Seasonal lane
From $950 · 3–5 days · Door-to-door on I-95
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Price by vehicle
Ranges come from carrier quotes received on the New York City to Miami 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 | $950 – $1,350 | $1,400 – $1,950 |
| SUV / crossover | $1,075 – $1,500 | $1,575 – $2,175 |
| Pickup truck | $1,150 – $1,625 | $1,675 – $2,350 |
| Van / minivan | $1,200 – $1,700 | $1,750 – $2,450 |
| Motorcycle | $750 – $1,075 | $1,125 – $1,550 |
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.
Of all the cars that leave the five boroughs for Florida each year, the largest share is bound for Miami-Dade: Brickell condos, Coral Gables, Aventura, Miami Beach, Doral and the suburbs west of the Palmetto. It is the far end of the I-95 run, about 1,280 miles, and a lane with two big-city problems to solve, a pickup where a car hauler cannot park and a delivery to a building with a loading dock rather than a driveway. Both are routine for the carriers who run it, and both are covered on this page.
The customers are relocations to Miami's finance and tech employers, families splitting the year between the two cities, students at the University of Miami and FIU, and buyers collecting a New York car for a Florida garage. Prices sit a step above the Orlando and Tampa runs because Miami is the last stop. 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.
Southbound demand climbs from early October and peaks from November through the holidays, when the Miami season starts and the city fills. A car booked at short notice then pays the top of the range and a fixed date adds to it; two to three weeks of lead time with a three-day pickup window keeps the price down. The return north runs mid-March through early May.
Late February through April is the cheapest southbound time, when trucks run light on their way to collect the spring loads. Summer is steady. Weather works on both ends: a nor'easter in the city holds a pickup a day, and a hurricane watch in South Florida from August through October can hold a delivery until roads reopen, at no charge.
On the ground
Carriers pick up and deliver anywhere in these regions; addresses outside them are quoted on request.
A truck collecting in the city works Queens and Brooklyn in a morning, the Bronx or Long Island City at midday, and crosses into New Jersey by evening. From there it runs I-95 the whole way: Delaware, Baltimore, the Beltway, Richmond, the Carolinas, Georgia and Jacksonville, then down the Florida coast through Daytona, the Space Coast and the Palm Beaches. Miami is the last exit, which is why it is the last delivery.
A 75-foot hauler cannot stop on most city streets, so the driver names a meeting point. Regulars include the big-box lots in Long Island City and Bay Ridge, the park-and-rides on the Long Island Expressway, and a lot in Fort Lee for Manhattan customers. High-rise buildings add a step: doormen usually cannot sign for a vehicle, so name someone to meet the driver.
Condo towers in Brickell, Edgewater, Downtown and Miami Beach have loading areas that management will usually open for twenty minutes with notice; otherwise the driver meets you at a nearby lot. Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Kendall, Doral and Aventura's gated communities are direct to the gate. Port-area deliveries are scheduled early.
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 1,280 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
January in New York means salt from the city to Virginia, and Miami is a city where convertibles, exotics and fresh paint are common, so the enclosed decision comes up more often here than on most lanes. For a daily driver, open and a wash on arrival. For the other kind of car, the 40 to 60 percent premium is the right call.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City to Orlando | 1,080 mi | $875 – $1,250 | $1,275 – $1,800 | 3–5 days |
| New York City to Tampa | 1,140 mi | $900 – $1,275 | $1,300 – $1,850 | 3–5 days |
| New York City to Fort Lauderdale | 1,302 mi | $975 – $1,375 | $1,400 – $1,975 | 3–5 days |
| New York City to Jacksonville | 1,019 mi | $800 – $1,100 | $1,125 – $1,625 | 3–5 days |
| New York City to Naples | 1,343 mi | $1,000 – $1,400 | $1,450 – $2,050 | 3–5 days |
| New York City to Fort Myers | 1,307 mi | $975 – $1,375 | $1,400 – $2,000 | 3–5 days |
| Long Island to Miami | 1,359 mi | $1,025 – $1,425 | $1,475 – $2,075 | 3–5 days |
| Brooklyn to Miami | 1,331 mi | $1,000 – $1,400 | $1,425 – $2,025 | 3–5 days |
| Buffalo to Miami | 1,446 mi | $1,075 – $1,525 | $1,550 – $2,200 | 4–6 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%.
Two things. First, pickup and delivery are both by arrangement rather than at a driveway, so the driver's call the day before matters more than usual; keep your phone on and confirm the spot. Second, timing. Miami is at the end of the load, so a delivery is more likely to land in the second half of the transit window, and a receiver who is available across the whole window rather than a single afternoon avoids the car riding on to the next stop.
Personal belongings are a Miami-lane question because so many customers are relocating: keep them under about 100 pounds, below the window line, and understand they are not insured. Remove the E-ZPass; the truck passes dozens of gantries. Take photographs of every panel and the odometer before the driver arrives. A key and a photo ID are all that is needed at pickup; no title, and no lender approval for a financed car within the country.
If you are flying down before the car, name the receiver at booking, whether a family member, a friend or a building manager who has agreed to it, and send them the pickup photos and the bill of lading so they can compare at delivery. If you are shipping a car just bought from a dealer in Queens or on Long Island, tell your specialist so the pickup is timed to the dealership.
After delivery
Shipping to Miami: 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 single largest origin for southbound snowbird shipments on I-95.
State guideQuestions
Not covered here? A specialist can answer route-specific questions in a couple of minutes.
888-706-8784$950–$1,350 for a running sedan on an open carrier and $1,400–$1,950 enclosed. Miami is the far end of the Florida run, about 1,280 miles, so it sits $50–$100 above Orlando or Tampa. SUVs and pickups add 12–20%.
Three to five days on the truck. Miami is usually the last drop on a southbound load, so expect the top half of the window; a car collected in Queens on Monday is typically delivered Thursday or Friday.
A big-box lot, a park-and-ride or a wide commercial street in Queens, Brooklyn or the Bronx, or a lot in Fort Lee for Manhattan customers. Drivers have regular spots and suggest one when the truck is assigned.
To the building's loading area if management allows, otherwise to a lot nearby. Brickell, Downtown, Edgewater and Miami Beach are all handled this way. Give the driver the building's contact and the receiver's number.
Late February through April, when southbound trucks run light. November and December are the most expensive, and a fixed date in those weeks adds more.
For a daily driver, no. For a convertible, an exotic or fresh paint making the trip in January over salted roads, the premium is worth it, and Miami has plenty of both.
No. A family member, a building manager who agrees to it or a friend can inspect and sign. Send them your pickup photos and the driver's number.
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 $950–$1,350 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
