Quick Answer
Shipping a car to or from Illinois typically runs $900–$1,600 depending on the lane — for example, Chicago to Dallas is typically $900–$1,300 and Chicago to Miami $1,000–$1,400. Chicago sits at the center of the Midwest carrier network, so most lanes schedule fast. Most in-state moves take 1–2 days; cross-country shipments take 4–6 days.
Shipping a car in Illinois, without the runaround
Illinois shipping starts in Chicago — the Midwest's carrier hub, where more interstate corridors meet than anywhere else in the middle of the country — and it doesn't end there. Families relocate between Chicago, Texas, Florida, and Phoenix; students move cars to Urbana-Champaign, Evanston, and a dozen other campuses; military families ship to Scott Air Force Base, Great Lakes, and Rock Island; and downstate, Springfield, Peoria, Rockford, and the Quad Cities generate steady moves of their own. Whatever the reason, the car needs to get there safely and on a schedule.
That's the job we do at Freedom Transport Service. We're a nationwide auto transport broker with a 100% USA-based team — real people who answer the phone, no outsourced call centers — and a network of vetted, insured carriers running Illinois lanes every day. We're open 6 days a week, and the way we price is simple: no bait-and-switch.
Most Illinois shipments fall into a handful of buckets. Job relocations move families between Chicago and the coasts, Texas, and the Southeast. Snowbirds — seasonal residents who winter in Florida and Arizona — ship cars south in the fall and back north in the spring rather than driving both ways. Military families ship on PCS orders to and from Scott AFB near St. Louis, Naval Station Great Lakes north of Chicago, and Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad Cities. Students send cars to campus in the fall and home again in the spring. Add online car purchases, dealer and auction moves through Chicago's distribution network, and a serious classic-car culture, and you get a state where carriers run full, frequent routes — which is good news for your price and your schedule.
We ship daily drivers, family SUVs, and pickup trucks; classics and exotics (enclosed, always recommended); motorcycles and golf carts (enclosed only, for full protection); UTVs; and vans and heavy-duty trucks, which our team quotes individually. If it rolls, we can almost certainly move it.
Popular routes to Illinois
These are the lanes Illinoisans book most often inbound, with the typical ranges we see for a standard sedan in running condition. Your exact price depends on the specific pickup and delivery cities and ZIPs, the vehicle, and your dates — the ranges below are honest planning numbers, not a quote. Season is a factor too: prices run higher when demand peaks — snowbird season in the fall and spring, the summer moving season, and the year-end holidays — and lower in quieter months.
| Route | Open typically | Enclosed typically | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando, FL → Chicago, IL car shipping | $900–$1,300 | $1,400–$2,000 | 2–4 days |
| Miami, FL → Chicago, IL car shipping | $1,000–$1,400 | $1,600–$2,200 | 3–5 days |
| Phoenix, AZ → Chicago, IL car shipping | $1,100–$1,500 | $1,600–$2,200 | 4–6 days |
| Los Angeles, CA → Chicago, IL car shipping | $1,200–$1,600 | $1,900–$2,400 | 4–6 days |
Typical ranges for a standard sedan in running condition. Larger vehicles, non-running vehicles, and rural pickups or deliveries can price higher.
Popular routes from Illinois
Leaving Illinois — or sending a car out to family, a buyer, or a second home — runs on the same busy corridors in reverse. Florida lanes stay active year-round thanks to relocations and seasonal residents, and the Chicago–Dallas lane down I-55 is one of the strongest Midwest routes in the network.
| Route | Open typically | Enclosed typically | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL → Dallas, TX car shipping | $900–$1,300 | $1,300–$1,900 | 2–4 days |
| Chicago, IL → Orlando, FL car shipping | $900–$1,300 | $1,400–$2,000 | 3–5 days |
| Chicago, IL → Miami, FL car shipping | $1,000–$1,400 | $1,600–$2,200 | 3–5 days |
| Chicago, IL → Phoenix, AZ car shipping | $1,100–$1,500 | $1,600–$2,200 | 4–6 days |
| Chicago to Tampa car shipping | $900–$1,300 | $1,400–$2,000 | 2–4 days |
Typical ranges for a standard sedan in running condition. Get a free quote for your lane. The Tampa lane is an additional route we serve; it does not yet have a dedicated route guide.
Shipping within Illinois
Plenty of Illinois shipping never leaves Illinois. Chicago to Springfield is about 200 miles down I-55, Chicago to Champaign about 135, and Chicago to Rockford about 90 — easy distances on a map, but still half a day or more of driving each way, and still miles you'd rather keep off a car you just bought, a classic, or a vehicle headed to a student in Urbana-Champaign. In-state shipping is core business for us: job transfers between Chicago and downstate, state-government and university moves through Springfield and Champaign, cars bought at auction or from a seller three counties away, and Metro-East shipments across the river from St. Louis all move this way every week.
In-state moves are also among the fastest things we do. On the I-55, I-57, and I-90 corridors, carriers run frequently, pickup is usually quick, and most intrastate shipments deliver in 1–2 days. In-state pricing depends on your exact addresses and vehicle, so get a free quote rather than guessing from the interstate ranges above.
| Route | Distance | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL → Springfield, IL | About 200 miles | 1–2 days |
| Chicago, IL → Champaign, IL | About 135 miles | 1–2 days |
| Chicago, IL → Rockford, IL | About 90 miles | 1–2 days |
| Springfield, IL → Belleville, IL (Metro-East) | About 100 miles | 1–2 days |
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Illinois cities we serve
We pick up and deliver door-to-door in the Chicago metro and every major downstate community along the main corridors. Everywhere else, your free quote gives you a price for your specific address.
The Illinois car shipping guide
Shipping the car is the easy part. Owning it legally at the other end — and getting it through an Illinois winter — takes a little local knowledge. Here's what we tell every customer moving a vehicle into, out of, or across the state.
Registering your car after a move to Illinois
New residents have 30 days from establishing residency to apply for Illinois title and registration through the Secretary of State — Illinois runs vehicle services through the Secretary of State's facilities, not a separate DMV. Bring your out-of-state title, proof of Illinois insurance, and identification, and complete the Application for Vehicle Transaction (form VSD-190). One Chicago-specific note: if you live in the City of Chicago, the city also requires its own vehicle sticker for residents, separate from state registration — check the City Clerk's current requirements when you move. If your car ships a week or two after you do, handle title and registration as soon as it arrives so the 30-day clock doesn't sneak up on you.
Emissions testing in the Chicago metro and Metro-East
Illinois does not test emissions statewide, and it has no general safety inspection for personal vehicles. Testing applies only in two areas: the Chicago metropolitan area and the Metro-East St. Louis area. All of Cook, DuPage, and Lake counties are covered, along with portions of Kane, Kendall, McHenry, Will, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair counties — coverage in those counties is set by ZIP code, so two towns in the same county can be treated differently. Most gasoline vehicles from model year 1996 and newer are tested every two years once they're more than four model years old, tests at official stations are free, and your renewal notice will tell you if a test is due. Downstate outside those areas — Springfield, Peoria, Rockford, Champaign — there is generally no emissions test. If you're moving into the Chicago or Metro-East testing areas, build a few days of cushion into your plans in case an emissions issue needs attention before renewal.
Insurance minimums
Illinois law requires minimum liability coverage of 25/50/20 — $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 for property damage — and Illinois verifies insurance electronically, so keep coverage continuous once you're registered here. If your current policy was written in a state with different minimums, your insurer will adjust it when you update your garaging address. (While your car is on one of our carriers, every shipment includes insurance coverage in transit.)
Toll roads and I-PASS
Northern Illinois runs one of the busiest toll networks in the country: the Illinois Tollway system around Chicago — including the Tri-State (I-94/I-294/I-80), the Jane Addams (I-90), the Reagan (I-88), and the Veterans Memorial (I-355) — is all-electronic, with no cash lanes. An I-PASS transponder pays the standard toll rate; paying by plate costs more. Before pickup, remove or pause your toll transponder — an I-PASS or E-ZPass left in the car can keep charging your account as the carrier passes toll points on the trailer. It's a two-minute job that saves a month of mystery charges.
The corridors carriers actually run
Chicago earns its hub status honestly. I-55 runs from downtown Chicago through Joliet and Springfield to St. Louis, and on toward Memphis and New Orleans. I-90 crosses the top of the state through Rockford toward Wisconsin and the Northwest. I-94 ties Chicago to Milwaukee in one direction and to Indiana and Michigan in the other, while I-80 crosses the entire state east–west just south of the metro. Downstate, I-57 runs Chicago to Champaign and Southern Illinois, I-74 links the Quad Cities, Peoria, and Champaign, and I-39 connects Rockford to Bloomington. If your pickup or delivery sits on or near one of these corridors, scheduling is fast and pricing is at its best. Rural addresses well off the interstates — deep Southern Illinois, the far northwest corner — simply need a little more lead time.
Winter salt, snow, and the case for a post-delivery wash
An Illinois winter is the weather factor that matters most here. Chicago and downstate roads are treated aggressively with salt and brine from the first storm to the last, lake-effect snow can bury the I-94 corridor while neighborhoods a few miles inland stay dry, and a car that rides an open carrier through a storm week arrives wearing a coat of road salt. That's cosmetic, not damaging, for most vehicles — but wash it off promptly after delivery, including the underbody, rather than letting salt sit on the finish. For a classic, a collector car, or anything you'd never drive through a salted winter at home, enclosed transport keeps the car sealed away from salt spray, snow, and road debris entirely — which is why a large share of Illinois winter collector shipments go enclosed.
Summer in Illinois
Summer is peak season in the other direction: relocation volume climbs statewide, Chicago traffic thickens around every holiday weekend, and spring-into-summer storm season can briefly slow I-55 and I-80 traffic when severe weather crosses the state. None of it stops shipping — it just means the first and last weeks of summer, and the weeks around campus move-in, book up first. A little lead time is the cheapest upgrade you can give any Illinois shipment.
Military moves & college shipping
Two groups ship more cars in Illinois than anyone else — and both move on somebody else's calendar, which makes planning ahead worth real money.
Military & PCS moves
Illinois installations sit in three corners of the state, and we ship to and from all of them:
- Scott Air Force Base (Metro-East, near Belleville) — a major air mobility and cyber hub
- Naval Station Great Lakes (North Chicago) — the Navy's largest training installation
- Rock Island Arsenal (Quad Cities) — an Army manufacturing and logistics center
Carriers can't always enter the installation itself, so pickup or delivery usually happens at a visitor center or a convenient spot just outside the gate — we coordinate that with you in advance. Ask about our military pricing when you book.
Students & families
Shipping a car to campus beats a two-day drive and a flight home. We serve every major Illinois school, including:
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Chicago
- Northwestern University (Evanston) and University of Illinois Chicago
- Illinois State (Normal), Northern Illinois (DeKalb), and Southern Illinois (Carbondale) — plus DePaul and Loyola Chicago
Book fall and spring moves early — the first and last weeks of the semester are the busiest of the year. Ask about student pricing when you book.
Special pricing — just ask
We offer discount programs for military members, students, first responders, seniors, and return customers. Mention it when you request your quote and we'll apply whatever you're eligible for.
How Illinois car shipping works
Three steps, start to finish. We handle the carrier, the scheduling, and the updates — you just hand over the keys.
Get your quote & book
Get your free quote and book with $0 due upfront.
We assign your carrier
We match your vehicle with a vetted, insured carrier already running your lane, and confirm your pickup window with you.
Pickup & delivery
The driver inspects and loads your vehicle at your door, and delivers it at the other end with updates along the way.
Open vs. enclosed transport in Illinois
Open transport is the standard multi-car carrier you see on every interstate — and it's the right choice for most Illinois shipments. It's the most affordable option, the easiest to schedule, and every shipment includes insurance coverage in transit either way. Daily drivers, family vehicles, trucks, and SUVs ship open every day of the year.
Enclosed transport puts your vehicle inside a covered trailer, protected from weather and road debris. Illinois makes the case for enclosed seasonally: winter open routes run through road salt, brine spray, and lake-effect snow, and summer adds construction-season gravel and storm debris on the long I-55 and I-80 runs. For classics, exotics, collectibles, show cars, and anything with significant value or fresh paint, enclosed is the honest recommendation — and for motorcycles and golf carts, enclosed is the only way we ship them. Expect enclosed to run roughly 40–60% more than open on the same lane, as the tables above show.
Not sure which fits your car? Tell us what you're shipping when you get your quote and we'll give you a straight answer — including when open is all you need.
What affects your Illinois price
Four things drive the number on any Illinois lane:
- Distance. The biggest factor, always. Chicago to Dallas is about 970 miles; Chicago to Los Angeles is about 2,000. Longer hauls cost more in total but less per mile.
- Corridor vs. rural pickup. Addresses on I-55, I-57, I-80, I-90, and I-94 sit on routes carriers already run, so they price at the best rates and schedule fastest. Rural Southern Illinois and far-corner pickups may need a carrier to detour, which costs more and takes a little longer to arrange.
- Vehicle size and condition. A compact sedan is the baseline. Full-size trucks, large SUVs, and vans take more deck space and weight; non-running vehicles need a winch and extra handling. Heavier and larger prices higher.
- Season and direction. Fall fills with snowbirds heading to Florida and Arizona and spring fills with them heading home; summer is peak relocation season statewide; winter weather can add flexibility needs on northern lanes. Booking a little ahead of the rush — or shipping against it — usually prices better.
The ranges on this page are typical planning numbers — get your free quote for your specific addresses, vehicle, and dates. No bait-and-switch, ever.
Preparing your car for pickup
A few simple steps before the carrier arrives make pickup smooth — and protect you if anything comes up in transit.
- Keep the tank about a quarter fullThat's plenty for loading and unloading, without the extra weight of a full tank.
- Remove personal itemsCarriers aren't insured for belongings left inside the vehicle, so clear out anything you can't replace.
- Wash the car before pickupA clean car makes the pre-shipment inspection photos accurate, so existing marks are documented clearly — and wash road salt off promptly after a winter delivery, too.
- Note existing damage with the driverWalk the car together at pickup and make sure it's recorded on the bill of lading before you sign.
- Disable alarms and remove toll tagsIt prevents surprise alarms in transit and I-PASS or E-ZPass toll charges piling up along the way.
- Have a spare key readyThe driver needs a working key for loading and unloading at both ends.
Illinois car shipping FAQs
How much does it cost to ship a car from Illinois to Florida?
Chicago to Miami typically runs $1,000–$1,400 open and $1,600–$2,200 enclosed, with a 3–5 day transit over about 1,370 miles. Chicago to Orlando is a little shorter at $900–$1,300 open and $1,400–$2,000 enclosed. Your exact price depends on the specific cities, your vehicle, and your dates.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Illinois to Texas?
Chicago to Dallas typically runs $900–$1,300 open and $1,300–$1,900 enclosed, with a 2–4 day transit over about 970 miles down the I-55 and I-44 corridor. It is one of the busiest lanes out of Chicago, so scheduling is usually fast.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Illinois to Arizona?
Chicago to Phoenix typically runs $1,100–$1,500 open and $1,600–$2,200 enclosed, with a 4–6 day transit over about 1,750 miles. The reverse lane (Phoenix to Chicago) prices the same, since carriers run the corridor in both directions.
How much does it cost to ship a car within Illinois?
Most in-state shipping centers on Chicago: Chicago to Springfield is about 200 miles, Chicago to Champaign about 135 miles, and Chicago to Rockford about 90 miles. Those in-state hops price well below the interstate lanes on this page, and most deliver in 1–2 days. Get a free quote for your specific addresses and vehicle.
How long does Illinois car shipping take?
Most in-state moves take 1–2 days. Regional lanes like Chicago to Dallas run 2–4 days, Florida lanes run 3–5 days, and Chicago to Phoenix or Los Angeles runs 4–6 days. Your carrier confirms a pickup window when you book and keeps you updated in transit.
Do I need to register my car after moving to Illinois?
Yes. New Illinois residents must apply for Illinois title and registration with the Secretary of State within 30 days of establishing residency. You'll need Illinois liability insurance of at least 25/50/20, and if you register in the Chicago-metro or Metro-East emissions testing areas, a passing emissions test may be required for registration renewal depending on your vehicle and address.
Can I ship a car to a military base in Illinois?
Yes — we ship to and from Scott Air Force Base, Naval Station Great Lakes, and Rock Island Arsenal regularly. Because carriers usually can't enter the installation, pickup or delivery typically happens at a visitor center or a spot just outside the gate, coordinated with you in advance. Ask about military pricing when you book.
How do I book, and do I pay anything upfront?
Get your free quote or call us at 800-507-2629 — we're open 6 days a week. There are $0 upfront booking fees: you pay nothing to schedule.
Is my car insured while it's being shipped?
Yes. Every shipment includes insurance coverage while your vehicle is in transit, and we only work with vetted, insured carriers. At pickup, you and the driver document the car's condition together on the bill of lading, which is what protects you if anything comes up along the way. In winter, washing road salt off promptly after delivery is a good habit either way.
Can the carrier pick up my car at my home?
Yes — our service is door-to-door wherever a carrier can safely and legally reach. In dense Chicago neighborhoods, gated suburbs, and tight apartment or condo lots, the driver may meet you at a nearby parking lot or wide street, usually within a few minutes of your address.