Our Story

Logistics Should Not Be a Gamble.

We built Car Shipping Hawaii to answer one question: why is shipping a car to paradise such a nightmare? The answer changed how we built this company, and it is still the reason we operate the way we do.

18

Years coordinating Hawaii vehicle shipments

4.9★

Google rating from verified customers

4

Hawaii islands served, every sailing

1

Coordinator handling your shipment start to finish

INSTANT QUOTE

"Camilo walked us through the entire calendar - our car was waiting at the terminal the day after we landed. The only company we'd trust with a move like this."

Mike T. - Dallas, TX to Honolulu

4.9 / 5 Stars

212 Verified Google Reviews

Matson Exclusive

Hawaii Route Specialist

USDOT Licensed

DOT #3505506 · MC #1158539

Island-Owned & Operated

Honolulu, HI Based

18 Years Experience

Thousands of Moves

The Problem We Found

The Mainland Blind Spot

When Camilo started coordinating Hawaii vehicle shipments, the market was dominated by brokers operating out of call centers in Chicago and Florida. They had never set foot on Sand Island. They did not know the difference between Hilo and Kona. They had no idea that a vehicle missing the Long Beach cutoff on a Friday means the customer is renting a car in Honolulu for another full week.

The result was predictable. Hidden fees added after booking. Vehicles sitting at ports for weeks. Customers who had already flown to Hawaii waiting on a car that nobody could track. Military families on compressed PCS timelines watching their reporting dates approach with their vehicle still somewhere on the I-10.

Camilo has coordinated Hawaii shipments through West Coast port slowdowns, peak summer backlogs, last-minute military order changes, and everything in between. The operational knowledge that comes from doing this work for 18 years is not something a mainland call center can replicate. That is the point.

Cars are getting ready for Car shipping with inspection, documentation, and secure loading preparation at the port terminal for safe transport.
Then vs Now

What We Changed

We did not set out to be the biggest Hawaii auto transport company. We set out to be the one customers could actually rely on. That meant building the opposite of what we found.

The Car Shipping Hawaii Standard

What we built instead

Island-owned, operated from Honolulu, by people who know these ports

Licensed carriers vetted and assigned before your sailing window

Camilo Jaime as your single coordinator from booking to delivery

All-inclusive pricing locked at booking, no changes after you commit

Overland and ocean coordinated as one shipment, one timeline

Calendar built around your sailing date, not a generic pickup window

The Old Standard

What most customers experienced

Mainland brokers with no Hawaii knowledge or port experience

Load board lowest-bidder carrier assignment

No single point of contact after booking

Hidden fees added after the vehicle was already en route

No coordination between overland carrier and ocean sailing

Port cutoffs missed, no warning, no recovery plan

What We Stand For

Four Things That Have Not Changed Since Day One

MOST POPULAR

Door-to-Port Service

We send a licensed carrier to pick up your vehicle directly from your home or office and transport it to the Matson departure port. Available from any mainland location.

Convenient

Port-to-Door Service

The most cost-effective option. You drop your vehicle at the West Coast port, and collect it at the island terminal.

Best Value

Port-to-Port Service

The most cost-effective option for West Coast customers near Long Beach or Oakland. You drop off, we handle everything from there through island pickup

Military

Military PCS Shipping

PCS orders to or from Hawaii? We understand the timelines, paperwork, and reporting date pressure. We work around your schedule, not ours.

White Glove

Classic & Enclosed Transport

For classic cars, luxury vehicles, and collector automobiles. Fully enclosed transport with enhanced protection at every stage of the journey.

Return Shipping

Hawaii to Mainland Returns

Shipping your car back to the mainland? We manage all four islands. Return rates from $900 port-to-port.

Matson Route Specialists

We ship vehicles via Matson Navigation Company vessels, Hawaii's most established ocean freight carrier. Vehicles on the mainland-to-Oahu crossing travel aboard enclosed Roll-on/Roll-off ships, protected from the elements for the full ocean crossing. Neighbor island deliveries to Maui, Big Island, and Kauai continue via Young Brothers barge service from Oahu — open transport, which we explain clearly at booking so there are no surprises. We know these routes, these terminals, and these schedules because we work them every day.

4.9/5 Because We Pick Up the Phone

Our Google rating comes from one consistent thing: Camilo answers when you call. Not a dispatcher who just got the file. Not an automated system. The same coordinator who confirmed your booking is the one who tracks your sailing and walks you through terminal pickup.

Military PCS Experience

We have coordinated hundreds of PCS moves to and from Hawaii-based commands. We understand what a reporting date means. When a military family's orders changed 11 days before their sailing, we pulled the deposit, re-booked the next vessel, and had their vehicle at Pearl Harbor-Hickam two days before they needed it. That kind of coordination is built into how we work, not treated as an exception.

Full Visibility, No Gaps

Real-time ocean tracking once your vehicle boards. Direct updates from Camilo during the overland phase. No gap between the two legs where your vehicle disappears into a system nobody can read. You always know where your car is and what happens next.

Who We Serve

Not Just Moving Cars. Moving Families.

Car Shipping Hawaii is the preferred shipping partner for military PCS moves, corporate relocations, and residents returning home. We serve customers who understand that the cost of a mistake, a missed sailing, a hidden fee, an unreachable coordinator, is higher than the cost of doing it right the first time.

We are not the lowest price in the market. We are the all-inclusive price with no surprises after booking. Every customer gets the same thing: Camilo's direct line, a calendar built around their move, and a shipment that arrives when we said it would.

Cars being shipped for transport across the ocean are secured, loaded onto cargo vessels, and prepared for long-distance international delivery.

Camilo Jaime - Lead Shipping Coordinator

Car Shipping Hawaii · Honolulu, HI · 18 Years Industry Experience

With 18 years in the vehicle shipping industry and thousands of Hawaii shipments coordinated, our team knows every port, every route, and every mile of your journey. We work with every customer personally from booking to delivery - you are never handed off to a dispatcher after you book. We go through the calendar with you, coordinate pickup timing to your exact sailing window, and stay reachable throughout the entire move.

  • How much does it cost to ship a car to Hawaii?

    Port-to-port ocean freight to Oahu starts at $1,530 (12–14 day ocean transit). Neighbor islands; Maui, Big Island, and Kauai - start at $2,350 (22–24 days). Door-to-port service adds overland transport from your origin city, which varies by distance. Call us or use the calculator above for your exact all-inclusive price.

  • How long does it take to ship a car to Hawaii?

    Ocean transit to Oahu is approximately 12–14 days from Long Beach or Oakland. Neighbor islands take approximately 22–24 days. Total door-to-delivery adds overland transit,  typically 3–14 additional days. East Coast customers should plan for 21–28 days total. We always show the full timeline at booking, not just the ocean leg.

  • What is the deposit and does it add to my cost?

    A $600 deposit is required for door-to-port or port-to-door service. A $200 deposit applies to port-to-port service. Both are applied toward your total - not an additional fee. The deposit secures your vessel space and locks your quoted rate regardless of what the market does between booking and sailing.

  • Can I put personal items in my car?

    No. The vehicle must be completely empty. Personal items are not permitted under Matson's shipping terms and are enforced at both the mainland terminal and at Hawaii agricultural inspection. The vehicle must also have no more than a quarter tank of fuel due to fire safety regulations at the port.

  • Can I ship an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid?

    No. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are not accepted on any route. This is a firm policy with no exceptions regardless of model, battery size, or other factors.

  • What documents do I need?

    Shipping TO Hawaii: no documents required at the port. Shipping FROM Hawaii: vehicle title (front and back), current Hawaii registration, Hawaii Safety Inspection Certificate (yellow or blue paper), government-issued photo ID (bring original to gate), and a lien holder authorization letter only if the vehicle is financed. Email to port 24 hours before drop-off.

  • Which port do I use?

    Long Beach handles all shipments from Southern California, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, the entire Midwest, the South, and the East Coast. Oakland handles San Francisco, Sacramento, Northern California, Portland, and Seattle. Oakland has a 76-inch height clearance including roof racks and mirrors - measure your vehicle before booking if it is modified or tall.

  • When is peak season and how does it affect booking?

    Peak season runs June through August. Surcharges apply and vessel space fills quickly. We recommend booking 4–6 weeks in advance. A deposit locks your quoted rate regardless of what happens to pricing after you book - especially important during summer months.

  • How much does it cost to ship a car from Hawaii to the mainland?

    Return shipping from Honolulu (Oahu) starts at $900–$1,200 port-to-port with 12–14 days ocean transit. Neighbor island returns (Maui, Big Island, Kauai) start at $1,990–$2,200 with 22–24 days ocean transit. Call for a door-to-door quote with pickup from your home and mainland delivery.

  • Is my car insured during the ocean crossing?

    Yes. Two independent layers apply. During overland transport, the licensed land carrier holds up to $100,000 in cargo insurance. During the Matson ocean crossing, Matson's carrier liability covers up to approximately $8,000 by default. You can declare a higher vehicle value on your Dock Receipt to increase coverage to the full vehicle value, we recommend this for any vehicle worth more than $8,000.

  • Can I track my car during shipping?

    Yes. Once loaded on the Matson vessel you can track it in real time at matson.com. We also maintain direct contact with you during ocean transit and notify you when your vehicle arrives at the island terminal.

  • Do you ship to all four Hawaiian islands?

    Yes. We ship to and from Oahu (Honolulu/Sand Island terminal), Maui (Kahului terminal), Big Island (Hilo terminal), and Kauai (Nawiliwili terminal). Neighbor island rates start at $2,200 port-to-port with approximately 22–24 days ocean transit.

Questions Answered

Common Questions

We answer these every day. If yours isn't here, call us directly - we pick up during business hours, Monday–Friday 8 AM–6 PM HST.

Ready to Ship?

Ready to Ship the Right Way?

Get your all-inclusive price from Camilo directly. One call, one coordinator, one locked rate from pickup to delivery.

4.9 / 5 Stars - 212 Reviews

Island-Owned & Operated

Matson Exclusive Specialist

USDOT 3505506 · MC 1158539

All Inclusive Pricing

1110 Nuuanu Ave #305, Honolulu, HI 96817

Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 6 PM HST

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