How to Ship a Car to the Florida Keys
Getting a car to Key West, Marathon, or anywhere in the island chain isn’t quite like shipping to the mainland. The Keys are a single 113-mile ribbon of islands connected by one road, and most national carriers stop at the top of Florida. Here’s exactly how it works, what it costs, and how to book the carrier who actually runs the lane.
Why the Keys are a special case
The Florida Keys stretch from Key Largo down to Key West along US-1 and the Overseas Highway — 113 miles of two-lane road with 42 bridges and very little room to turn a 75-foot car hauler around. Big national transport companies build their routes around interstates and metro hubs. They’ll happily run your car from Boston or Chicago down to South Florida, but the final leg into the islands is a different job that calls for a local specialist who knows the road, the bridges, and the delivery spots.
In practice, that means most Keys moves happen in two parts: a long-haul run to the South Florida area (Fort Lauderdale or Miami), then a short local leg down into the islands. Booking it as one quote, with the right carrier on the Keys leg, is what keeps it smooth.
What it costs to ship a car to the Keys
Pricing comes down to two things: how far your car travels on the mainland, and the local Keys leg at the end. If you’re already in South Florida, that local leg is the whole move and it’s inexpensive. If you’re coming from out of state, you’re paying the mainland long-haul rate plus the Keys leg.
| Route | Distance | Open transport, from |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale → Key West | ~160 mi | $350 |
| Miami → Key West | ~138 mi | $350 |
| Miami → Marathon | ~100 mi | $350 |
| Northeast / Midwest → Key West | 1,200–1,500 mi | Mainland rate + Keys leg |
Those are honest starting points for open transport, the most common and most affordable option. Enclosed transport (for a high-value, classic, or low-clearance car) runs higher. Final pricing is set by the carrier based on your exact pickup and delivery, your vehicle, and timing — which is why a real quote beats any online calculator.
How long it takes
The South Florida to Key West leg is usually a single day. If your car is coming from farther away, the mainland haul is the long part:
- From South Florida: 1 day
- From the Southeast (Atlanta, Carolinas): 2–4 days
- From the Northeast or Midwest: 4–7 days
Weather, season, and carrier scheduling all play a role. Winter is peak season for the Keys, so booking a week or two ahead makes a real difference in both price and timing.
Open vs. enclosed for the Keys
For the vast majority of vehicles, open transport is the right call — it’s the industry standard, costs less, and your car rides the same way new cars are delivered to dealerships. Choose enclosed if you’re shipping a collector car, an exotic, a low-clearance vehicle, or anything where you want it fully shielded from road spray and the salt air on the drive down. The Keys’ ocean environment is one reason some owners of higher-value cars lean enclosed for this particular trip.
Getting your car ready
- Wash it so existing scratches and dings are easy to document at pickup.
- Take dated photos from every angle.
- Leave about a quarter tank of fuel — enough to load and unload, not so much that it adds weight.
- Remove toll transponders, parking passes, and personal items.
- Note any leaks or mechanical quirks so the driver can plan loading.
In-N-Out Keys
The Keys leg on these routes is handled by In-N-Out Keys (INK) — a veteran-owned, Marathon-based carrier that runs a daily Fort Lauderdale → Key West lane and knows every mile marker on the Overseas Highway. Founded in 2023 by U.S. Army veteran Steven Jankowski, INK specializes in exactly this kind of move, which is why we feature them as our Florida Keys carrier partner.
Popular Keys routes
Each of these has a page with distance, transit time, live pricing, and a map of the lane:
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Get a free quote →Auto Shipping Near Me is a carrier-finder platform, not a broker or a carrier. We connect shippers directly with licensed, vetted carriers who run the lane you need. Pricing shown is a starting estimate for open transport; your final rate is quoted by the carrier based on your exact move. Verify any carrier’s license and insurance before booking.