Delaware Car Shipping

For a standard sedan on an open carrier, the Delaware sample routes run $350 to $550 between Washington and Dover and the same between New York and Wilmington, $550 to $850 between Boston and Wilmington, $800 to $1,150 between Chicago and Wilmington, $950 to $1,300 between Orlando and Wilmington, and $1,450 to $1,800 between Los Angeles and Wilmington. A band marks the middle half of what customers paid for a trip of that distance, and bigger vehicles, enclosed trailers and cars that do not run cost more, as our car shipping cost guide explains.

Counted from loading, Washington to Dover and New York to Wilmington each take a day, and Boston to Wilmington takes 1-2 days. Chicago to Wilmington and Orlando to Wilmington run 2-3 days each, and Los Angeles to Wilmington 5-7 days. In summer, beach traffic on DE-1 can make a Sussex County pickup harder to fit into a carrier’s route than one near I-95, so plan a little extra time.

Yes, all year. Rehoboth, Lewes, Millsboro and Bethany take deliveries in every season, but in July and August beach traffic on DE-1 and narrow cottage lanes do not suit an 80-foot rig, so the driver often meets you at a lot near the highway, arranged in advance. Outside the summer season, the coast is as easy to reach as Wilmington.

Yes. Coverage comes from the carrier’s cargo policy, which we check along with its federal operating authority before a Delaware move is assigned. Take photos at pickup, inspect the car carefully at delivery and write any damage on the bill of lading before you sign, looking in good light, since road film from I-95 can hide small marks.

One soft bag under about 100 pounds in the trunk is the accepted allowance, with the cabin empty. Contents are outside the carrier’s coverage, and the I-95 corridor has no shortage of scales. Beach gear and boxes travel better with the household movers.

Open transport fits nearly every Delaware move. Enclosed costs roughly a third more and is worth it for collector cars, a show car headed to a concours, or a winter move when brine is on the highways. A commuter car ships open and arrives fine.

Door to door nearly everywhere: Wilmington, Newark, Dover, Middletown, and the suburban corridors take direct service routinely. Historic district streets, narrow beach lanes, and gated communities shift the handoff to a wide lot nearby, agreed with your coordinator before pickup day. The exchange takes minutes.

Clear the car out before pickup: beach chairs, boxes from a Wilmington apartment, tools, and paperwork. Cargo insurance on the carrier covers the vehicle and nothing inside it, and loose items slide around on the I-95 run. A light bag of soft goods in the trunk can sometimes ride along; ask your coordinator before packing it.

Wash off the salt air and pollen, then photograph the car in even light: every panel, the wheels, the glass, the roof, and the odometer. Beach-town sand and winter salt both hide small marks, so a dated set of pictures from the day before pickup is what makes the delivery inspection a real comparison.

Delaware reads E-ZPass on both the I-95 Turnpike and DE-1, and the hauler will cross a dozen more gantries up and down the corridor, so foil-bag your transponder before the car loads. Test the battery too; humid summers and salt winters both take their toll.

Keep the tank at about a quarter. That covers loading, unloading, and the drive to a station in Wilmington, Dover, or Rehoboth, without hauling extra weight through the corridor’s weigh stations. Fuel is heavy and buys nothing on the trailer.

A car that drips oil or coolant may be refused at pickup, because the fluid lands on the vehicle racked beneath it. Fix leaks first. Humid summers and salty winters shorten battery life, so test one that has been sitting in a Sussex County driveway, and tell your coordinator about a fussy alarm or a parking brake that sticks.

A loaded hauler cannot thread historic district streets, low beach-town canopies, or tight cul-de-sacs. Pick a wide, firm meet spot near I-95 or DE-1, a park-and-ride or shopping center lot works perfectly, and the handoff takes minutes.

An adult signs the bill of lading and hands over the keys at pickup, and an adult inspects and signs at delivery. Retirees moving to the Delaware beaches and corporate transfers into Wilmington often arrive after the car, so name a neighbor, relocation contact, or relative for that end and give us their number when you book.