Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) . Checked September 15, 2026. Deadlines and inspection rules change; confirm on the official page before you go.
Related
Pickup state
I-75 runs straight from Detroit to Florida, which is why Michigan is one of the smoothest snowbird origins.
State guideQuestions
Not covered here? A specialist can answer route-specific questions in a couple of minutes.
888-706-8784$925–$1,300 for a running sedan on an open carrier and $1,325–$1,900 enclosed for about 1,180 miles. Tampa is the first big Florida stop on I-75, which keeps it at the low end of the Michigan-to-Florida city pairs. SUVs and pickups add 12–20%.
Three to five days on the truck, usually at the short end because Tampa is delivered before the rest of the Gulf Coast. A car collected in Troy on Monday is often in the bay area by Wednesday or Thursday.
Yes. I-75 runs from the Detroit suburbs through Toledo, Cincinnati, Knoxville and Atlanta straight into Tampa. A hauler never leaves it.
Oakland, Macomb and western Wayne counties, Ann Arbor and Downriver are direct to the door. Inside Detroit and in the tighter parts of Royal Oak, Ferndale and Dearborn the driver names a lot on a main road.
Yes; the whole bay area and the coast down to Sarasota and Venice are on the same load. The barrier islands usually mean a meeting point on the mainland.
Late February through April, when the trucks are heading south to collect the spring return. November and December cost the most.
Carriers wait out heavy snow at no charge and reschedule a day or two later. Clear the driveway and start the car in the morning so it loads under its own power.
Guides
10 min read
Book southbound shipments 2–3 weeks before you fly, ideally before mid-October. Expect $900–$1,450 open from the Northeast or Midwest to Florida and 3–6 days in transit. Reverse the plan in late March.
Read the guide
7 min read
Most shipments deliver 1–3 days after pickup for under 500 miles, 3–5 days for 1,000–1,500 miles and 7–10 days coast to coast. Add 1–5 days for the carrier to be assigned and reach you.
Read the guide
7 min read
Wash the car, photograph every panel, leave a quarter tank of fuel, remove personal items and toll tags, fold in mirrors, note existing damage on the Bill of Lading, and hand over one set of keys.
Read the guideCarriers on this lane are quoting $925–$1,300 for a running sedan. Lock in a pickup window in about a minute.
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
