PCS Car Shipping to Hawaii - JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam and All Oahu Commands
Receiving PCS orders to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) or any other Oahu installation? Your car needs to arrive at Honolulu Port cleared and waiting before your first day of in-processing - not a week after. We coordinate inbound PCS shipments for service members reporting to JBPHH, Tripler AMC, Fort Shafter, Wheeler AAF, MCB Hawaii (Kaneohe), Camp H.M. Smith, and every other Oahu command. Timing is built backward from your report date, not the other way around.
PCS Vehicle Shipping — Free Quote
Military rate · All-inclusive
Direction
Origin type
Select port
Destination port / island
For an inbound PCS shipment, we plan the mainland pickup against the receiving cutoff and the current Matson arrival window. Honolulu release and a neighbor-island connection are separate milestones. If your destination is Maui, the Big Island, or Kauai, we confirm the inter-island connection and estimated final-port availability for that route. Tell us your report date; we will show the current confirmed dates and label any farther-out forecast as planning-only until carrier publication.
Report-date-first scheduling
We build your entire pickup and sailing calendar backward from your reporting date. No guessing, no buffering.
Base housing coordination
We contact your gaining installation's housing office on your behalf to align your vehicle arrival with in-processing.
SCRA honored
Active duty members may cancel without penalty if orders change. No questions asked.
Direct Matson booking
We book directly on the Matson sailing calendar — no broker markup, no third-party delay.
Common Questions
How far in advance should I book my Hawaii inbound PCS car shipment?
Minimum 3-4 weeks before your report date, ideally 6-8 weeks during peak PCS season (May-August). Early booking ensures the Matson sailing you need is available, and gives us time to coordinate with your gaining command's housing office. A missed sailing cutoff means waiting 10-14 days for the next vessel.
Which mainland port will my car ship from?
Long Beach (CA) for most states. Oakland (CA) for Pacific Northwest states - Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and parts of Northern California. The selection is based on the sailing that best fits your report date, not the closest origin. We confirm the port at booking.
How long does it take my car to get to Hawaii?
Ocean transit on Matson from Long Beach or Oakland to Honolulu is 12-14 days. Add your overland pickup time (1-10 days depending on your state and whether you choose P2P or D2P). Plus 1 business day for USDA inspection at Honolulu Port. We give you the complete timeline at booking with a confirmed sailing date and arrival ETA.
What do I need to do before dropping off my car on the mainland?
Keep fuel above one-eighth tank and below one-quarter tank, remove all personal belongings, disable alarm systems, leave only a single key ring with the vehicle and the registration. We send you a complete pre-shipment checklist at booking specific to your vehicle and origin.
Can you coordinate with the gaining installation's housing office directly?
Yes. We contact the housing office at your gaining installation on your behalf to confirm your in-processing date and align your vehicle arrival. For JBPHH, that is the Navy Housing Service Center; for Tripler, the Ohana Military Communities office; for all others, the respective command housing office. This is a standard part of our military PCS service at no additional cost.
Is there a recommended route from Honolulu Port to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam?
Yes. From Honolulu Port at 1411 Sand Island Parkway, take the H-1 West ramp. Exit at the Pearl Harbor/Naval Base gate (about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic). Have your military ID, registration, and the Matson pickup notification ready. We send you the gate procedure at booking.
What if I am shipping a second vehicle (POV + spouse vehicle)?
We coordinate both vehicles on the same booking with one sailing and one tracking number, timed so both vehicles land at the gaining installation within the same 48-72 hour window. Pricing is per-vehicle.
Does the military pay for my car to be shipped to Hawaii, or is it out of pocket?
Depends on your orders type. Active-duty members typically have full POV shipping entitlement through TMO. Retirees and those separating may have partial or no TMO coverage. We work with both government-arranged shipping and members paying out of pocket (or combining both). We provide a detailed invoice suitable for TMO reimbursement submission.
PCS Rates
Port-to-Port (Oahu)
K’AI booking fee $100
Door-to-Port
K’AI booking fee $300
Neighbor Islands
Includes inter-island leg
Military hotline
(808) 378-7540