Shipping a Car to Hawaii
Ship Your Car to Hawaii — Fully Managed, All-In Price
Auto shipping to Hawaii means one ocean crossing, one coordinator, and an all-inclusive rate locked at booking. Here is exactly how automobile shipping to Hawaii works, what to expect at each step, and why the details matter more than most brokers will tell you.
2 West Coast ports
Long Beach & Oakland
12–14
Days ocean transit
18 yrs
Hawaii route experience
4.9★
Google rating
"They gave me a real price upfront, not a bait-and-switch quote. My car arrived in Honolulu exactly when they said it would. These are the only people I would trust with auto shipping to Hawaii."
Mike T. — Dallas, TX to Honolulu
On this page
How auto shipping to Hawaii works
Transit times by origin state
Preparing your vehicle
Auto shipping vs car shipping
How to choose: door-to-port vs port-to-port
Departure ports and clearance specs
Insurance: both layers
Frequently asked questions
Deposit Credit
How Auto Shipping to Hawaii Works
Auto shipping to Hawaii is a two-leg process: overland transport from your address to a West Coast departure port, followed by ocean transit aboard an enclosed Matson Roll-on/Roll-off vessel to your destination island. Most customers have never shipped a vehicle across an ocean, and most brokers give a vague overview and expect you to figure out the rest. Here is what actually happens at each stage.
The Overland Leg
For door-to-port auto shipping, we dispatch a licensed, insured carrier to your address. The carrier contacts you directly with a pickup window and you hand over the key. The vehicle is driven onto a multi-car hauler and transported to the departure port — Long Beach or Oakland, depending on your origin. The deposit locks your all-inclusive rate and secures your vessel space. It is applied toward your total, never added on top.
Carrier assignment is not random. We assign based on the specific route corridor, not a generic nationwide dispatch board. A carrier who runs the Phoenix-to-Long Beach lane regularly knows that route. A carrier dispatched from a random board might be running it for the first time. For rural or off-corridor pickups — rural Idaho, Montana, parts of Nevada — we start calling carriers three weeks out because those lanes are shallow. A late assignment means missing the sailing.
The Ocean Crossing
Your vehicle is driven onto a Matson Roll-on/Roll-off vessel at the departure port. This is the detail most auto shipping brokers omit entirely: the vessel is enclosed. Your automobile is stored inside the ship for the entire Pacific crossing — not on an open deck, not in a container, not exposed to saltwater or weather. It drives on at Long Beach or Oakland and drives off in Honolulu. That is how Matson RoRo vessels work, and it is a genuine difference that matters for your vehicle's condition on arrival.
Ocean transit from the West Coast to Honolulu takes 12 to 14 days. Anyone telling you 5 to 7 days is quoting the wrong information. Matson sails weekly from both Long Beach and Oakland. If your vehicle misses the sailing cutoff by a day, it waits for the next departure — a minimum 7-day delay that can push to two weeks or more during peak season in summer.
Hawaii Arrival
When the vessel docks at Sand Island in Honolulu, your vehicle goes through the Hawaii Department of Agriculture biosecurity inspection. Inspectors check for soil, seeds, insects, and organic debris — particularly undercarriage mud. A $30 undercarriage wash before shipping saves a $200 to $400 port cleaning fee and a multi-day hold. For neighbor island delivery, the vehicle transfers to a Young Brothers barge for the inter-island leg to Maui, Big Island, or Kauai — an open, exposed barge, unlike the enclosed Matson vessel on the mainland crossing.
The Detail Most Auto Shippers Never Mention
The Young Brothers barge on the neighbor island leg is not enclosed. If your vehicle is going to Maui, Big Island, or Kauai, it is on an open barge for the inter-island portion. This affects insurance considerations and vehicle preparation. We explain this at booking — not after you have already paid.
Get Your Auto Shipping Quote
Tell us your origin, destination island, and vehicle type. We confirm your all-inclusive rate on the first call.
Auto Shipping Transit Times to Hawaii by State
Total auto transport time from your driveway to Hawaii is the overland leg plus 12 to 14 days of ocean transit. Here are the current estimates by region. For neighbor islands, add 10 to 14 days for the Young Brothers barge transfer from Honolulu.
| Your Location | Overland | Ocean | Total to Oahu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles / San Diego, CA | Same day to 1 day | 12–14 days | 12–15 days |
| Phoenix / Tucson, AZ | 2–3 days | 12–14 days | 14–17 days |
| Denver, CO | 3–5 days | 12–14 days | 15–19 days |
| Dallas / Houston, TX | 3–5 days | 12–14 days | 15–19 days |
| Chicago, IL | 5–7 days | 12–14 days | 17–21 days |
| Atlanta, GA | 5–7 days | 12–14 days | 17–21 days |
| New York / New Jersey | 7–10 days | 12–14 days | 19–24 days |
| Florida | 10–14 days | 12–14 days | 22–28 days |
Booking Lead Time for Auto Shipping
Standard lead time is 2 to 3 weeks minimum. Peak season (May through August) requires 4 to 6 weeks. Summer tightens both vessel space and overland carrier availability simultaneously. Missing the port cutoff means waiting at least 7 days for the next sailing — and during peak season the next sailing may already be full, pushing the delay to two weeks or more. We time your carrier pickup to your target sailing, not the other way around.
All-Inclusive Pricing
Departure Ports for Auto Shipping to Hawaii
Every vehicle shipped to Hawaii departs from one of two active West Coast ports. Which port handles your auto transport depends on your pickup location.
Long Beach, California
Primary Port
Height clearance
7 feet (84 in)
Width clearance
7 ft 2 in (86 in)
Serves
SoCal, SW, Midwest, South, East Coast, Denver
Oakland, California
Northern Corridor
Height clearance
76 in (6 ft 4 in)
Width clearance
76 in (6 ft 4 in)
Routes from
SF, NorCal, Portland, Seattle, Reno
Oakland Clearance Warning
Oakland's 76-inch limit applies to the fully assembled vehicle including roof racks, cargo carriers, and extended mirrors. Lifted trucks, large SUVs, and vehicles with rooftop cargo systems must be measured before booking. If your vehicle is close to the limit, we route through Long Beach. Denver routes through Long Beach regardless — the Donner Pass route is hazardous for large haulers.
Tacoma Is Not an Active Port
Matson terminated operations at Tacoma. Any auto shipping company listing Tacoma as a departure option is providing outdated information. Active departure ports for Hawaii auto transport are Long Beach and Oakland only.
Preparing Your Vehicle for Auto Shipping to Hawaii
Vehicle preparation is enforced at both the mainland port terminal and Hawaii agricultural inspection. Vehicles that do not meet requirements are held at the port.
Required: Shipping TO Hawaii
Fuel at one quarter tank or less
Vehicle completely empty — no personal items anywhere including trunk and glove box
Exterior, interior, and undercarriage clean — no soil, mud, seeds, or organic debris
Fully operational — drives, steers, and brakes under its own power
No windshield chips or cracks
Photograph the vehicle from all angles before drop-off
Not Accepted - No Exceptions
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids — not accepted on any route, no exceptions
Non-running vehicles — must drive, steer, and brake under its own power
Personal items of any kind — enforced at terminal and during Hawaii ag inspection
Mud, soil, seeds, or organic debris anywhere on the vehicle
The Undercarriage Detail Most People Miss
Undercarriage soil from agricultural regions — California Central Valley, Pacific Northwest, rural Midwest — is the most common reason vehicles are held at Hawaii agricultural inspection. A $30 undercarriage wash at a self-service car wash takes 15 minutes. A cleaning at the Hawaii port after a failed inspection costs $200 to $400 and delays vehicle release by 1 to 3 business days. Wash the undercarriage before auto shipping.
For the complete preparation checklist, see our How to Ship a Car to Hawaii guide and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture biosecurity requirements.
Insurance Coverage
Insurance for Auto Shipping to Hawaii
Auto transport to Hawaii includes two layers of insurance. We explain both at booking because the coverage limits and claims process differ for each leg.
Layer 1 — Overland
Land Transport
$100,000
The licensed land carrier provides up to $100,000 in cargo insurance from the moment your vehicle is loaded at your address until it arrives at the departure port.
Neighbor Island Barge Note
If your vehicle is going to Maui, Big Island, or Kauai, the Young Brothers inter-island barge leg carries different insurance terms and the vehicle is exposed to the elements. We recommend verifying with your personal auto insurance carrier whether your policy covers both ocean and barge transport. Photograph the vehicle before each stage.
Layer 2 — Ocean
Ocean Transport
~$8,000
Matson's carrier liability covers actual damage during the ocean crossing up to approximately $8,000 for an average-sized vehicle. You can declare a higher value on the Dock Receipt to increase this limit.
Deposit Credit
Auto Shipping vs Car Shipping to Hawaii
Auto shipping and car shipping to Hawaii describe the same service. The terms are interchangeable — both refer to transporting a personal vehicle from the US mainland to Hawaii via ocean freight, coordinated by a licensed freight broker using Matson vessels.
The distinction that sometimes confuses customers is between the two service levels: door-to-port (we dispatch an overland carrier to your address) and port-to-port (you drive the vehicle to Long Beach or Oakland yourself). Both use the same Matson ocean freight route. The difference is whether overland transport is included.
Some customers also confuse auto shipping to Hawaii with enclosed transport for classic or collector vehicles. Standard auto shipping uses Matson's enclosed RoRo vessels for the ocean leg — all vehicles are inside the ship regardless of service level. If you need premium enclosed transport for the overland portion as well, we offer that as an upgrade for classic cars, luxury vehicles, and high-value automobiles.
What "Enclosed" Actually Means for Hawaii Auto Shipping
Every vehicle shipped to Hawaii via Matson travels inside an enclosed Roll-on/Roll-off vessel for the Pacific crossing. This is not a premium upgrade — it is the standard for all Matson Hawaii sailings. Your vehicle is driven aboard and stored inside the ship, protected from saltwater, weather, and the elements for the entire crossing. The word "enclosed" only changes meaning for the overland leg, where open multi-car haulers are standard and enclosed trailers are the premium option.
Written by Camilo Jaime
Lead Shipping Coordinator, Car Shipping Hawaii
1110 Nuuanu Ave #305, Honolulu, HI 96817. 18 years coordinating Hawaii vehicle shipments. Every auto shipping order we handle goes through the same calendar coordination process — matching your pickup date to the Matson sailing schedule so your vehicle arrives when you need it, not whenever it happens to show up.
Related Pages — Auto Shipping & Vehicle Transport
How to Ship a Car to Hawaii — Step by Step
Port-to-Port Vehicle Transport
Military PCS Auto Shipping Hawaii
California to Hawaii Auto Shipping
Door-to-Port Auto Shipping Service
Enclosed Auto Transport to Hawai
Auto Shipping from Hawaii to Mainland
Texas to Hawaii Vehicle Transport
How long does shipping a car to Hawaii take?
Ocean transit from the West Coast to Honolulu takes 12 to 14 days aboard an enclosed Matson vessel. Total time depends on your mainland origin. West Coast origins add 1 to 3 days. Midwest origins add 5 to 7 days. East Coast origins add 7 to 14 days. Neighbor island delivery adds 10 to 14 additional days via Young Brothers barge from Honolulu.
What types of vehicles can you ship to Hawaii?
We transport standard passenger vehicles, trucks, SUVs, vans, and classic or luxury vehicles via enclosed Matson Roll-on/Roll-off vessels. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are not accepted on any route. Non-running vehicles are not accepted. The vehicle must be fully operational.
Do I need any paperwork to ship my car to Hawaii?
When auto shipping to Hawaii from the mainland, no documents are required at the port. You need your vehicle, your key, and fuel at or below one quarter tank. When shipping from Hawaii to the mainland, you need your vehicle title, current Hawaii registration, Hawaii safety inspection certificate, and a government-issued photo ID.
How is my car insured while shipping to Hawaii?
Yes. Auto shipping to Hawaii includes two insurance layers. The overland carrier provides up to $100,000 in cargo insurance. Matson's carrier liability covers actual ocean damage up to approximately $8,000 for an average-sized vehicle. You can declare a higher value on the Dock Receipt to increase ocean coverage. We recommend verifying with your personal auto insurer whether ocean transport is covered.
How does shipping a car to Hawaii work?
You book your shipment, then either we dispatch a carrier to pick up your vehicle and bring it to the mainland departure port (door-to-port), or you drive it to the port yourself (port-to-port). Your car sails to Honolulu aboard an enclosed Matson vessel, clears Hawaii agricultural inspection, and is ready for pickup or onward delivery. One coordinator manages the move from booking to arrival.
Which Hawaiian islands can I ship my car to?
Oahu is served directly through the Matson terminal in Honolulu. Cars bound for neighbor islands — Maui, the Big Island (Kona and Hilo), and Kauai — sail first to Honolulu and then continue by Young Brothers inter-island barge to the destination island.
How should I prepare my car before shipping to Hawaii?
Empty the vehicle completely — no personal items are allowed, and the car is inspected both at the mainland port and at Hawaii agricultural inspection. Leave a quarter tank of fuel or less, make sure the battery is charged and the car runs and rolls, disable any aftermarket alarm, and document any existing damage before drop-off.
What is the difference between door-to-port and port-to-port?
Door-to-port means we dispatch a carrier to collect your vehicle from your home or business and deliver it to the mainland departure port, so you never have to drive it there. Port-to-port means you drive the vehicle to the departure port yourself, which works well if you live near Long Beach or Oakland. Both options put your car on the same enclosed Matson sailing to Honolulu..
Questions Answered
Auto Shipping to Hawaii — Frequently Asked Questions
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Ship Your Car to Hawaii
with Confidence
One coordinator. All-inclusive pricing. No surprises between your driveway and the island.
4.9 / 5 Stars - 212 Reviews
Island-Owned & Operated
Matson Route Specialist
USDOT 3505506 · MC 1158539
1110 Nuuanu Ave #305, Honolulu, HI 96817
Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 6 PM HST
