Transporting a Vehicle to Florida: Routes, Timing and Paperwork

Florida sits at one end of many of the routes our customers book often. Some people are moving for good, many are snowbirds, and plenty are buying a car or sending one to family. Here are the main routes in, the two seasons that shape every Florida shipment, and the paperwork waiting when the car arrives.

Routes Into Florida Our Customers Book Often

• From Georgia, down I-75 or I-95. See Florida to Georgia car shipping, which covers both directions.
• From Texas, east on I-10 from Houston and San Antonio. See Texas to Florida car shipping.
• From New York and New Jersey, south on I-95, the classic snowbird run. See New York to Florida car shipping.
• From Ohio and Pennsylvania, down I-75, or I-77 and I-95. See Ohio and Pennsylvania.
• From Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee, by I-95, I-26 or I-75. See Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
• From Arizona, about 2,150 miles from Phoenix to Orlando, most of it on I-10. See Arizona car shipping.

Snowbird Season

Every fall, snowbirds from the Northeast and the Midwest head south, and every spring they go home. Heading south, October through December is busiest, especially late October to mid-December. Heading north, it’s March through May. Carriers fill up in those weeks, so book a few weeks ahead and keep a little flexibility in your dates. See snowbird car shipping.

Hurricane Season

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and the busiest stretch is usually August through October. Most of the time, it changes nothing. When a storm is coming, though, roads can close, evacuation traffic fills the interstates and carriers stay out of the storm’s path. If that happens near your pickup or delivery, the carrier may move the date for safety, and we’ll tell you. Moving in late summer? Leave a day or two of slack.

Florida Paperwork

• 10 days to register. Florida expects new residents to register their car within 10 days of becoming a resident, which starting a job or enrolling a child in school can trigger.
• VIN verification. A car titled in another state needs a VIN and odometer check on form HSMV 82042. A law enforcement officer, a Florida notary or a licensed dealer can do it, and so can the tax collector’s office.
• Florida insurance. You’ll need a Florida policy with personal injury protection and property damage liability before you can register.

Registration goes through your county tax collector, and rules change, so check with yours before the car arrives.

Delivering in Florida

Gated communities, condo towers and 55-plus neighborhoods often have rules about big trucks, so the driver may meet you at the gate or a lot nearby. Tell us when you book. The Keys take more planning: US-1 is the only road in, and Key West is about 160 miles from Miami. For notes on each city, see Florida car shipping.

Questions