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 the Matson Honolulu terminal 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.
JBPHH is the largest Navy installation in Hawaii and the strategic hub of the Pacific Fleet - the receiving command for most Navy, Air Force, and joint-service PCS orders to Oahu. The Matson auto terminal at 1411 Sand Island Parkway, Honolulu, is approximately 8 miles from JBPHH's main gate. The pickup-to-in-processing timeline is tight: most commands require your vehicle cleared, picked up, and registered on base within 48-72 hours of your report date.
We time the mainland pickup to deliver your vehicle to Long Beach or Oakland with a minimum 3-day buffer before the Matson sailing cutoff. We select the sailing that arrives in Honolulu 1-2 business days before your report date, so your vehicle is at the terminal, cleared by USDA, and waiting for you on the morning of in-processing. You receive the booking number, sailing date, estimated Honolulu arrival date, and USDA-clearance estimate before a single carrier is dispatched on the mainland.
For orders routed to installations outside Oahu (Maui, Big Island, Kauai), the same booking coordinates the Matson sailing to Honolulu plus the inter-island Young Brothers barge to the final island. The barge is scheduled for 5-7 days after the Matson arrival, so your vehicle lands on the final island within 10-14 days of the mainland pickup. Whether you are reporting to JBPHH, the Marine Corps Base Kaneohe, or the Big Island installations, we handle the full chain in a single coordinated booking.
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 the Honolulu terminal. 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?
Fuel to under 1/4 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 the Matson terminal to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam?
Yes. From the Matson terminal 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. The pickup window and terminal appointment are scheduled to land both vehicles 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)
Deposit $200
Door-to-Port
Deposit $600
Neighbor Islands
Includes inter-island leg
Military hotline
(808) 378-7540