Shipping a car from California to North Carolina costs $1,265 to $1,620 on an open carrier, depending on season and city pair, and takes 5 to 7 days on the road. Pickup is arranged within 1 to 3 business days. The figures on this page come from current carrier market rates and 299 SAKAEM shipments on this lane.
Fall orders paid $1,265 to $1,500, median $1,320. Market rate today, Los Angeles to Charlotte: $1,415; SUV $1,480, pickup $1,715, van $1,875, enclosed from $2,285. North Carolina to California: $1,395.
Going the other way? See North Carolina to California car shipping.
Current market price for a 2020-model vehicle from Los Angeles to Charlotte, including SAKAEM's service fee. Larger vehicles take more trailer space, so they cost more; enclosed trailers carry fewer cars and cost about 60% more.
| Vehicle | Open carrier | Enclosed carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan / coupe | $1,415 | $2,285 |
| SUV / crossover | $1,480 | $2,395 |
| Pickup truck | $1,715 | $2,795 |
| Van / minivan | $1,875 | Quote on request |
Carrier market rate for this lane on October 7, 2026, plus SAKAEM's service fee. Your quote uses the same pricing with your exact ZIP codes, vehicle and date; a car that does not run adds roughly $150 to $200.
Where California cars go in North Carolina, and what the trip costs today for a sedan on an open carrier. The Research Triangle takes a third of this lane's orders, Charlotte a quarter, the military towns around Fort Liberty and Camp Lejeune about a fifth.
| From | To | Open carrier, sedan | Price · transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | Charlotte, NCroute page | $1,4155–7 days transit | |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | Raleigh, NC | $1,4105–7 days transit | |
| 3 | San Diego, CA | Charlotte, NC | $1,4405–7 days transit | |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | Fayetteville, NC | $1,5055–7 days transit | |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | Wilmington, NC | $1,5255–7 days transit | |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | Charlotte, NC | $1,6055–7 days transit | |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | Greensboro, NC | $1,6155–7 days transit | |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | Raleigh, NC | $1,6205–7 days transit | |
$1,300$1,500$1,700 |
Market rates on October 7, 2026 for a 2020 sedan, plus service fee. Bay Area and Sacramento pickups cost $150 to $200 more than Southern California because fewer eastbound trucks load there; most consolidate through Los Angeles.
Prices paid on 299 SAKAEM shipments on this lane, 2022 to 2026, grouped by the season the order was placed. Winter is about 18% cheaper than summer.
| Season | Orders | Median paid | Middle half | What drives it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec to Feb) | 57 | $1,275 | $1,150–$1,445 | Cheapest window; carriers have open spots after the holiday lull. |
| Spring (Mar to May) | 79 | $1,375 | $1,230–$1,575 | Volume builds from March as graduations and job moves start. |
| Summer (Jun to Aug) | 115 | $1,500 | $1,300–$1,625 | Busiest season on this lane; July and August carry a third of all orders. Summer 2026 orders paid $1,800 to $1,900, median $1,812. |
| Fall (Sep to Nov) | 48 | $1,320 | $1,178–$1,496 | Prices ease after Labor Day; October is the quietest month. |
Order totals including the service fee, all vehicle types. The fall sample is the smallest (48 shipments), so treat that row as a guide rather than a rate.
The ten most recent single-vehicle orders delivered on this lane, with the price the customer paid and the days the car spent on the truck.
| Booked | From | To | Vehicle | Paid | Days on truck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | Benicia, CA | Durham, NC | 2017 Toyota Corolla | $1,600 | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Long Beach, CA | Chapel Hill, NC | 2013 Toyota Avalon | $1,800 | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Garden Grove, CA | Fayetteville, NC | 2020 Lexus NX | $1,800 | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | San Diego, CA | Durham, NC | 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA | $1,900 | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Santa Clara, CA | Charlotte, NC | 2023 Buick Encore GX | $1,812 | 7 |
| May 2026 | Barstow, CA | Spring Lake, NC | 2024 Hyundai Elantra | $1,730 | 7 |
| May 2026 | Oakland, CA | Asheville, NC | 2016 BMW 528i | $1,700 | 5 |
| May 2026 | Stanford, CA | Durham, NC | 2019 Toyota Corolla | $1,650 | 8 |
| Apr 2026 | Wildomar, CA | Durham, NC | 2005 Toyota Corolla | $1,400 | 8 |
| Mar 2026 | San Diego, CA | Broadway, NC | 2015 Nissan Sentra | $1,250 | 7 |
All open carrier, all running vehicles. Summer 2026 prices ran above the current market rate shown higher up the page; the seasonal table explains why.
Price your own car and ZIP codes on today's carrier rates. No upfront deposit, free cancellation.
Get my exact quote(470) 912-2692Most cars on this lane load in the Los Angeles basin, the Inland Empire or San Diego and run east on I-10 and I-20 or I-40, dropping across the Carolinas within a week. Bay Area and Sacramento pickups usually consolidate through Los Angeles first, which is why they take a day or two longer and cost a little more.
Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill take about 35% of deliveries, Charlotte and its suburbs about 25%, and the military towns of Fayetteville and Jacksonville about 20%. Asheville and the mountains are the one area where a car may ride a second, smaller truck for the last stretch.
Summer is the peak, with July and August carrying a third of the year's orders and the highest prices. North Carolina to California runs slightly cheaper and peaks in spring, when carriers reposition west. If your dates are flexible, booking a week or two either side of a holiday saves money on both.
I had my BMW transferred from North Carolina to Nevada, and the entire process was handled very professionally. From the initial agreement to the final drop-off, everyone involved was courteous and kept me informed throughout the entire transfer.
I shipped my car from California to Michigan and Sakaem came back with the best quote and answered all of my questions. I wish they could tell you an exact day they could pick up, but overall the service was great and I got my car in less than a week with no issues.
I was skeptical of all shipping companies but pleasantly 😮 surprised with Sakaem. They gave me a reasonable quote for shipping my car across country and lived up to their quote. They followed through on securing a driver and picked up my car 3 days after booking.
Los Angeles and San Diego are the cheapest origins because eastbound trucks fill there. Bay Area, Sacramento and Central Valley pickups add $150 to $200 and a day or two.
Summer demand lifts prices about 18% over winter on this lane. Hurricane weeks on the Carolina coast can also delay deliveries to Wilmington and Jacksonville by a few days.
A sedan is the base rate. SUVs add about $65, pickups about $300 and vans about $460, because they take more deck space and weight on a 9-car trailer.
Open transport is what nine in ten customers on this lane choose. Enclosed transport costs about 60% more and protects a classic or exotic car from 2,400 miles of weather.
A car that does not start needs a carrier with a winch, which adds roughly $150 to $200 and narrows the pool of trucks. Three of the last 117 orders on this lane were inoperable vehicles.
Carriers cannot enter Fort Liberty or Camp Lejeune, so the driver meets you at an agreed spot outside the gate. The same applies to gated communities; a parking lot or wide street nearby keeps the schedule on track.
Want the full picture? Read our guide to the cost to ship a car.
Give us the California pickup ZIP, the North Carolina delivery ZIP, the vehicle and whether it runs.
Compare the open and enclosed price and pick a first available date. There is no upfront deposit and cancellation is free.
A carrier is assigned within 1 to 3 business days and the driver calls to agree the door-to-door handoff spot and time.
Inspect the car against the Bill of Lading, note anything new, and pay the balance to the driver. See the handoff paperwork. If you cannot be there, you can have someone else accept delivery.
New to auto transport? Here's how to ship a car, step by step, our vehicle shipping tips, and what to expect from cross-country car shipping.
Shipping a car from California to North Carolina costs $1,265 to $1,620 on an open carrier, depending on season and city pair, and takes 5 to 7 days on the road. Fall orders paid $1,265 to $1,500 with a median of $1,320; the market rate today for a standard sedan is $1,415 to $1,620 depending on the city pair, with SUVs around $1,480 and pickups around $1,715 and vans around $1,875 on the Los Angeles to Charlotte lane. Enclosed transport is roughly $2,285 to $2,795. Across 299 SAKAEM shipments on this lane since 2022 the median price paid was $1,400, with the middle half between $1,230 and $1,575.
The drive is about 2,400 miles and takes 5 to 7 days on the road once the carrier has picked up the car; the median on our orders is 6 days. Pickup is scheduled separately: SAKAEM assigns a carrier within 1 to 3 business days for about 95% of shipments.
They are close. Today's market rate is about $1,415 westbound-to-eastbound (Los Angeles to Charlotte) and $1,395 the other way. Historically North Carolina to California has been slightly cheaper, with a median of $1,375 against $1,400, because more carriers head west out of the Southeast in spring.
Winter. Orders placed from December to February had a median price of $1,275, against $1,500 in summer, a difference of about 18%. July and August are the busiest months on this lane, which is when military moves and relocations peak.
Open transport is the choice for most cars; it is what about 9 in 10 customers on this lane book. Enclosed transport costs about 60% more and makes sense for a classic, exotic or freshly restored car that should not see 2,400 miles of weather and road debris.
Yes. Deliveries to the Fayetteville and Jacksonville areas make up about one in five orders on this lane. Carriers cannot drive onto base, so the handoff happens at a nearby agreed spot just outside the gate, which the driver arranges with you the day before.
Yes, as long as it rolls, brakes and steers and you can provide a key. Tell us when you request the quote so a carrier with a winch is assigned; expect roughly $150 to $200 more than a running car.
Up to 100 lbs of personal items in the trunk or below the window line is included. Anything above that may be charged by the carrier, and valuables and documents should travel with you.
An adult you choose must be at both ends to inspect the car with the driver and sign the Bill of Lading. It does not have to be you; a friend, family member or a colleague at the destination works.
Have another question? Browse the full car shipping FAQ, or see car shipping in North Carolina and car shipping in California.
Share your pickup and delivery ZIP codes and your vehicle, and compare a transport plan priced on today's carrier rates.
Industry Resources: FMCSA Carrier Lookup · U.S. Department of Transportation · SAKAEM Logistics on BBB · NHTSA
