Most shipments from Virginia to California take 5 to 8 days and cost $1,600 to $2,150 for open transport.
Reference pricing by specific origin and destination. Your quote is locked at booking for 28 days.
| Route | Distance | Open | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach to San Francisco | 2,990 mi | $1,850 to $2,150 | $3,150 to $3,700 |
| Arlington to San Francisco | 2,820 mi | $1,750 to $2,000 | $3,000 to $3,400 |
| Virginia Beach to Los Angeles | 2,730 mi | $1,650 to $1,950 | $2,850 to $3,350 |
| Arlington to Los Angeles | 2,670 mi | $1,650 to $1,900 | $2,850 to $3,250 |
| Richmond to San Diego | 2,640 mi | $1,600 to $1,900 | $2,750 to $3,250 |
| Richmond to Los Angeles | 2,620 mi | $1,600 to $1,900 | $2,750 to $3,250 |
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.
Insured under federal cargo liability requirements. Coverage is part of the quote, not an add-on.
Your quote is locked for 28 days. Cancel free up to 7 days before pickup.
Most shipments run door to door. If access is tight (narrow streets, low clearance), we will arrange a nearby meeting point.
One percent of every booking funds Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit working on transport and energy emissions.
We had to send the car back to the dealership in Georgia and Sequoia did a really great job for us. Highly recommended!!!
Really nice company, the whole process was fast and easy peasy.
I'm really happy with the service!!! Fili is a really nice person and a professional.
.O1a0LCh8_1TgCAp.webp)
.BCBIJAen_ZbL0rP.webp)
.DToGaxuS_2h6UD8.webp)
.DV7dI2sG_KTQPG.webp)
.DLyL1g5U_ZCia4H.webp)
.CJ786qTl_ZfH9VB.webp)
.DYsVKq0W_ZHOnca.webp)
.D96_jjeg_ZofPe0.webp)
.ComJTPxM_9zjeq.webp)
Locked for 28 days. Nothing charged at booking.
A car going from Virginia to California crosses the whole country, 2,600 to 3,000 miles from Richmond, Arlington or Virginia Beach and five to eight days on the truck, and California’s own steps wait until it arrives. The one worth settling before it leaves is back in Virginia, where the local car tax keeps coming for as long as the car is registered there.
Yes, until the Virginia registration ends. The car tax is set and billed by your county or city, and Virginia law keeps a registered car that’s garaged in another state on the books of the locality where it’s registered, so a car still on Virginia plates can go on being taxed in Fairfax while it sits in a driveway in San Diego. That’s why the plates go back to the Virginia DMV once California has registered the car, and why your county or city’s tax office should hear that the car has left. Where the locality prorates the tax by the month, as Fairfax does, it then refunds or drops the months after the car went, but not every Virginia locality prorates, so ask yours before you count on a refund.
Reviewed by Andrey Zhe, Sequoia founder.
If the move makes you a California resident, these are the state's rules for the car.
Checked September 2026 against California DMV, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Rules change; the state's own site has the final word.
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.
Our giving is independently verified each year.
Shipping a car from Virginia to California costs between $1,600 and $2,150 for open transport. Enclosed transport costs about 40 to 70% more, toward the top of that range on a run this long. Richmond to Los Angeles sits near the bottom of the range and Virginia Beach to San Francisco near the top, and once you book, the price holds for 28 days.
Shipping a car from Virginia to California takes an estimated 5 to 8 days. Every route here runs 2,600 to 3,000 miles, and the time on the truck depends on how many other cars the driver collects and drops on the way across.
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 quote is locked for 28 days either way.
Nothing is charged at booking. The deposit is charged 7 days before your pickup window opens, and the remaining balance is paid to the driver at delivery.
You can leave up to 100 pounds of personal items in one piece of luggage, placed in the trunk or cargo area. Some carriers will accept additional weight for an added fee; we can arrange this for you after booking.
Every shipment is insured by the carrier under federal cargo liability requirements.
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.
If you find damage at delivery, note it on the bill of lading before signing. We will manage the claim with the carrier from there.
Locked for 28 days. Nothing charged at booking.