Florida Snowbird Car Shipping
Ship your car to Florida for the winter and back home in spring. Door-to-door transport from the Northeast and Midwest to Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa Bay, The Villages, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami — including gated communities and condos.
Quick Answer
Short answer: shipping a car to Florida for the winter costs about $650–$1,400 one way on open transport from the Northeast and Midwest, with 2–5 days in transit. Southbound demand peaks October through December; the return north peaks in April — book 3–4 weeks ahead in both windows.
Last updated: October 1, 2026
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Florida is where most snowbird cars end up. Every fall, cars from New York, New Jersey, New England, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota head for the Gulf Coast, the Atlantic coast and Central Florida — and every spring they head back. That two-way flow makes Florida the deepest snowbird market for carriers, which keeps availability good in both directions as long as you book ahead in the peak weeks.
Shipping a car to Florida for the winter typically costs $650–$1,400 one way on open transport, depending on where you start, where in Florida you're going, and when. Transit is two to five days once the car is loaded. The part that takes planning is the delivery end: gated communities, condo garages, barrier islands and 55+ communities each have their own rules about large trucks.
This guide covers Florida's snowbird regions, the two main corridors in, the Florida calendar, delivery logistics, and whether to keep a car in Florida year-round instead.
Where Snowbirds Ship Cars in Florida
Southwest Gulf Coast
Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Punta Gorda. The densest snowbird market in the state — many deliveries are to gated communities, so expect meeting-point coordination.
Sarasota & Manatee
Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. Island addresses with narrow streets usually need a mainland meeting point.
Tampa Bay
Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Sun City Center and New Port Richey. Close to I-75 and I-4, so carrier coverage is excellent.
Central Florida
The Villages, Orlando, Kissimmee, Ocala, Lakeland and Leesburg. The Villages is one of the country's largest retirement communities; deliveries often meet at a nearby shopping plaza.
Palm Beach & Treasure Coast
Jupiter, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach. First stop for many I-95 loads from the Northeast.
Broward & Miami-Dade
Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Hollywood, Aventura and Miami. High-rise condos are common — cars are handed off at the curb or a nearby lot, not inside parking garages.
Northeast Florida
Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Palm Coast and Daytona Beach. The shortest haul from the Northeast, and often the least expensive Florida delivery.
The Panhandle
Pensacola, Destin, Panama City Beach and the Emerald Coast. Popular with Midwest and Southern snowbirds; reached via I-65 and I-10 rather than the peninsula corridors.
Two Ways In: the I-95 and I-75 Corridors
I-95 (Northeast snowbirds): Cars from New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania ride I-95 down the Atlantic coast. Carriers on this lane usually unload along the east coast first — Jacksonville, the Space Coast, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami — and then cross the state. A Gulf Coast delivery from the Northeast is routine; it just may land a day after an east-coast drop.
I-75 (Midwest snowbirds): I-75 runs from Michigan through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia straight down Florida's Gulf side to Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples. Chicago-area and Indiana cars join via I-65 or I-24. For Midwest snowbirds, Gulf Coast delivery is usually the most direct.
What this means for price: matching your origin's corridor to your Florida coast is the cheapest combination. Crossing over — Boston to Naples, or Detroit to Fort Lauderdale — is common and fully covered; it can add a little time and occasionally a little cost.
Shipping Your Car to Florida: Routes and Prices
Open-transport price ranges for a standard sedan; the high end is peak season.
Shipping Your Car Home From Florida
Spring return lanes out of Florida. April is the busiest month; book by mid-March.
Florida Snowbird Shipping Calendar
| Month | Heading south | Heading north | Florida notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | Building | — | Hurricane season runs through November 30; carriers reroute around storms |
| October | Busy | — | Book 3–4 weeks ahead for late-October pickups |
| November | Peak | — | The weeks around Thanksgiving fill first |
| December | Busy, easing mid-month | — | Holiday weeks slow pickups; aim for early December |
| January – February | Light | Light | Late arrivals and second cars ship easily |
| March | Light | Building | Returns start; Easter week is busy when it falls in March |
| April | — | Peak | Most northbound shipments; book your return by mid-March |
| May | — | Busy, then easing | Last returns before Florida's rainy season |
Florida Delivery: Gates, Condos, Islands and HOAs
Gated communities
Many Naples, Bonita Springs, Boca Raton and Sarasota communities restrict large trucks past the gate. The driver meets you at the main entrance or a nearby lot. Tell us the community name at booking and we'll confirm the plan before dispatch.
Condo towers and garages
Car carriers can't enter parking garages or porte-cocheres. Handoff happens at the curb, a loading zone or a nearby lot — check whether your building needs advance notice for a truck.
Barrier islands and bridges
Marco Island, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Anna Maria and other islands have narrow streets and occasional truck limits. A mainland meeting point is often simpler for everyone.
55+ communities
In large active-adult communities, delivery is usually arranged at a shopping plaza or community center lot. A neighbor or the community office can receive the car if you arrive after the truck.
Hurricane season
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. A storm can delay early-fall pickups and deliveries by a few days; we reschedule around closures rather than run a car into one.
Florida tolls
Florida's toll roads are largely cashless. Remove or shield your transponder before pickup so the trip south doesn't land on your account.
Keep a Car in Florida or Ship Yours Down?
Some snowbirds buy a second car and leave it in Florida year-round. It can make sense, but compare it honestly:
Shipping your own car makes sense when: it's the car you like driving, it's worth more than an inexpensive second car, and you'd otherwise be paying insurance, registration and storage on a vehicle that sits six months a year. A round trip each season often costs less than a year of owning a second car.
Keeping a Florida car makes sense when: you're in Florida more than half the year, someone else needs your northern car while you're away, or your Florida car is an inexpensive runabout you don't mind leaving through hurricane season.
If you leave a car in Florida over summer: use covered or garage storage, connect a battery maintainer, and have someone start it now and then. A car that sat through a Florida summer can have a dead battery and flat-spotted tires — fix both before the next shipment.
FAQ
Florida Snowbird Car Shipping — FAQ
Straight answers about shipping a car to and from Florida for the winter.
Still have questions? Our team is ready to help.
Source: every broker and carrier's operating authority, safety rating, and insurance status is public record — verify any company for free at the FMCSA SAFER System.
Your Car Moves With Your Season
Tell us when you head south and roughly when you come home. We plan both trips around your calendar — free quote, no upfront payment.