Maine to North Carolina Car Shipping (2025 Cost Guide)

Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in Maine and when dropping it off in North Carolina.

If you’re not driving the vehicle from Maine to North Carolina, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to North Carolina, which you should verify before loading your car in Maine.

If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. In Maine, drivers must carry a minimum liability coverage of 50/100/25, requiring $50,000 for bodily injury per person, $100,000 for all injuries per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, as per car insurance laws.

Ensure compliance with North Carolina's mandatory minimum liability insurance rules for drivers. Your coverage should meet or exceed $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Don't forget to enhance your protection with uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Stay informed and safeguarded on the road by meeting these state insurance requirements.

Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Maine to North Carolina is about 955 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to seven days to travel from Maine to North Carolina.

The State of Maine requires annual safety inspections for all vehicles used on public roads to ensure they are in proper working condition and safe to operate. Safety inspections in Maine can be carried out at any official service station of the Maine Department of Transportation.

Before the North Carolina DMV can register a passenger vehicle, it must pass an annual safety inspection if it is less than 30 years old.

New residents in North Carolina are obligated to transfer their license or ID within 60 days of moving to the state.

It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Maine to North Carolina after purchasing it.

If you're relocating to North Carolina, you're required to pay vehicle tax. However, you have the option to defer this payment by obtaining a limited registration plate, which will expire 60 days after it's issued. It's important to note that you must pay the property tax before the sticker on the plate reaches its expiration date.

We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Maine and North Carolina to avoid any hidden costs.

The cheapest way to ship a car from Maine to North Carolina is to ship it on a train or choose an open trailer transport method, avoid expedited shipping, and be flexible with your pickup dates.

Shipping a car from Maine to North Carolina costs $846 to $1,233.