Price math

Enclosed Car Transport Cost

Enclosed transport costs more than open at every distance, but the sources disagree on how much more. FreightWaves Checkpoint, a consumer guide with an advertiser disclosure and quote links, puts a 2026 enclosed shipment at $850–$1,000 for 500 miles, $1,000–$1,200 for 1,000 miles and $1,700–$2,000 for 2,000 miles, against $600–$700, $650–$800 and $1,200–$1,400 on an open carrier. Sherpa Auto Transport, a broker, reports an average of $1,852 across its 24,527 enclosed shipments, against $1,238 for open. As a premium over open, FreightWaves Checkpoint and Web Auto Transport, a broker, say 30%–60% (FreightWaves Checkpoint also says “up to 50%” elsewhere on the same page), while Ship A Car, Inc., a broker, says “about a third.”

Enclosed car transport cost by distance

FreightWaves Checkpoint’s price examples for a standard sedan:

Distance	Open	Enclosed	Enclosed vs. open (our arithmetic)
500 miles	$600–$700	$850–$1,000	+42–43%
1,000 miles	$650–$800	$1,000–$1,200	+50–54%
2,000 miles	$1,200–$1,400	$1,700–$2,000	+42–43%

Two more sources, by distance band. FreightWaves Checkpoint’s separate open-vs-enclosed guide gives estimates “for a standard operable sedan.” Ship A Car’s figures are “the middle half of our own enclosed-carrier orders for single cars since 2023.”

Distance	FreightWaves Checkpoint, open-vs-enclosed guide	Ship A Car, Inc., its own enclosed orders
Under 500 miles	$600–$1,200	$550–$900
500–1,500 miles	$1,100–$2,100	$1,050–$1,550
1,500+ miles	$1,500–$3,000+	$1,500–$1,900 (1,500–2,000 miles); $1,650–$2,350 (over 2,000 miles)

FreightWaves Checkpoint’s two pages don’t match each other. For open transport under 500 miles, the guide says $350–$800 and the calculator page says $540–$1,100. Both are its estimates, so both are shown here.

Sherpa Auto Transport counts all distances together. The middle half of its enclosed shipments cost $1,425–$2,200 (average $1,852), and of its open shipments $975–$1,450 (average $1,238). Sherpa calls the gap “about $614 more on average.” That works out to about 50% (our arithmetic). For about 2,000 miles, Sherpa says: “Enclosed transport for the same distance averages 40-50% more.”

In the calculator. For 1,000 miles, sedan, running, standard pickup, the car shipping cost calculator shows $700–$1,200 open and $910–$1,920 enclosed. It adds 30% of the open range’s low end and 60% of its high end, so its enclosed range is wider than FreightWaves Checkpoint’s own 1,000-mile example of $1,000–$1,200.

Why enclosed costs more

Fewer cars per load. FreightWaves Checkpoint: “Because fewer cars fit per load, prices are higher.” Its comparison table lists “5–10 cars per trailer” for open and “1–4 cars per trailer” for enclosed. The same article says enclosed trailers “typically carry two to six vehicles.” Ship A Car also says “typically 2 to 6.” Sherpa: enclosed carriers “typically transport fewer vehicles at a time, which contributes to higher costs and more limited availability.”
Fewer trucks to choose from. FreightWaves Checkpoint: “Fewer enclosed carriers operate on any given route, which can extend your pickup window by several days.” Ship A Car suggests booking “2 to 3 weeks in advance” and warns that “a last-minute request is more likely to move the pickup date than to find a truck that week.”
Extra equipment and coverage. Ship A Car says “The added protection, higher insurance coverage, specialized equipment, and lower carrier-to-vehicle ratio all contribute to the premium.” FreightWaves Checkpoint describes the equipment: enclosed trailers “often include hydraulic lifts and soft straps.”

Once the car is loaded, the trip itself isn’t much longer. Ship A Car: “Transit times are similar to open carrier shipments.” Web Auto Transport: “Once picked up, transit speed is comparable to open transport.” Sherpa goes further, saying enclosed trailers “often make fewer stops, resulting in quicker and more predictable transit times.”

Soft-sided vs hard-sided trailers

“Enclosed” covers more than one kind of trailer:

Type	How FreightWaves Checkpoint describes it
Hard-sided	“rigid aluminum or composite walls to fully shield vehicles from weather, debris, and outside visibility”
Soft-sided	“heavy-duty vinyl or canvas walls stretched over a frame. They protect against weather and most debris while typically costing slightly less than hard-sided trailers.”
Single-car enclosed	“carry just one vehicle at a time”; listed with “Premium pricing”
Liftgate loading	hydraulic platforms that keep the car level; “Safer for lowered, modified, or exotic cars”

Ship A Car says soft-sided trailers “offer weather protection,” hard-sided trailers give “maximum protection from both weather and impact,” and “Each level of service carries a different price point.” None of the sources we read publishes a separate price for soft-sided and hard-sided trailers. Ask which type, and whether a liftgate is included, before you compare two enclosed quotes. Ship A Car lists “A liftgate for a low car” among the things that “move a real enclosed quote.”

Insurance limits on enclosed carriers

FreightWaves Checkpoint says that “In many cases, enclosed carriers offer higher coverage limits because they often transport higher-value vehicles.” Its own article gives two different sets of ranges:

Transport	FreightWaves comparison table	FreightWaves cargo coverage table
Open	$50,000–$150,000	$100,000–$250,000
Enclosed	$100,000–$250,000+	$250,000–$1,000,000+

It adds that “These are typical ranges and not guaranteed.” Ship A Car says enclosed carriers carry “significantly higher cargo insurance limits than standard open carriers.”

The federal minimums, in 49 CFR 387.303T (the version in effect while § 387.303 is suspended), are public-liability amounts: $750,000 for freight vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more carrying non-hazardous property, and $300,000 for a fleet with only vehicles under 10,001 pounds. The cargo amounts in that section ($5,000 per vehicle, $10,000 per occurrence) are for household goods carriers. So don’t rely on a typical range: ask the carrier for its certificate of insurance and read what it excludes. FreightWaves Checkpoint also suggests you “confirm that the coverage limit applies per vehicle, not just per trailer load.” More on coverage: car shipping insurance.

When enclosed is worth it

FreightWaves Checkpoint names “Luxury, exotic, classic, collectible, or low-clearance vehicles that need extra protection,” and says “For a standard sedan on a budget, open shipping works fine.” Ship A Car calls enclosed “worth it for a classic, an exotic, or fresh paint.” Among Sherpa’s own customers, open is the norm: it is “chosen by about 93% of our customers.”

A quick way to decide:

Everyday car: FreightWaves Checkpoint calls open shipping “the budget-friendly default.” See open vs enclosed for the trade-offs.
Low or modified car: ask for an enclosed carrier with a liftgate, and confirm it in writing.
Car worth more than the cargo limit on an open carrier’s certificate: compare that limit with an enclosed carrier’s before you choose.

To see the enclosed difference for your own route, run it through the calculator with and without the enclosed option, then compare real quotes. The main cost page covers the other add-ons.

Estimate your route

Before paying a deposit, check the company's USDOT or MC number.

Sources

Updated November 2, 2026