Car shipping from California to Tennessee.

Most shipments from California to Tennessee take 4 to 7 days and cost $1,600 to $2,250 for open transport.

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  • Cancel free up to 7 days before pickup

Shipping a sedan from California to Tennessee takes 4 to 7 days and costs $1,600 to $2,250 on an open carrier in October 2026.

Reference pricing by specific origin and destination. Your price holds for 28 days.

Updated November 2026
Route Open price Enclosed price
San Francisco to Knoxville $1,900 to $2,250 $3,200 to $3,850
San Francisco to Nashville $1,600 to $1,900 $2,700 to $3,250
San Jose to Nashville $1,700 to $2,050 $2,900 to $3,450
Los Angeles to Knoxville $1,750 to $2,050 $2,950 to $3,500
Los Angeles to Nashville $1,600 to $1,900 $2,700 to $3,200
San Diego to Nashville $1,800 to $2,250 $3,100 to $3,800

All 6 priced routes from California to Tennessee are in the full price list, open and enclosed.

Pricing refreshed monthly based on current carrier rates.

Why another company can quote you 40% less.

Quotes well below the typical range are almost always bait-and-switch. You are quoted a low price to pay the deposit, and then the price is bumped at the last minute.

Four things that set us apart.

Insured Transport

Insured under federal cargo liability requirements. Coverage is part of the quote, not an add-on.

The Price is the Price

Your price holds for 28 days. Cancel free until 7 days before pickup.

Door-to-Door

Most shipments run door to door. If access is tight (narrow streets, low clearance), we will arrange a nearby meeting point.

1% for the Planet

One percent of every booking funds Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit working on transport and energy emissions.

Trusted by people who've shipped a car before.

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Reviews on Google
Muhammad, customer of Sequoia

Great experience! It was very personalized and attentive. I had an emergency move and they managed to pick up the car just the next day after booking.

Muhammad Dodge Charger | MN → NJ
Barbara, customer of Sequoia

We had to send the car back to the dealership in Georgia and Sequoia did a really great job for us. Highly recommended!!!

Barbara Honda Passport | MI → GA
Piper, customer of Sequoia

It is a really professional company, and the service was great, and we also really value the environmental contributions they are doing. Thank you guys!! Will move my car again with you ❤️

Piper Hyundai Tucson | AZ → TX

Cars we've moved

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Ship your car from California to Tennessee.

Your price holds for 28 days. Cancel free until 7 days before pickup.

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What to know about shipping a car from California to Tennessee.

California is one of the two states that send Tennessee the most new residents. Florida is the other. A car leaving California on this run spends most of its 2,000 or so miles on I-40, which goes through Nashville and then on to Knoxville.

Does my California registration need to be current to register the car in Tennessee?

For a financed car, yes. The Nashville and Knoxville county clerks register it from the current California registration and the lender’s name and address.

A California car loan leaves the title with the lender, so the registration is what the clerk works from at the counter. Knoxville takes the original or a certified copy. Nashville is specific about the limit: once the registration has been expired for more than six months, you need a copy of the title, or its electronic record, from the lender instead.

If the California renewal falls due during the move, we’d pay it before the car leaves. A current registration keeps the lender out of it.

What does a car need after it arrives in Tennessee?

If the move makes you a Tennessee resident, these are the state's rules for the car.

Deadline
Register within 30 days of moving to Tennessee.
Where
In person at the county clerk, with the out-of-state title, or the lender's name and address if the car is financed, plus your current registration.
Emissions
No emissions test anywhere in Tennessee since early 2022.
Tax
None on a car already titled or registered in the name that goes on the Tennessee title. Otherwise, the difference between tax paid in the other state and Tennessee's rate.

Checked October 2026 against Tennessee Department of Revenue, Knox County Clerk, Federal Register, Metro Nashville Public Health. Rules change; the state's own site has the final word.

Car hauling burns diesel. We fund the work to clean it up.

One percent of every booking goes to Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit working on policy and technology to clean up transport and energy emissions.

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Our giving is independently verified each year.

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Common questions, plainly answered.

How much does it cost to ship a car from California to Tennessee?

Open transport from California to Tennessee runs $1,600 to $2,250. Los Angeles to Nashville, about 2,000 miles, costs $1,600 to $1,900, while San Francisco to Knoxville, the furthest apart at nearly 2,500 miles, costs $1,900 to $2,250.

How long does it take to ship a car from California to Tennessee?

Most cars take 4 to 7 days from pickup in California to delivery in Tennessee. Nashville is the nearer of the two cities, about 2,000 miles from Los Angeles, and Knoxville sits nearly 200 miles further east on the same interstate.

How do I ship a car?

To ship a car, request a quote with your origin, destination, and vehicle details. Sequoia matches you with a driver according to your pickup window, the driver picks up your vehicle, and delivers it at your destination.

When am I charged?

The deposit is charged 7 days before your pickup window opens; for a pickup inside 7 days it is held on your card at booking and charged when your driver is confirmed. The remaining balance is paid to the driver at delivery.

Are tolls included in the price?

Yes. Every toll, bridge and congestion charge the truck pays on the way is already in your quote, and nothing is added for them after you book.

How do I prepare my car for pickup?

Wash the car so its condition is easy to record, photograph it from each corner, and leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Take out anything above the 100 pound personal item allowance, and take your toll transponder such as FasTrak, E-ZPass or SunPass off the windshield, because toll gantries can read it while the car rides the truck. Have a working key ready for the driver.

Is my car insured during transport?

Every shipment is insured by the carrier under federal cargo liability requirements.

How far ahead should I book?

One to two weeks ahead is enough on most routes. Busy corridors handle shorter notice, and quieter lanes benefit from the full two weeks. Booking earlier does not lower the price; it settles your dates sooner, and the price holds for 28 days either way.

Ready to ship your car from California to Tennessee?

Your price holds for 28 days. Cancel free until 7 days before pickup.

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