California to Tennessee Car Shipping

For this lane, expect an estimated $1,050 to $1,550 per vehicle. The price moves with distance more than anything else: Memphis sits at the near end of the Tennessee map, while Knoxville and Chattanooga are a few hundred miles farther east. The final figure also depends on the vehicle size, your pickup date and whether you pick open or enclosed.

Sample routes from our city pages:

• Los Angeles to Memphis (1,794 miles): $1,030–$1,471
• Los Angeles to Nashville (2,005 miles): $1,039–$1,484
• Huntington Beach to Knoxville (2,192 miles): $1,089–$1,556
• Antioch to Chattanooga (2,399 miles): $1,092–$1,559

Northern California pickups, such as Sacramento or Antioch, cost a little more than Southern California ones because the truck has to cover extra miles before it even reaches the interstate east. A large SUV or pickup is priced above a sedan.

Allow 5 to 8 days on the road. Memphis is the shortest run, with some Los Angeles departures estimated at 4–7 days, and East Tennessee drops sit at the longer end. Pickup is arranged separately, usually within 1–3 business days of booking.

• Your pickup area. Southern California is a busy loading point, so cars in the Los Angeles basin tend to be matched to a truck quickly. Smaller towns in the Central Valley or the Sierra foothills may wait for a driver passing through.
• Weather. Summer heat is rarely a delay, but winter storms over the Southwest and the Texas Panhandle can slow a convoy for a day.
• Delivery area. Downtown Nashville and Memphis streets can be tight, so drivers often meet at a larger lot nearby.

The natural backbone of this lane is I-40. Trucks leave Southern California toward Barstow, then run east through Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Amarillo and Oklahoma City into Arkansas, and Little Rock leads on to Memphis. Nashville is reached by staying on I-40 across Tennessee, and Knoxville is another stretch farther along it. Chattanooga is usually served by dropping south from Nashville or Knoxville.

Because of the length, carriers load several cars from the same region on one trip. That is why Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire are served more often than rural California.

Timing matters. Summer is the peak moving season, college move-ins at Tennessee campuses bring extra demand in August, and many people leave Los Angeles for the Nashville area throughout the year, so booking two weeks ahead helps.

Most vehicles on this lane ride in an open carrier, and it is the sensible choice for a daily driver. For a classic, a collector car or a modified vehicle you want kept out of weather for 2,000 miles, ask for enclosed transport instead. It costs more, and the number of covered trucks heading from California to Tennessee is smaller, so reserve a spot early.