Car Shipping From Dallas, TX to Los Angeles, CA
Shipping a car from Dallas, TX to Los Angeles, CA costs $880 to $1,130 on an open carrier and takes 3 to 5 days in transit. The route is about 1,435 driving miles.
Distance, vehicle size, and prevailing carrier rates on this corridor. An estimate, not a quote.
- Open
- $880 – $1,130
- Enclosed
- $1,240 – $1,580
- Distance
- 1,435 mi
- Transit
- 3–5 days
Timing and seasonality on this lane
This lane stays steady most of the year, with a noticeable rate bump in June and July when relocation season peaks across the Sun Belt. Summer heat also increases demand for enclosed transport among owners of high-value vehicles.
Pickup and delivery access
Dallas and the surrounding metro are easy for full-size carriers almost everywhere. On the Los Angeles end, hillside and canyon addresses will require a meeting point at a level commercial lot.
Dallas, TX to Los Angeles, CA questions
How much does it cost to ship a car from Dallas to Los Angeles?
A running sedan on an open carrier typically runs $880 to $1,130. Enclosed transport runs $1,240 to $1,580.
Should I choose enclosed transport in summer?
For a high-value, classic, or freshly painted vehicle, yes. Enclosed transport removes road debris and sun exposure, which matters more on a Southwest summer run than on most routes.
Transparent Pricing
What actually drives your price
Four things set the number: how far the vehicle is going, how big it is, whether it travels open or enclosed, and whether it runs. Everything else is noise.
- Distance
- Distance is the largest single factor. Longer moves cost more in total but less per mile — a 2,800-mile run prices near $0.50 per mile while a 200-mile run prices near $1.75, because loading, paperwork, and fuel stops cost the same either way.
- Vehicle size and weight
- A carrier has fixed deck space and a legal weight limit. A dually or lifted truck displaces what would otherwise be two sedans, so it prices roughly 30 percent above a sedan on the same lane.
- Open or enclosed
- Open transport is the standard and the cheapest. Enclosed runs 10 to 40 percent more and is worth it for classic, exotic, freshly painted, or low-clearance vehicles.
- Whether it runs
- A vehicle that rolls, steers, and brakes loads on its own power. One that does not needs a winch and a carrier equipped to use it, which narrows the pool and adds cost.