In-depth Guide: How to Ship Your Car to Hawaii

Hawaii, a beautiful island paradise filled with places to go to and enjoy. Moving to this gorgeous utopia is almost anyone’s dream. However, there are things you may want to know before you start your move to this island paradise.

Getting around the island is not a one-day journey as it is estimated to be around 28,311 km². Therefore, driving your car on the island will give you a more wonderful experience and less of a headache.

Here are things you need to know about shipping car from hawaii to mainland before leaving for your future address.

Should I Take my Car With Me?

When your car has great value, it wouldn’t be surprising that you want to take it with you to Hawaii but you need to keep in mind whether your car will be worth for years. If your car isn’t worth taking with you, then you may want to consider selling it to earn some cash that will help during the move.

Are There Cars Available in Hawaii?

Hawaii isn’t as big as some other major states, thus, the number of cars available is limited. What’s more, buying a car in Hawaii can be quite costly. For this reason, it is more recommendable to ship your car from the mainland to Hawaii. However, if you choose to purchase the car in Hawaii, do extensive research on the car dealerships.

How Much Does it Take to Ship a Car to Hawaii?

The average price for shipping a car to Hawaii or shipping car from Hawaii to mainland would be around $1000-$1500. The price may fluctuate depending on the economy. 

Also, the price of shipping a car to Hawaii may depend on various factors as stated below:

• Size of your Car – Large cars will take up more space and this will result in high transport fees compared to shipping small cars.
• Weight of your Car – The usual factor for an increased shipping fee is usually the weight of the item. Whether it is a car or other stuff you are shipping, companies will determine the cost depending on the item’s weight.
• Shipping Method – There are different type of shipping methods for cars. The most common include port-to-door and port-to-port. Price may vary depending on the shipping method you choose.
• Shipping Location – Another factor that can affect the shipping price is the location where you will be shipping your car to.

How Long Does it Take to Ship a Car to Hawaii?

The time it takes to ship a car to Hawaii or ship car from hawaii to California will usually take around 7-14 days. However, this will change depending on the current weather conditions since shipping companies will ensure that their shipment will get to the destination in one piece.

If there are some delays in the shipment of your car, which would only mean that the shipping company is taking good care of your car.

What are The Papers I Need to Ship a Car to Hawaii?

When shipping a car from one state to another, you will need the documents below:

• Vehicle Registration – Some companies may ask for your vehicle registration while some may not. Nonetheless, it would be best to still prepare this to avoid any problems with the shipment.
• Vehicle Title– Most shipping companies will require some sort of verification from you to prove that you are the owner of your car.
• Picture ID – Make sure that the Picture ID you have matches the one on your vehicle registration and title.

There may be more requirements depending on the car shipping company you have chosen. If you aren’t sure what other documents you need, you might want to call them to avoid any headaches later on.

How to Prepare My Car for the Shipment?

Car shipping companies have some strict rules and policies for car owners. These rules and policies will ensure a safe shipment of the car.

To prepare your car for shipment, here are the things you will need to do:

• Disconnect any alarm system on the car.
• Make sure that your gas tank is only about ¼ full, any more should be drained.
• Clear your car of personal belongings since they won’t be covered by the car shipping insurance.
• Any accessories that you have installed in your car like bike racks, ski racks, tailgate nets, and the like should be removed.
• When shipping your car, it is also important to have a spare key. You will have one key while the other one will remain in the car.

What if I Have a Very special or Expensive Car?

Special cars like sports cars or vintage cars should be shipped inside a container to avoid any damages whatsoever. Shipping through a container will unavoidably be more expensive than the regular shipment. However, this will make sure that your car is totally safe and secure during transit.

Conclusion

Shipping a car to Hawaii is very easy, especially if you know what is involved in the process. To prevent any future hassles regarding the shipment of the car, be sure to remember all these tips.