Seasonal lane
From $1,100 · 4–7 days · Door-to-door on I-94 and I-65 and I-75
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Price by vehicle
Ranges come from carrier quotes received on the Minnesota to Florida 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 | $1,100 – $1,550 | $1,600 – $2,300 |
| SUV / crossover | $1,225 – $1,725 | $1,800 – $2,575 |
| Pickup truck | $1,325 – $1,850 | $1,925 – $2,750 |
| Van / minivan | $1,375 – $1,950 | $2,000 – $2,875 |
| Motorcycle | $875 – $1,250 | $1,275 – $1,850 |
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.
Minnesotans leave first. By the time New Yorkers are thinking about Florida, cars from Edina, Wayzata, Rochester and the north suburbs are already on trucks bound for Naples, Fort Myers and Sarasota, and the season that peaks in November elsewhere is in full swing here by mid-October. It is also the longest of the Midwest snowbird lanes at about 1,650 miles, which puts it a day longer on the truck and $150 to $200 above Illinois in price.
The trade-off for distance is reliability. The lane runs through Chicago and shares trucks with the whole Midwest-to-Florida flow, so a Twin Cities pickup is assigned in a few days even in peak. 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–December. 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.
Bookings begin in late September and are already heavy by mid-October; the peak runs October through December, with the last big wave leaving after Thanksgiving. A shipment booked at short notice then pays the top of the range, and a fixed date in a snowstorm week adds to it. Two to three weeks of lead time and a three-day pickup window is what keeps the number down.
The return is later than the Northeast as well as the departure being earlier, since nobody comes back to April snow: northbound runs from late March through mid-May. That makes February through April the cheapest southbound window. Summer is steady and quiet. The winter variable is obvious: deep cold and heavy snow can hold a pickup by a day or two, and a car that will not start at 20 below is a different booking.
On the ground
Carriers pick up and deliver anywhere in these regions; addresses outside them are quoted on request.
A truck loads across the Twin Cities, often the western suburbs in a morning and the north and east in the afternoon, then runs I-94 east through Wisconsin to Chicago, picks up more cars there, and takes I-65 through Indianapolis and Louisville to Nashville. From there it is I-24 to Chattanooga and I-75 through Atlanta into Florida on the Gulf side. Drivers cover 450 to 550 miles a day; Florida deliveries begin on the fourth day.
Arriving on I-75, the truck delivers Tampa and Sarasota first, then Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Naples, with Orlando a detour on I-4 and Miami last across Alligator Alley. If your destination is the Atlantic coast, expect it a day after the Gulf.
A key, a quarter tank, belongings under about 100 pounds, and photographs of every panel and the odometer taken before the truck arrives. In winter, start the car that morning, keep the battery charged, clear the driveway, and if the street is not plowed, meet the driver on a main road.
Timeline
Most shipments on this lane are complete 5–10 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.
4–7 days
About 1,650 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
Minnesota roads are salted and sanded from November through April, and the run through Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana is the same. A car with paint you care about, a convertible or a classic making a December trip is the case for enclosed 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 choose.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis to Miami | 1,847 mi | $1,250 – $1,750 | $1,800 – $2,525 | 5–8 days |
| Minneapolis to Orlando | 1,598 mi | $1,050 – $1,500 | $1,525 – $2,200 | 4–7 days |
| Minneapolis to Tampa | 1,608 mi | $1,075 – $1,525 | $1,550 – $2,225 | 4–7 days |
| Minneapolis to Fort Lauderdale | 1,822 mi | $1,225 – $1,725 | $1,775 – $2,500 | 5–8 days |
| Minneapolis to Jacksonville | 1,454 mi | $1,100 – $1,550 | $1,575 – $2,275 | 4–6 days |
| Minneapolis to Naples | 1,768 mi | $1,175 – $1,675 | $1,700 – $2,425 | 4–7 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%.
The Twin Cities suburbs are direct to the door: Edina, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Eagan, Woodbury, Eden Prairie, Bloomington and Apple Valley, anywhere a 75-foot truck can get in and out. Inside Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the older grid neighborhoods with parked cars on both sides usually mean a lot on a main road or off I-94. MSP airport is a common handover for people flying out the same day, using the hotel lots on the 494 strip.
Rochester is collected off I-90 and US-52 and shares trucks with the Twin Cities. St. Cloud and Mankato are on I-94 and US-169. Duluth and the Iron Range take longer to assign, and a meeting point in Hinckley or Forest Lake on I-35 saves days. Brainerd and the lakes region are the same; many cabin owners bring the car to the metro.
At the Florida end, the Gulf Coast communities Minnesotans favor, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton, are largely gated and restrict commercial trucks. The driver meets you at the visitor gate or a plaza nearby and you drive the last stretch. The Villages and the larger Orlando developments are the same.
A key and a photo ID at pickup are all that is required. No title, no lender approval for a financed car within the country. If you are shipping a car just bought at a Twin Cities auction, book the day the sale closes and give your specialist the lot's release process.
After delivery
Shipping to Florida: 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
The longest of the snowbird runs: Minnesota to Florida or Arizona is a 1,600-mile-plus trip that rewards early booking.
State guideDelivery state
The busiest inbound car shipping state in the country, from October through January.
State guideQuestions
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 and $1,600–$2,300 enclosed. At about 1,650 miles it is the longest of the Midwest snowbird lanes, which is why it runs $150–$200 above Illinois. SUVs and pickups add 12–20%.
Four to seven days on the truck. Twin Cities cars usually pass Chicago on day one, Nashville on day two and reach the Gulf Coast on day four or five. Add one to five days for pickup.
Earlier than anywhere else: late September and October are already busy because the weather turns first. Peak is October through December, a month ahead of the Northeast.
Carriers still run, but a car that will not start in the cold becomes a winch job and a surcharge. Start it that morning, keep the battery charged, and have the driveway cleared.
Yes. Rochester, St. Cloud, Mankato and Duluth are served regularly with a slightly longer assignment window. A meeting point on I-35 or I-94 shortens it.
February through April, when the trucks are heading south to collect the spring return. November and December cost the most.
Not on a car hauler. The car ships normally; a boat or trailer needs a different kind of carrier and your specialist can point you to one.
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 $1,100–$1,550 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
