Virginia to Florida Car Shipping for Military Retirees and Snowbirds
Avg. Distance
700 to 1,100 miles
Avg. Transit Time
4 to 6 days
Avg. Cost
$620 to $920
(2903 reviews)
4.7
BBB
(3876 reviews)
4.6
Birdeye
(3895 reviews)
4.5
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car from Virginia to Florida?
Virginia to Florida car shipping costs $620 to $920 on an open carrier for most vehicles, and enclosed transport runs about 50% more. The full corridor from Northern Virginia to South Florida covers roughly 1,050 miles, and most shipments arrive in 4 to 6 days after pickup. Your exact car shipping cost depends on distance, vehicle size, transport type, and when you book.
| Shipping from Virginia to Florida | Distance | Open Transport Cost | Estimated Transit | Get a Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk, VA to Jacksonville, FL | 600 miles | $620 to $720 | 2 to 4 days | Get a Quote |
| Richmond, VA to Orlando, FL | 750 miles | $650 to $780 | 3 to 5 days | Get a Quote |
| Virginia Beach, VA to Tampa, FL | 880 miles | $700 to $850 | 3 to 5 days | Get a Quote |
| Newport News, VA to Sarasota, FL | 920 miles | $720 to $870 | 4 to 6 days | Get a Quote |
| Alexandria, VA to Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1,030 miles | $770 to $910 | 4 to 6 days | Get a Quote |
| Arlington, VA to Miami, FL | 1,060 miles | $780 to $920 | 4 to 6 days | Get a Quote |
Open transport handles about 95% of the vehicles we move on this route, with compact cars at the low end of the range and pickups and oversized vehicles at the top. Enclosed shipping costs more because the trailer shields your car from road debris and weather, which matters for classic cars, exotic cars, and low-clearance cars. Carriers run I-95, one of the major interstate corridors on the East Coast, almost the entire way. Prices climb during peak season from October to December, when snowbird demand and fuel prices push rates up, so book 7 to 14 days ahead with a flexible pickup window of five days.
"The price we quote you is going to be the price we charge you when it comes to shipping your vehicle."
SHIPYOURCARNOW FIXED PRICE PROMISE
The price we quote is the price you pay. Locked from quote to delivery.
No surprises. No exceptions.
Trusted Nationwide Virginia to Florida Vehicle Shipping
How Virginia to Florida Car Shipping Works
Step 01: Request Your Quote
Enter your pickup and delivery ZIP codes, your vehicle details, and your preferred date, and our quote tool returns a price in under a minute. Call (866) 390-0354 if you have multiple vehicles or want help choosing open versus enclosed. Our Fixed Price Promise locks in your Virginia to Florida price with no hidden fees, no surprise fees at delivery, and no upfront deposit until a carrier is assigned.
Step 02: Schedule Pickup and Inspection
Step 03: Transport, Tracking and Delivery
Your car rides I-95 south through the Carolinas and Georgia, then splits toward Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, or Miami. Carriers typically cover 400 to 500 miles per day, which is why our transit time guide puts most Virginia to Florida runs at 4 to 6 days. The driver calls 2 to 4 hours before arrival, you inspect the car, and you note any new damage on the delivery Bill of Lading before you sign.
Military Retirees and PCS Families Shipping a Car from Virginia to Florida
Virginia has one of the largest military communities in the country, anchored by Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval station. When sailors and Marines retire out of Hampton Roads, many head for Tampa, Sarasota, Jacksonville, and Pensacola, where veteran communities run deep, and Florida charges no state income tax on pensions. We ship cars from Norfolk, Virginia, to those cities all year, and Chesapeake, Hampton, and Newport News pickups ride the same lanes.
Car Shipping Virginia Beach to Florida on a PCS Timeline
Active duty families on orders to MacDill Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, or Eglin Air Force Base face a fixed report date and often one driver for two cars. Our military car shipping team schedules Virginia Beach pickups around your report date, with a lower standby rate if you can be flexible and a guaranteed pickup date when you cannot. The best car shipping companies show you who is coming for your car, so on pickup day you get a text with your driver’s license photo and equipment details through our Know Your Trucker program.
Snowbirds and Seasonal Movers on the Virginia to Florida Route
Virginia snowbirds usually head south between October and December and return between March and May, right in the busiest window for southbound auto transport. Ship in late September or early October and you will pay less and have more trucks to choose from. Our snowbird car shipping guide covers the timing, and the same advice applies to Florida to Virginia shipping in spring.
Richmond to Orlando and Northern Virginia to Miami are two of the most popular routes on this corridor, and Richmond pickups feed the same I-95 trucks that serve Fredericksburg. We also pick up in West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley for Florida deliveries. Fort Lauderdale, Naples, Fort Myers, and The Villages are all inside our regular delivery locations, and door-to-door service means the driver meets you at the condo rather than a terminal. Severe weather in hurricane season can delay a delivery, and your coordinator will flag that risk on your Florida shipping date.
Why People Are Moving from Virginia to Florida
Florida is one of the top three destinations for people leaving Virginia, based on Census Bureau migration figures compiled by USAFacts, which count roughly 263,900 Virginians moving to another state in 2024. No state income tax matters to military retirees and to federal employees leaving Arlington and Alexandria after long careers around Washington, D.C.
The job market pulls people too. Tampa Bay has a growing defense and financial services sector, Jacksonville is a major logistics and naval hub, and Orlando keeps adding simulation and aerospace jobs. Many families ship a car from Virginia rather than drive it, because a 1,000-mile trip on I-95 with a full trunk and a tired driver is a risk nobody needs on moving week.
Florida Vehicle Registration Requirements for New Residents
Florida gives you 10 days to title and register your car after you establish residency, and 30 days to get a Florida driver’s license, according to the FLHSMV new resident page. Residency starts the day you take a job, enroll a child in a public school, or register to vote, so plan your car’s arrival around that clock.
You need a Florida auto policy with at least $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage liability first, as the FLHSMV insurance requirements explain, and your Virginia policy will not count. Budget for an $85.25 out-of-state title fee plus a one-time $225 initial registration fee, both on the FLHSMV fee schedule. Florida has no emissions testing in any county, and a tax collector employee, licensed dealer, or law enforcement officer can verify the VIN once your Florida car shipping delivery is complete.
Ready to get a price on your Virginia to Florida shipment?
Every quote is backed by ShipYourCarNow’s Fixed Price Promise.
Car Shipping Services Available for Virginia to Florida Moves
Open Auto Transport
Enclosed Car Shipping
Expedited Vehicle Shipping
Military PCS Shipping
Corporate Relocation
Luxury and Exotic Transport
Motorcycle Shipping
Door-to-Door Shipping
Average transit time is 4 to 6 days from confirmed carrier pickup, with short runs like Norfolk to Jacksonville arriving in 2 to 4 days.
Open transport is the most affordable option, with competitive pricing of $620 to $920 for most vehicles.
Florida requires vehicle registration within 10 days of establishing residency and a Florida license within 30 days.
All carriers hold minimum $1,000,000 liability and $100,000 cargo insurance.
Key Things to Know About Shipping a Car from Virginia to Florida
7-Point Vehicle Preparation Checklist for Virginia to Florida Transport
1
Leave about a quarter tank of fuel, enough to load and unload without adding weight.
2
Take timestamped photos of all four sides and the roof before the driver arrives.
3
Disable the alarm so it does not go off on the trailer in South Carolina.
4
Remove personal items, because they are not covered by cargo insurance.
5
6
Check tire pressure and the battery so the car rolls on and off the trailer cleanly.
7
Have one working key ready for the driver.
SHIPYOURCARNOW FIXED PRICE PROMISE
The price we quote is the price you pay. Locked from quote to delivery.
No surprises. No exceptions.
What Our Customers Say About Their Car Shipping Experience
Thousands of customers across the United States have trusted us with vehicles they care about. Here is what they have to say.
Satisfied customers
Experience
Carriers
(2903 reviews)
4.5
BBB
(3876 reviews)
4.6
Birdeye
(3895 reviews)
4.5
Virginia to Florida Car Shipping FAQ
"We don't outsource our claims. We have our own claims team in-house that works to resolve those issues quickly and without any additional stress or friction to our customer."
Ready to Ship Your Car from Virginia
to Florida?
Whether you are retiring out of Norfolk, heading south for the winter, or starting a new job in Tampa, we will get your car there in one piece and on time. As a Florida car shipping company based in Boca Raton, we know the delivery side of this route well. You get one coordinator from booking to delivery, a vetted carrier with confirmed insurance, and a price that does not move. Virginia to Florida car shipping should be the easiest part of your move.
Thousands of vehicles are shipped nationwide every year.